The doors of St Mary’s Basilica in Gdańsk are soon to undergo conservation work. They are one of the most valuable medieval monuments of their kind in Europe. The doors facing Mariacka Street date back to the early 16th century, meaning they are over 500 years old! As part of the planned work, they will be restored to their original colour scheme. Research carried out by Dr Katarzyna Darecka has revealed many previously unknown details regarding their construction and appearance.
The doors of St Mary’s Basilica – a unique example of medieval woodwork
Unfortunately, original medieval doors in Gdańsk’s churches are now a great rarity. Only 10 examples of Gothic woodwork have survived throughout the city. Others were altered or destroyed during the wars that ravaged Gdańsk over the centuries. The most valuable of the surviving doors are found in St Mary’s Basilica. According to Dr Katarzyna Darecka of the Gdańsk Museum, their form has no equivalent in other parts of Europe. The researcher has been studying the history of ancient gates and ecclesiastical woodwork for years, and the result of her many years of analysis is the nearly 450-page publication “Doors and Gates in Gdańsk. From the Middle Ages to the Present Day”, published in 2024.
According to Katarzyna Darecka, the door leading from the basilica onto Mariacka Street was constructed around 1511. Its uniqueness lies in its construction. A wooden latticework forming diamond shapes was fixed onto wide, vertically positioned planks. A decorative four-leaf clover appears in the centre of each panel, whilst the whole is held together by decorative nails with heads resembling floral rosettes. This type of design is found exclusively in Gdańsk. Similar medieval doors have also been preserved in the churches of the Holy Trinity, St John and St Nicholas. The oldest Gothic doors in the city, however, are found in the Main Town Hall.
A colourful Middle Ages
Conservation research has challenged the long-held belief that old church doors were dark and austere. Analyses of paint layers have revealed the presence of intense pigments used in the Middle Ages. Red, green and ochre in shades ranging from golden to yellow-brown regularly appeared on Gdańsk’s doors, complemented by black details. In the case of the doors of St Mary’s Basilica, a combination of red and olive green was used on the exterior, whilst the interior was covered in a deep red. Doors of this colour were, in medieval Europe, a very popular feature of church interiors.
The doors of St Mary’s Basilica were taller than they are today
A detailed inventory also revealed the former dimensions of the doors. They are currently 4.4 metres high, but originally exceeded 6.5 metres. Traces of the old hinges have been preserved on the inside of the cathedral. Today, wall sconces hang there, but once there were hooks in this spot supporting the upper part of the door leaves. Everything suggests that around the mid-19th century, the upper sections of the doors were cut off, probably due to the wood warping.
The transom in the entrance arch has also undergone changes. Historical sources indicate that a glazed element with tracery forms was installed there in the 19th century. However, the structure did not survive the Second World War. The current transom was constructed in 1952. Evidence of interference with the historic gate includes sawn-through wooden pegs and a smoothly sanded upper edge devoid of traces of the former polychromy. On the remaining sections of wood, however, traces of paint have survived, which for centuries protected areas less exposed to light and moisture.
Conservation will restore the original colour scheme
The planned conservation of the historic gates will focus on cleaning the wood, impregnation and the protection of the historic material. Conservators intend to leave some traces of ageing and centuries-old patina, allowing the monument to retain its authentic appearance. The reconstruction of the colour scheme is to be carried out using a very subtle method, resembling delicate hatching. The specialists wish to avoid the effect of a freshly painted surface, whilst clearly emphasising the historic reds and greens.
The idea of restoring the original colours has already been put to the Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, Dariusz Chmielewski. Following initial consultations, the initiative has been well received. The last major conservation of the doors took place around 10 years ago. At that time, the secondary dark brown repainting on the interior side was removed, revealing the original Gothic red. The upcoming works are intended to restore the monument’s former grandeur and remind us that medieval churches flourished in a blaze of intense colours, far more vivid than our modern notions of sombre Gothic architecture.
Source: gdansk.pl
See also:Architecture in Poland|Religious architecture|Historic monument|History|Gdańsk
Mariacka Street before and after the war. Source: Gdańsk Museum
Mariacka Street and the historic gates in 1928 and 2024. Source: Polona and Google Maps
