The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (), also called Toruń Cathedral, is a Gothic

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

and

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

located in the Old Town of

Toruń Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toruń. As part of the Medieval Town of Toruń it is listed as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

and a Historic Monument of Poland. One of three Gothic churches of the town, it is built from brick, an aisled hall with a monumental west tower. The first church from the 13th century was a small hall without aisles and with polygonal presbytery. This was replaced by aisled hall church in the first half of the 14th century, which has been rebuilt many times and extended until it reached its present form at the end of the 15th century. The interior is richly decorated and furnished. The earliest painted decorations in the presbytery date back to the 14th century and depict the Crucifixion and the Last Judgement. One of the side chapels is connected with

Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath who formulated a mathematical model, model of Celestial spheres#Renaissance, the universe that placed heliocentrism, the Sun rather than Earth at its cen ...

. There is a 13th-century baptismal font, supposedly used for baptizing the astronomer, 16th-century epitaph to him, and 18th-century monument. At the tower hangs Tuba Dei, the third-largest bell in Poland, cast in 1500. The heart of Polish King

John I Albert John I Albert (; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Roy ...

was buried in the cathedral after his death in

in 1501. Formerly the main

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

of the Old Town of

, since 1935, it is a

Minor Basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

, and since 1992 the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toruń.

Gallery

Bazylika św. Janów ul. Żeglarska w Toruniu1 N. Chylińska.JPG, Façade and tower (view from the west) Cathedral of Torun (2).jpg, View from the east Torun kosciol sw Janow sklepienie.jpg, Vault Copernicus epitaph St John church Torun.jpg,

epitaph

References

External links

Internet Site of Toruń Diocese

Cathedral Basilica of SS. Johns in Toruń

Photos of SS. Johns cathedral in Toruń
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, Torun Roman Catholic cathedrals in Poland Buildings and structures in Toruń Basilica churches in Poland Burial sites of the Jagiellonian dynasty Churches in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Gothic architecture in Toruń Tourist attractions in Toruń Gothic church buildings in Poland