Holy Trinity Church in Gdańsk

The Holy Trinity Church in Gdańsk is a late Gothic temple built for the Franciscans between 1422 and 1433, located in the Lastadia district. It forms part of the monastic complex of the Conventual Franciscans, which also includes St. Anne's Chapel and the monastery buildings. After the Reformation in 1556, the church was transformed into the home of the Gdańsk Academic Gymnasium, while St. Anne's Chapel became a center for Polish-language worship. In the 19th century, the monastery was adapted into the City Museum, and today it is a branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk. The church's architecture is distinguished by its three-nave hall layout with a rectangularly closed presbytery and characteristic stepped gables. The interior is covered by a vault combining star-shaped and net-like forms, with decorations focusing on richly adorned pillars and the gallery of the music choir. The church houses valuable movable artworks from the 15th to 18th centuries, including a late Gothic crucifix and triptychs, as well as a 17th-century organ that has undergone significant reconstruction. St. Anne's Chapel, dating from 1480, was designed on an irregular rectangular plan and features Baroque decoration. The church not only stands as an example of late Gothic brick architecture but also serves as an important center of culture and history in Gdańsk, where original 15th-century stained-glass windows and a crypt of patrician families have been discovered. An interesting fact is the restoration of the 18th-century organ prospectus, which was completed in June 2018, bringing back into use a valuable instrument that had been stored in inadequate conditions for years. The Holy Trinity Church is a place with a rich history that has weathered the storms of time, representing a precious element of Gdańsk's cultural heritage.