View source for Gothic architecture in modern Poland

{{multiple images
|header=Polish Gothic architecture
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|image1=Krakau - Barbakan.jpg
|caption1=[[Kraków Barbican]]
|image2=Krakow- Collegium Maius 02.jpg
|caption2=[[Collegium Maius]] of [[Jagiellonian University]] in Kraków
|image3=Torun kamienice ul Kopernika 15 i 17.jpg
|caption3=[[Nicolaus Copernicus]] house in [[Toruń]]
}}
The [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] architecture arrived in [[Poland]] in the first half of the 13th century with the arrival of the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] and [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] orders. The first elements of the new style are evident in the foundation of the Dominican [[Basilica of Holy Trinity, Kraków|Trinity church]] in [[Kraków]] (1226–1250),<ref name="Strzala-2">Marek Strzala, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308154924/http://www.krakow-info.com/Kaz_walk.htm Stroll through the historic Kazimierz area.] ''Krakow Info.com'' (Internet Archive). Retrieved {{nowrap|February 13, 2014}}.</ref> built by Bishop [[Iwo Odrowąż]]. Rebuilding of the [[Wrocław Cathedral]], started in 1244, was another early manifestation of the Gothic style. The earliest building in Poland built entirely in the Gothic style is the [[Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica|chapel of St. Hedwig in Trzebnica]] (1268–1269), on the grounds of a Cistercian monastery.

Gothic architecture was preceded by the [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style, and some Romanesque buildings still survive, mostly in the north and west of the country (see [[Romanesque architecture in Poland|here]]). Most Gothic buildings in Poland are made of [[brick]], and belong to the [[Baltic region|Baltic]] [[Brick Gothic]], especially in northern Poland (see [[List of Brick Gothic buildings#Poland|Significant Brick Gothic buildings in Poland]]). Nonetheless, not all Gothic buildings in Poland are made of brick. Many buildings, e.g. the [[Wawel]] Cathedral in Kraków are mostly stone-built. Poland also has some Gothic [[fieldstone church]]es, mostly of relatively small size. The centres of Polish Gothic are Kraków, [[Gdańsk]], [[Toruń]] and [[Wrocław]].

The reign of king [[Casimir the Great]] was the time of the greatest flowering of gothic architecture in Poland. A similar development took place in the late Gothic phase, during the reign of [[Casimir the Jagiellonian]].

In the region of [[Lesser Poland]] (in the south) buildings were built of brick with stone blocks used for some details. Churches built in the area are often two-nave,  there are also some basilicas with relatively short aisles. [[Silesian architecture#Silesian Gothic|Silesian Gothic]] resembles solution found in Lesser Poland, with some influence from [[Bohemia]]. As in Lesser Poland, Silesian Gothic buildings were mostly made of brick, with stone being used for details. One of the characteristics is the location of the tower – at the intersection of the transept of the church choir, on the south-east. The architecture of the northern Poland was strongly influenced by the [[State of the Teutonic Order|Teutonic Order]] state buildings and [[Hanseatic League|Hansa]] cities. Churches in [[Pomerania]] were largely made of brick and were built as [[hall church]]es with tall towers, while basilicas were much less common. No new local form of the Gothic style developed in [[Mazovia]], and Mazovian architecture dominated by simplified forms of Gothic styles found elsewhere.

== Castles ==
Beginning in the 13th century, royal and ducal castles were being modernized, expanding functionality of existing buildings ([[Wawel Castle]], [[Legnica|Legnica Castle]]). Construction of new castle began. As this initially required consent of the ruler, the oldest castles were state-built. Initially, in the 13th century, the characteristic elements of the locks were placed in a role within the wood-earth castles, so the first castles were irregular in shape (e.g., in [[Opole]]). After the mid-13th century abandoned the construction palatiów to be connected rather with the earlier epoch. Regular shape of castles spread throughout the Polish Kingdom in the reign of Casimir the Great, and built them into this shape, even in areas of previous castles (Rawa, Łęczyca, Koło). Castles and monasteries built by Joannites (Stare Drawsko, [[Łagów, Świebodzin County|Łagów]], [[Swobnica]], [[Pęzino]]) and the Teutonic Order, in the state created by them in Prussia (Malbork, [[Radzyń Chełmiński]], [[Niedzica]]) and bishops (in Lipowiec). The castles were built or final defense towers (known as stołp) and residential towers (donżon).

