Sandomierz Cathedral

The most important church of Sandomierz is the Gothic Cathedral Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. It is also one of the most valuable monuments of the city. Particularly valuable is its interior, where in the chancel are magnificent Rusko-Byzantine polychromes from the early 15th century.

The first mention of the church dates back to the 12th century. Around 1360, a Gothic, collegiate church was erected at the site of the Romanesque building. Its founder was King Casimir the Great. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Collegiate Church was elevated to the dignity of the cathedral, due to the establishment of the Sandomierz Diocese.

The temple is a gothic building with an indoor layout, separated inside rows of pillars. It is covered by a double pitched roof over which stands a pointed metal sign. The front of the cathedral is decorated with a Baroque façade built during the redevelopment of the 17th century. From the same period comes the furnishing of the church. It consists of a late baroque main altar carved in black marble, rococo side altars and paintings in the nave depicting the months of the year and worshiped in their saints.

The most valuable element of the interior design is found in the presbytery Russo-Byzantine frescoes from the early 15th century. They were funded by Wladyslaw Jagiello. It is one of only a few places in Poland where you can admire such wonderful examples of Russian art in gothic interiors.