Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Of all churches in Gdansk, St. Mary's Church is the most imposing, built over two centuries, finished in 1543. 25 thousand people can easily fit inside it, and its 250 ft tower affords the view of the city, the port and the Baltic sea. It is the largest brick church in the world, measuring 345 ft in length. Many of its priceless altars and plaques and statues have been saved during the wars, restored and returned to their original place. It escaped many assaults over the ages, including the carpet bombing by the Russians during the WWII, and has been renovated since to reflect its original, medieval glory. The chapels, the main altar, the organs, the burial stones in the floor, the ancient clock with a calendar and moon fazes are all part of the renovated interior. The soaring gothic ceilings are witness to the architectural skill of its builders. The exterior walls have a solar clock, copper-topped towers, arrow slits, and thousands of pigeons.

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