The best preserved Gothic castles are:
* in [[Lesser Poland]]: [[Chęciny]], [[Odrzykoń]], [[Czorsztyn]], [[Niedzica]], Kazimierz Dolny, [[Bobolice]], [[Będzin]], Lipowiec, [[Ogrodzieniec]] and others on [[Trail of the Eagles' Nests]]
* in northern Poland: built by the Teutonic Order in [[Malbork]], [[Nidzica]], Golub, Radzyń Chełmiński, [[Gniew]]; or on their strongholds modeled (usually built on the estates of bishops) in [[Kwidzyn]], Lidzbark Warmiński, [[Olsztyn]], [[Reszel]].
* in [[Mazovia]]: Castle in [[Ciechanów]], [[Czersk, Masovian Voivodeship|Czersk]], [[Liw, Poland|Liw]].
* in [[Greater Poland]]: Castle in the [[Koło]], [[Szamotuły]], [[Gołańcz]], [[Łęczyca]].
* in [[Lower Silesia]]: [[Siedlęcin Tower]], [[Bolków]], [[Chojnik]], [[Żmigród]], [[Świny, Lower Silesian Voivodeship|Świny]]
<gallery>
File:Bobolice, Zamek (II).JPG|[[Bobolice Castle]]
File:20140619 Zamek Ogrodzieniec 3703.jpg|[[Ogrodzieniec Castle]] (partially rebuilt)
File:Chęciny - zamek...jpg|Castle in [[Chęciny]]
File:20150411 Zamek w Będzinie 5554.jpg|[[Będzin Castle]]
File:Zamek książąt mazowieckich w Czersku 1.jpg|[[Czersk Castle|Masovian Dukes Castle in Czersk]]
File:Zamek w Ciechanowie.jpg|[[Castle of the Masovian Dukes in Ciechanów|Masovian Dukes Castle in Ciechanów]]
File:Zamek Królewski w Łęczycy.jpg|[[Łęczyca Castle|Royal Castle]] in [[Łęczyca]]
File:646547 Lidzbark Warmiński zamek biskupi 02.JPG|[[Castle of Warmian Bishops in Lidzbark Warmiński]]
File:Gniew zamek z rogu.JPG|[[Gniew Castle|Teutonic Castle in Gniew]]
File:Zamek w Nidzicy.jpg|[[Nidzica Castle|Teutonic Castle in Nidzica]]
File:Zespół Zamku Krzyżackiego MALBORK 01.jpg|Teutonic [[Ordensburg]] in [[Malbork Castle|Malbork]]
File:KP, Olsztyn, zamek2.JPG|[[Castle of Warmian Bishops in Olsztyn]]
File:Zamek radzyn 3.jpg|Teutonic Castle in [[Radzyń Chełmiński]]
File:Wawel Kurza Stopka tower.PNG|Medieval parts of [[Wawel Castle]] in Kraków
</gallery>

== Town halls ==
A town hall called [[Ratusz]] was a symbol of a city's power in the Middle Ages.  Around the town hall were other buildings associated with the function of the urban organism: hall, municipal building, weight, merchant stalls and pillory.  Examples of unconverted later Gothic town halls include the [[Wrocław Town Hall]], the Old Town Hall in Toruń and town halls in Chojna, Gdańsk and Szczecin.<ref name="jaktrafic">[http://www.jaktrafic.org/ratusze/regulamin_ratusze.pdf Szlakiem Rynków i Ratuszy w Polsce] [[PTTK]]</ref><ref name="gosciniec">Elżbieta Zagłoba-Zygler, [http://gosciniec.pttk.pl/16_2004/index.php?co=061 20 lat rajdu motorowego PTTK "Ratusze w Polsce"] "Gosciniec" Polskiego Towarzystwa Turystyczno-Krajoznawczego, PTTK</ref><ref name="Rosikon">Janusz Rosikoń, [http://www.rosikonpress.com/dzial_48/towar_karta_4/Ratusze_w_Polsce.html Ratusze w Polsce] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926140928/http://www.rosikonpress.com/dzial_48/towar_karta_4/Ratusze_w_Polsce.html |date=2016-09-26 }} Rosikon Press</ref>  Only [[Town Hall Tower, Kraków|the Gothic tower]] of [[Kraków Town Hall|the Ratusz town hall]] in [[Kraków]] has survived.<ref>Kamil Janicki, [http://ciekawostkihistoryczne.pl/2012/01/19/co-sie-stalo-z-krakowskim-ratuszem/ Co się stało z krakowskim ratuszem?] Ciekawostki turystyczne.</ref> The gothic town hall on the Old Town Market Square in Warsaw was demolished in 1820.
<gallery>
File:Wroclaw-Rathaus.jpg|[[Wrocław Town Hall]]
File:Torun Ratusz Staromiejski 2010 03 04 7189.JPG|[[Toruń|Toruń Old Town Hall]]
File:Chojna ratusz.jpg|[[Chojna|Chojna Town Hall]]
File:Orneta, ratusz.jpg|[[Orneta|Orneta Town Hall]]
File:Ayuntamiento Principal, Gdansk, Polonia, 2013-05-20, DD 05.jpg|[[Gdańsk Town Hall]]
File:Krakow-ratusz2.jpg|Tower of [[Kraków Town Hall]]
File:SM Pasłęk Ratusz (3) ID 645083.jpg|[[Pasłęk|Pasłęk Town Hall]]
File:Kamień Pomorski ratusz (6).jpg|[[Kamień Pomorski|Kamień Pomorski Town Hall]]
File:Szczecin Ratusz Staromiejski (dron).jpg|[[Old Town Hall, Szczecin|Szczecin Town Hall]]
File:Malbork 3036.JPG|[[Malbork|Malbork Town Hall]]
File:Morąg, ratusz.JPG|[[Morąg|Morąg Town Hall]]
File:StRatuszSrodaSlaska.jpg|[[Środa Śląska|Środa Śląska Town Hall]]
File:Sandomierz - Ratusz.jpg|[[Sandomierz Town Hall]]
File:Lwówek Śląski Ratusz Sień (4).JPG|[[Lwówek Śląski|Lwówek Śląski Town Hall]]
File:2012-04 Głubczyce 22.jpg|[[Głubczyce|Głubczyce Town Hall]]
File:Olsztyn. Stary Ratusz.JPG|[[Olsztyn|Olsztyn Old Town Hall]]
File:Ratusz w Tarnowie, Rynek (-) 2 pavw.JPG|[[Tarnów Town Hall]]
File:Niederlausitz 08-13 img11 Gubin (PL).jpg|[[Gubin, Poland|Gubin Town Hall]]
File:Namysłów Ratusz 01.JPG|[[Namysłów Town Hall]]
File:Żnin, Wieża ratuszowa.jpg|Tower of [[Żnin|Żnin Town Hall]]
File:Stargard Szczec ratusz (3).jpg|[[Stargard|Stargard Town Hall]]
File:Trzcinsko ratusz kolb8433.JPG|[[Trzcińsko-Zdrój|Trzcińsko-Zdrój Town Hall]]
File:Brodnica, Duży Rynek (cropped).JPG|Turret of [[Brodnica|Brodnica Town Hall]]
</gallery>

