Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, Łomża

Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Łomża
Katedra św. Michała Archanioła w Łomży
(Credit: Arkadiusz Zarzecki)
53°10′39″N 22°04′47″E
History
Founded	1504
Architecture
Style	Gothic
Years built	1504-1525
Completed	20th century
Specifications
Materials	Brick

The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is a gothic cathedral in Łomża, Poland. The history of the church dates to the 16th century, and it is a registered monument in Poland.[1]

The church is known for its artistic significance which includes works by Italian sculptor Santi Gucci.

History

The cathedral, originally a parish church, was built between 1504 and 1525 by Duchess Anna. The church then saw renovations in the 17th century.[2] In 1925, papal bull Vixdum Poloniae unitas established the Diocese of Łomża, and the church became a cathedral.[3][2] During World War II, Łomża saw massive destruction, and the cathedral underwent restoration after the war.[4]

In 1991, Pope John Paul II gave a speech at the cathedral in Łomża.[5]

Architecture

The church has gone through many modifications throughout the centuries. The current vaulted church features a bell tower, six-sided altars, and is in the gothic style.[2][5] The church also features a tomb from 1589 built by Santi Gucci for members of the Modliszowski family.[6]

• 
  Modliszowski tomb, 1589, Santi Gucci
• 
  Bell tower
• 
  Brick-lined crystalline vault

See also

• Gothic architecture in Poland

References

1. "parish church, currently cathedral of St Michael the Archangel and St John the Baptist". Zabytek. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
2. Bujak, A., Bogdanowicz, S. (1997). Katedry polskie. Kraków: Biały Kruk. p. 206.
3. STASIEWSKI, B., & ZIELINSKI, Z. (2003). Poland, The Catholic Church in. In New Catholic Encyclopedia (2nd ed., Vol. 11, pp. 438-455).
4. "Łomża." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 May. 2017.
5. By STEPHEN ENGELBERG Special to The New York Times. (1991, Jun 06). Pope Subtly Offers Moral Support For Lithuanians' Independence. New York Times (1923-).
6. Hajduk, O. M. (2024). Santi Gucci Fiorentino, Artist and Entrepreneur in Early Modern Poland. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.