St. Mary's Church, Stargard, Poland

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is perhaps the most valuable architectural monument in Polish Western Pomerania. It closes the eastern part of the Old Town Market. The oldest known mention of the Church's existence is from writings in the year 1248. The bishop of Cammin, having returned Stargard to Duke Barnim I, stipulated his law to the church.

The Church, in a quickly developing Stargard, became too small for regular attendants. In 1292, construction started on a new and more impressive place of worship. In this phase, the Church had a three nave structure, with all naves of equal height. The Church had no tower then. In the period from 1388 to about 1500, the last expansion of the structure emerged with the construction of the Presbytery and towers.

The church and adjoining city walls represent one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Poland

Address

Bolesława Krzywoustego 12, Stargard, Poland

See all sites in Stargard

Details

Founded: c. 1248
Category: Religious sites in Poland

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Szczecin Castle (33,8 km)
Szczecin Cathedral (34 km)
Old City Town Hall (33,7 km)
Golczewo Castle Ruins (54,1 km)
Recz Church of Christ (34,2 km)
Kolbacz Abbey (16 km)

User Reviews

Adam So (20 months ago)
Bez wątpienia jedna z największych atrakcji historycznych Stargardu. Ma swój klimat, do tego warto wspiąć się i obejrzeć miasto z wieży. Piękne widok na Stargard i okolice, oczywiście przy dobrej pogodzie.

Bartosz G. (21 months ago)
Warto zobaczyć chociażby tylko ten zabytek klasy 0 na trasie gotyku ceglastego w Stargardzie. Piękna architektura w trakcie renowacji lecz zawsze robi wrażenie. Polecam przejezdnym turystom!!!

Małgorzata Ciupa (21 months ago)
Piękny gotycki kościół ceglany. Najcenniejszy zabytek Pomorza Zachodniego. W kościele zachowały się oryginalne polichromie i ołtarz główny z XV w., witraże z XIX i pocz. XX w. Wart obejrzenia.

harry washello (2 years ago)
exceptional historical and religious building, a unique monument

Zsolt Konya (2 years ago)
A nice old historical church in Stargard old citycenter

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

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St. Mary's Church