Wender·Vista
St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tilePoland
in Gdańsk's Main Town, a few streets from the Motława

St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk

— a brick church the size of a small city.

Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
a note from the studio

The largest brick church in the world, by most measures. Bazylika Mariacka. Begun in 1379, finished in 1502, set in the centre of Gdańsk's Main Town a few streets from the Motława quay. White vaults, an astronomical clock from 1464, a tower 78 metres high. Walk in from the noise of Długi Targ and the air goes still. — from the studio

from the studio
St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk
— bring it home

St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

about St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
the place

St. Mary's Basilica, Bazylika Mariacka, stands in the centre of Gdańsk's Main Town, a few streets inland from the Motława river quay. Construction began in 1379 and finished in 1502, spanning a hundred and twenty years and three master builders. The church measures 105 metres long, with a transept 66 metres across, and is generally counted as the largest brick church in the world. Interior capacity is estimated near 25,000 standing. The tower reaches 78 metres.

the stone

The building is brick Gothic, the style that defines the Hanseatic cities of the Baltic. The vaults are white-plastered net and crystal patterns running across a hall church plan, where the nave and aisles rise to almost equal height. An astronomical clock built by Hans Düringer between 1464 and 1470 stands in the north transept, restored after wartime damage. The high altar is a Hans Schwarz triptych from 1517. Most of the interior was burned in March 1945; the rebuild took decades.

the visit

The basilica is an active Catholic parish and admission is free; a small fee is asked for the tower, with around 400 steps to the viewing platform and the long roof of the Main Town below. Hours run roughly 8:30 to 18:00 most days, shorter on Sundays during Mass. The church sits a short walk from Długi Targ, the Royal Way, and the Crane on the Motława. Quietest in the half hour after opening.

where
Poland · Gdańsk, Pomerania
elevation
5 m · 16 ft
position
54.3506° N · 18.6534° E
the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
at the lake
Długi Targ
main square
at the lake
Żuraw
medieval crane
7 km N
Westerplatte
WWII memorial
N
St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk
Długi Targ
Żuraw
Westerplatte
common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk — and about bringing the piece home.
about the place

In the centre of Gdańsk's Main Town, in Poland's Pomeranian Voivodeship on the Baltic coast. The church is a few streets inland from the Motława river quay and the medieval Crane.

It is generally counted as the largest brick church in the world. The building measures 105 metres long with a transept 66 metres across and an interior estimated to hold around 25,000 people standing.

Construction began in 1379 and finished in 1502, spanning a hundred and twenty years across three master builders. The astronomical clock in the north transept was completed by Hans Düringer around 1470.

Brick Gothic, the style that defines the Hanseatic Baltic cities. The interior is a hall church plan, with nave and aisles rising to near-equal height under white-plastered net and crystal vaults.

Yes. Most of the interior burned in March 1945 during the Soviet capture of Danzig. Reconstruction began soon after and continued for decades; the astronomical clock and the high altar were restored from surviving pieces.

Yes. The tower is 78 metres tall, with around 400 steps to the viewing platform. The climb opens during normal church hours for a small fee, and looks out across the Main Town roofs to the Motława.

about the piece in your home

Yes. The Bazylika is the symbol of the city for many Gdańszczanie at home and abroad. A Small or Medium with a handwritten note from the studio carries the place well.

The brick reds, deep verticals, and white vault light carry into Maximalist, Old-world European, and Jewel-tone Minimalist rooms. It also sits well above a piano or in a quiet entry.

Yes. Old-world and Heritage interiors are leaning toward specific named churches and squares rather than generic continental motifs. A piece tied to Bazylika Mariacka reads as collected, not decorated.

A single Large above a console reads as a hung painting. Above a standard sofa, a 4-tile Mural holds the wall; a 9-tile Mural anchors a larger living room or stair landing with a tall ceiling.

Yes, in the Dura Satin or Matte finish. The colour is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, so steam and splash do not lift it.

A soft microfibre cloth and plain water. For a tile in a bath or near a sink, a damp wipe weekly is enough. No abrasive sponges and no ammonia cleaners.

Yes. The Bazylika Mariacka piece was painted in our studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. We do not license images from third parties; every vista in the atlas is our own work.

if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.