== Houses ==
Existing settlements received in the 13th and 14th centuries tracking new laws (usually based on [[Magdeburg Law]]). Urban area is usually divided grid of streets perpendicular to the plot by creating a chessboard layout. Residential buildings, in the upper reaches is still built of wood or timber-framed art. In order to prevent the transmission of fire during the fire, often the wall was increased at the border of two adjacent parcels and tracts of gable roof receives addressed to the agent. Facades of houses stepped or triangular peaks. Houses of rich burghers sometimes received in the form of a richer decor. More often it was a topic mimicking polychrome wall, and wimpergi tracery. An example of building in the Gothic style is the house of Copernicus in Torun, in Sandomierz Długosz House, oldest building of Jagiellonian University – Collegium Maius, building on ul. Łazienna 22 in Toruń.
<gallery>
File:CopernicusHouse.jpg|[[Copernicus]] House, [[Toruń]]
File:Wislica Dom Dlugosza 20070825 1509.jpg|[[Długosz House in Wiślica|Długosz House, Wiślica]]
File:Gdansk DomSchlieffow.JPG|Schlieff Tenement in [[Gdańsk]]
File:Stary Rynek 50 51 Poznań.JPG|Houses in Old Market, [[Poznań]]
File:Dwór mieszczański, od strony bulwaru filadelfijskiego.jpg|St. George Guildhall in Toruń
File:Stargard Szczec kamienica gotycka (2).jpg|Protzen House, [[Stargard]]
</gallery>

== Town walls and town gates ==
The city walls surrounded, sometimes in place of the earlier shafts and such investment is carried out for many years, making frequent upgrades. Older consolidation often was increased. The sequence is often interrupted by walls tower. Cities sometimes receive a new, second belt walls (e.g., Wrocław, Toruń). Leading to the ornate gates of cities often preceded the late Gothic period barbakanami connected with them neck. First this form of defense on Polish soil was established in Toruń – Barbican Starotoruński of 1426, the best preserved in Poland barbican Barbican in Kraków. To this day preserved fragments of walls, of which most survived the gate, for example, in [[Szydłów]], [[Sandomierz]], Kraków [[St. Florian's Gate]] and the [[Kraków barbican]]. Significant parts of the walls have been preserved in [[Stargard Szczeciński|Stargard]], [[Pyrzyce]], [[Byczyna]], Toruń. In [[Chełmno]] and [[Paczków]] city walls are preserved almost in its entirety.

