Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Gliwice

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Gliwice is a neo-Gothic brick church with a tower 75.5 metres high. It was built in 1896-1900, and since 1992 it has been the cathedral of the Diocese of Gliwice. The entry in the heritage register bears the number A/3/99 of 30 April 1999.

Construction and the beginnings of the parish

The design was prepared by the architect Georg Kuczora. The foundation stone was laid on 23 November 1896, the first Mass took place on 8 November 1899, and the solemn consecration on 16 May 1900 was performed by the Bishop of Wrocław, Cardinal Georg Kopp. The church was at first a branch of the All Saints parish, and a separate parish dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul was established in 1908. In 1992 John Paul II raised the church to the dignity of cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Gliwice. Not far from here, about 200 metres away, stands the Piast castle.

Interior, altars and stained glass

The interior was kept in the neo-Gothic style. The main altar has a painting of Saints Peter and Paul by Julian Waldowski, wooden sculptures of St Hedwig of Silesia and St Elizabeth of Thuringia, and a sculpture of St Michael the Archangel. The side altars are dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows (1910) and Our Lady of Częstochowa (1912). The stained glass in the chancel was made by the workshop of A. Kliem of Racibórz and restored in 1955-1956. It depicts Saints Barbara, Hedwig, Peter, Paul, Adalbert and Hyacinth of Poland.

Organ and bells

The organ was built in 1899 by Ernst Kurzer. The instrument had 42 stops, and the specification was prepared by Prof. Emil Bohn of Wrocław. In 1936 the Austrian firm Rieger rebuilt it to 54 stops, and in 2009 the organ underwent a major overhaul. The three steel bells hanging in the tower were cast in 1922 by the Bochumer Verein company of Bochum: St George (about 1,150 kg), St Joseph (about 1,900 kg) and St Mary (about 3,250 kg). The former bronze bells were requisitioned in 1917, and in 2021 the bells were renovated.

Practical information

• Address according to the parish website: ul. Jana Pawła II 5, 44-100 Gliwice. The site's data give ul. Księcia Ziemowita 1a.
• Times of Masses and adoration are given on the parish website.
• The parish website mentions two renovation projects co-financed from EU funds. Before your visit, check whether the work restricts entry.
• Nearby, about 500 metres from the cathedral: the Gliwice Museum and Villa Caro.
• Masses are broadcast on the parish's YouTube channel.