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:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.