<gallery>
File:Szydlow 20060619 1304 1.jpg|Kraków Gate, [[Szydłów]]
File:Brama florianska.jpg|[[St. Florian's Gate]], Kraków
File:Olsztyn, Wysoka Brama..jpg|High Gate in [[Olsztyn]]
File:Legnica, Brama Głogowska i wieża Świętej Jadwigi Zamku Piastowskiego -Aw58- 24.03.2012 r..JPG|Gothic towers in [[Legnica]]
File:Wieża Katowska, Prudnik 2018.11.05 (03).jpg|Katowska and Mała Towers with a fragment of the town wall, [[Prudnik]]
File:Brama Mostowa, Toruń.JPG|Mostowa Gate in [[Toruń]]
File:2015 Brama Wodna w Bystrzycy Kłodzkiej 02.jpg|Water Tower in [[Bystrzyca Kłodzka]]
File:635489 Gdańsk Brama Mariacka 04.JPG|St. Mary's Gate in [[Gdańsk]]
File:Barbakan w Warszawie - 03.jpg|[[Barbican in Warsaw]]
File:Lublin brama krakowska noc.JPG|[[Kraków Gate in Lublin]]
</gallery>

== Churches ==
Gothic churches can be found all over Poland, especially in major cities of late medieval Poland, including [[Kraków]], [[Wrocław]], [[Gdańsk]]. The [[St. Mary's Church, Gdańsk|St. Mary's Church]] in Gdańsk is the largest brick church in the world. The Pelplin Cathedral in [[Pelplin]], [[Pomerania]] is one of the largest churches in Poland. Kraków's [[St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków|St. Mary's Basilica]] and [[Wawel Cathedral]] are among the most recognisable landmarks in all of Poland.
<gallery>
File:Wawel katedra2.jpg|[[Wawel Cathedral]] in [[Kraków]]
File:Poland-00756 - St. John The Baptist Church (31101183261).jpg|[[St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw]]
File:635422 Gdańsk-k.Mariacki 01.JPG|[[St. Mary's Church, Gdańsk]]
File:Katedra św. Jana Chrzciciela nr1 e83.jpg|[[Wrocław Cathedral]]
File:Krakow CorpusChristiChurch G28.jpg|[[Corpus Christi Basilica]] in Kraków
File:Frauenburger Dom 2010.jpg|[[Frombork Cathedral]]
File:Kraków - St. Mary Church 01.JPG|[[St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków|St. Mary's Basilica]], [[Kraków]]
File:Kraków - Trinity Church 01.jpg|Dominicans Church, Kraków
File:Katedra p.w. Wniebowzięcia NMP we Włocławku1 N. Chylińska.JPG|Cathedral Church in [[Włocławek]]
File:Torun kosciol sw Jakuba od Szpitalnej.jpg|St. Jacob Church, Toruń
File:Torun kosciol ss Janow z mostu drogowego.jpg|[[Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, Toruń|Cathedral]], Toruń
File:Wrocław Breslau Mary Magdalene Church.JPG|[[St. Mary Magdalene Church, Wrocław]]
File:Wroclaw- kosciol Michala Archaniola.jpg|St. Michael Archangel Church, Wrocław
598582 Wrocław Bazylika Elżbiety 01.JPG|[[St. Elizabeth's Church, Wrocław]]
File:Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, Breslavia, Polonia, 2017-12-20, DD 15.jpg|[[Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew in Wrocław|Holy Cross Church]], Wrocław
File:Wroclaw swDorotyStanislawaWaclawa.jpg|[[Church of St. Dorothea (Wrocław)|St. Dorothea Church]], Wrocław
File:Szydlow church 20060619 1235.jpg|St. Ladislaus Church, [[Szydłów]]
File:Kolegiata Dobre Miasto 1.JPG|Collegiate church, [[Dobre Miasto]]
File:Gdańsk St Catherine church.jpg|St. Catherine Church, Gdańsk
File:Pelplin bazylika.JPG|Cathedral, [[Pelplin]]
File:Saint John the Baptist church in Orneta.jpg|St. John the Baptist Church, [[Orneta]]
</gallery>

==Other buildings==
<gallery>
File:Gdańsk (DerHexer) 2010-07-12 072.jpg|St. George Manor, Gdańsk
File:Gdansk Wielki Mlyn.jpg|Great Mill, Gdańsk
File:2014 Kłodzko, most gotycki 01.jpg|Gothic Bridge on millrace, [[Kłodzko]]
File:Arsenał Miejski, Wrocław 1.jpg|Arsenal, Wrocław
File:Stargard Archiwum.jpg|Arsenal, [[Stargard]]
File:2012.05.08 MALBORK (231).JPG|Palace Great Masters in Malbork
File:Malbork zamek 21.jpg|Refectory in Malbork Castle
File:SM Prudnik Wieża Zamkowa Woka 2018 (0) ID 628462.jpg|[[Prudnik Castle|Wok's Tower]], [[Prudnik]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Culture of medieval Poland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Gothic architecture by country}}
{{Architecture of Poland}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Gothic architecture in Poland| ]]
[[Category:History of Poland during the Piast dynasty]]
[[Category:Polish art]]