Saints Catherine and John the Baptist church in Bytów, Catholic parish church in Bytów, Poland
The Saints Catherine and John the Baptist church in Bytów is a hall church with three naves, built in 1848–1854 to a design by Schindler modelled on Berlin's St. Matthew's Church. A tall square tower with an octagonal core and a conical spire, topped by an arcaded gallery, adjoins the north side of the central nave. Inside are a 1907 organ and two bells cast in 1820–1821.
The building was erected between 1848 and 1854 as a Lutheran church originally dedicated to Saint Elizabeth. The structure later transitioned to Roman Catholic use, marking a significant change in its religious function.
The double dedication comes from the consecration on 24 June 1945, the feast of Saint John the Baptist, when the former Protestant church was taken over by Catholics. Its earlier patron was Saint Elizabeth, used until 1945. The two cast-iron bells of 1820–1821, funded by King Frederick William III of Prussia, still hang in the tower.
The church stands in Bytów, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, and belongs to the Bytów deanery of the Pelplin diocese. The tall square tower rises on the north side of the central nave, so it is the easiest side to recognise when approaching on foot. It is an active parish church, so visits fit around services.
The two bells in the tower were cast in 1820–1821 and funded by King Frederick William III of Prussia, so they predate the church itself. The organ dates from 1907. The double dedication arose because the building was consecrated on 24 June 1945, the feast of Saint John the Baptist.
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