The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gorzów Wielkopolski

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gorzów Wielkopolski is the oldest church in the city, built at the end of the 13th century on a pseudo-basilica plan. Initially, the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the Eleven Thousand Holy Virgins. Over the centuries, patronage over the temple was held by various institutions, including the city, the collegiate chapter in Myślibórz, and the Teutonic Order. From 1537 to 1945, it served as a Protestant church. The cathedral's architecture features a three-nave body with a tower on the west side and a rectangular sacristy on the north. The interior furnishings of the cathedral have also undergone significant transformation; of the original seventeen altars, only one main Renaissance-Mannerist triptych remains, and many medieval sculptures were lost during the Reformation. Notable elements include a 15th-century Crucifixion Group and the painting *Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary*. The cathedral bears traces of past ceremonies, such as indentations from a fire drill on the outer walls and nails in the portal doors related to fundraising for widows and orphans after World War I. The cathedral is also the resting place of bishops, including Wilhelm Pluta. In 2017, a fire broke out in the cathedral tower, forcing the church to close, but in 2021, the first Mass was held after renovations. The cathedral tower houses four bells, as well as the largest organ in the Gorzów region, with 2,300 pipes. In 1997, the cathedral hosted Pope John Paul II, and in 1982, it was an important center of the Gorzów August events. The oldest bell, *Ave Maria*, was cast in 1498 but lost its sound after being damaged in 1708; it is now housed in a museum.