Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Andrew, Frombork

Coordinates: 54°21′25″N 19°40′54″E / 54.357083°N 19.681667°E / 54.357083; 19.681667
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Frombork Cathedral
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Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew in Frombork
Year consecrated
1288, 1388
Location
LocationFrombork, Poland
Geographic coordinates54°21′25″N 19°40′54″E / 54.357083°N 19.681667°E / 54.357083; 19.681667
Architecture
StyleBrick Gothic
Completed1388
Specifications
Length90m
Height (max)16m
MaterialsBrick
Historic Monument of Poland
Designated1994-09-08
Reference no.M.P. z 1994 r. Nr 50, poz. 414[1]

Frombork Cathedral or the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew (

Roman Catholic church located in the small town of Frombork in northern Poland. Constructed between 1329 and 1388, it replaced an earlier building dating from 1288. It stands on Cathedral Hill on Cathedral Street (ul. Katedralna 8).[2]

The basilica is on Poland's official national

National Heritage Board of Poland
.

History

Cathedral Interior

The original cathedral, completed in 1288, was a timber structure. It was called Ecclesia Warmiensis, indicating that it was the main diocesan building. In 1329, erection began of a brick and stone church and lasted until 1388, giving rise to the present cathedral. It comprises three naves 90 meters long and 16.5 meters tall, ending in a single chancel.

The building had no tower until the end of the 16th century, when a series of renaissance spires was added at the corners. In 1638, a clock was inserted in the central spire.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was enlarged on the northern aspect and a highly ornate portal was added to the entrance.

Between 1887 and 1891 the interior was radically refurbished, to achieve the extant decorative order. The artist Justus Bornowski of

Late Gothic painting, showing early Church Fathers
and the crest of Bishop Nicholas Tungen in the chancel.

Link to Copernicus

Frombork Cathedral in background of Jan Matejko's 1873 painting, Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God.

The astronomer and mathematician

De revolutionibus orbium cœlestium in Frombork.[3] Shortly after its 1543 publication, Copernicus died there and was buried in the cathedral where his grave was thought to have been found by archaeologists in 2005. This was subsequently confirmed in November 2008 by the publication of the results of DNA tests on fragments of bone and hair found on the skeleton; hair that matched two strands of hair which belonged to Copernicus and are currently located in Uppsala University.[4]

In the northwest corner of the cathedral grounds is Copernicus' tower, and in the southwest corner an octagonal building with a square bell tower and a small planetarium and a Foucault's pendulum.

The city suffered destruction during the

Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
who looted the cathedral and removed many cultural artefacts, including Copernicus' manuscripts to Sweden.

The town and cathedral were badly damaged in World War II. After the war the cathedral was meticulously reconstructed.

See also

  • Castles in Poland

References

  1. ^ a b Zarządzenie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 8 września 1994 r. w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii., M.P. z 1994 r. Nr 50, poz. 414
  2. National Heritage Board of Poland
  3. ^ J R Ravetz Plate, Nicolaus Copernicus 1473-1543 in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, London 1602, p. 7 link
  4. ^ Copernicus skeleton identified The Guardian (November 22, 2008)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frombork Cathedral.
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