Chojna: St. Mary’s Church, City Gates and Brick Gothic

For a stay in Chojna, you can choose from a range of themes: medieval architecture, the cultural use of St. Mary’s Church and a protected natural monument. The buildings offer different points of interest for a trip focused on history and architecture; the “Olbrzym” plane tree adds a natural history element. You can tailor your stay to what interests you most.

St. Mary’s Church: Building History and Culture

St. Mary’s Church in Chojna was built between 1389 and 1459 in several construction phases, based on a design from the workshop of Szczecin architect Heinrich Brunsberg. Its construction therefore spanned a long period and did not take place in a single phase. Today, the church is used as a concert and exhibition hall. There is also an observation terrace on its tower. The building’s history and its present-day cultural use offer two different perspectives on the same building: one focuses on how it was built, the other on its use as a cultural venue. The terrace adds an architectural feature on the tower to these aspects.

Old Town, Gates and Fortifications

Chojna’s Old Town is surrounded by medieval fortifications. The fortification complex included the Piekarska, Więzienna and Bociania towers. The surviving Barnkowska and Świecka gates date from the 15th century. The Old Town’s historic buildings are located along the European Route of Brick Gothic. This offers an opportunity to explore different aspects of historic architecture: the fortifications around the Old Town, individual towers and surviving gates. The Brick Gothic route also gives the historic buildings a shared architectural point of reference.

Distinctive Features of the Gates

The Barnkowska Gate has an open observation terrace, while the Świecka Gate has an octagonal tower with four turrets. Both gates date from the 15th century. There is also an observation terrace on the tower of St. Mary’s Church. This lets you compare a feature found on both a gate and a church, while the distinctive tower shape further sets the Świecka Gate apart.

Architectural Details in the Church of the Holy Trinity

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Chojna offers another architectural detail: ceramic masks are used there as corbels. Corbels are structural elements that project from a wall and can support or articulate other elements. The masks thus combine a figurative motif with the function of a structural element. If you are interested in details beyond large-scale architectural forms, this feature adds a distinct perspective to the churches and fortifications.

The “Olbrzym” Plane Tree as a Natural Monument

The “Olbrzym” plane tree in Chojna is protected as a natural monument and is considered a tourist and natural history attraction of the city. It is 33 metres tall. Its trunk circumference is 1,078 centimetres, measured at a height of 1.3 metres above the ground—just under 10.8 metres. Its age is estimated at 300 years. These figures offer different measures: the trunk circumference describes the tree’s girth at the specified measurement height, its height describes its vertical extent, and the estimated age provides a time reference. Alongside the buildings, this offers a nature-related theme with specific measurements and an explicitly estimated age.

Choose Your Travel Dates Based on Cultural Interests

The Dni Integracji, Przyjaźni i Ekumenizmu takes place every year on the last weekend of August. The three-day programme is held mainly in St. Mary’s Church. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the dates and programme for the relevant year in advance. If the event is the reason for your trip, you can plan your search for a hotel in Chojna around the last weekend of August.

Discover more destinations: Nawodna, Nowe Czarnowo, Kołbaskowo, Stare Brynki, Binowo, Stare Czarnowo, Krzywin, Steklno

For the overview of the wider area: Gryfino.