Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

What makes it special

Two towers, each 98 metres high, carry the west front of a Gothic basilica with three aisles, a transept and a presbytery. Their spires are newer than they look: the cathedral was wrecked in the fighting of spring 1945, and the spires only went back up in the 1990s.

At the far end of the nave, in the ticketed presbytery, stands the high altar of 1591, the silver altar given by Bishop Andreas Jerin. Hidden at the end of the war, it has been back on view since 2019.

Look for Jerin himself while you are there. His face turns up four times: in one of the paintings, on a medallion, on the altar and in a bust in the presbytery.

Two baroque chapels open off the church, the Chapel of St Elizabeth and the Corpus Christi Chapel, known as the electoral chapel.

From the tower terrace the view runs all the way round: the bishops' gardens, the riverside boulevards, the Market Hall, the Grunwald and Peace bridges, the Botanical Garden and the Sky Tower.

Visiting

Arriving on Plac Katedralny, you can walk straight into the nave without a ticket, as long as no service is under way. If Mass has started, step back out and return when it ends.

For everything beyond the nave, buy a ticket at the cathedral's ticket desk. Go up first while the weather holds, climbing the stairs or riding the lift to the terrace.

The way back down runs through a mission exhibition of objects gathered from around the world. Finish in the presbytery at the altar, then look into the Chapel of St Elizabeth and the electoral chapel.

Tips

Men are asked to take off hats and caps, and the nave is a working church, so keep your voice low.

Children under six go up the tower free. The terrace is fenced with high mesh, so it suits a family climb.