Royal Chapel in Gdańsk

The Royal Chapel in Gdańsk is a Baroque Catholic building erected between 1678 and 1681 in the Main Town, at a time when St. Mary's Church was under Protestant control. Its construction was initiated by local Catholics with the support of King John III Sobieski. The chapel was built using funds from the will of the Primate of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Andrzej Olszowski, who bequeathed 80,000 złotys for this purpose, as well as thanks to a grant from the king, who contributed an additional 20,000 złotys. The architecture of the chapel is attributed to Tylman van Gameren, and the construction was managed by Barthel Ranisch, while the extraordinary interior decoration is the work of Andreas Schlüter. Inside, there is a cartouche with the coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from the time of John III Sobieski and a plaque commemorating this ruler. The chapel served as a symbol of Catholic presence in Gdańsk during a difficult historical period, making it an important element of the city's cultural heritage. Interestingly, it played a role in expressing the identity of the Catholic community, which sought to preserve its tradition in the face of Protestant dominance. The chapel's dome, a majestic architectural element, is also a distinctive landmark that attracts both tourists and researchers of architectural history.