St. Elizabeth's Church, Wrocław

St. Elizabeth's Church (Polish: Bazylika św. Elżbiety) of the Catholic Third Order of Saint Francis is a Gothic church in Wrocław, Poland. It is one of the most iconic structures of the city's Old Town panorama.

St. Elizabeth's Church
Bazylika św. Elżbiety
St Elizabeth's Church, Wrocław
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Old Town
Location
Location	Wrocław, Poland
Architecture
Style	Gothic
Completed	14th century
Specifications
Height (max)	91.5 m
Materials	Brick
Historic Monument of Poland
Designated	1994-09-08
Part of	Wrocław – historic city center
Reference no.	M.P. 1994 nr 50 poz. 425[1]

History

The structure dates back to the 14th century, when construction was commissioned by the city. The main tower was originally 130 meters tall. From 1525 until 1946, St. Elizabeth's was the chief Lutheran Church of Wrocław and Silesia and the principal congregation of the Evangelical Church of Prussia in Breslau. The last sermon in German was given on June 30, 1946, paying tribute to the loss of home.^[2]

In 1946 it was expropriated and given to the Military Chaplaincy of the Polish Roman Catholic Church. In the context of degermanization of the lands acquired by Poland, the church's Madonna figure as well as other sculptures were deported to Warsaw. Polish politicians saw such acts as part of recompensation for Nazi war crimes. ^[3].

The church was damaged by heavy hail in 1529, and gutted by fire in 1976. The church's renowned organ was destroyed. The reconstructed main tower is now 91.5 meters tall. An observation deck near the top is open to the public. Since 1999 there is a memorial on the church property to Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a native of the city (then Breslau, Germany) and martyr to the anti-Nazi Cause.

• 
  Panoramic view of St. Elisabeth Church
• 
  St. Elisabeth Church, 14th century, with 130 m spire
• 
  Interior
• 
  Memorial of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Gallery

• 
  Annunciation with the Trinity, circa 1480, National Museum in Warsaw collection since 1946.
• 
  Master of the Annunciation with Unicorn Polyptych, National Museum in Warsaw collection since 1946.
• 
  Madonna and Child (Beautiful Madonna), circa 1390, National Museum in Warsaw collection since 1946.
• 
  Epitaph of Hans Hölczel, circa 1512, National Museum in Warsaw collection since 1946.
• 
  Portrait of Martin Luther, 1564, workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger, National Museum in Warsaw collection since 1946.

See also

• List of tallest churches