Oliwa Cathedral, Gothic cathedral in Oliwa district, Gdansk, Poland
The Oliwa Cathedral is a Gothic brick church in the Oliwa district of Gdansk. The three-nave basilica has a transept and two narrow towers rising at the western facade.
A wooden structure first stood here in the 12th century and was destroyed several times. A fire in 1350 and Swedish attacks in 1626 were among the most severe damages in the long history of the building.
The name Oliva comes from the Latin word for olive tree, though no olives grow in this region. Visitors today see a fully working church where local residents attend regular services and daily masses take place.
Organ concerts run throughout the summer and last about 20 minutes. Admission costs a few zloty, and discounted tickets are available for certain visitor groups.
The main instrument was built between 1763 and 1788 by Johann Wilhelm Wulff and contains almost 8,000 pipes. The organ can imitate sounds that resemble running water, animal calls, and human voices.
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