Monuments and Historic Buildings

The Old Town Square

The heart of a medieval city. It was marked out during the location of Stargard. It was surrounded by the most important buildings of the city and the houses of rich burghers. Until the end of XIX century, trade flourished and fairs were held on the main square and adjacent streets.

The Old Town Hall

The most splendid among such kind of Medieval objects throughout Pomerania was built in the 13th century. Originally served as a trading house (an indoor market) and later became a seat of municipal court and council. The Town Hall was rebuilt in the 14th century and its contemporary late Gothic style goes back to the second half of the 16th century. The western gable is adorned with intricate plate tracery. The great fire of 1635 destroyed both the Town Hall and the town archives. Rebuilt, it was destroyed again in 1945 to be rebuilt in 1957-1961. Today it is a seat of the Municipal Council.

Guardhouse

Guardhouse – a baroque building used to house the Stargard Garrison dates back to about 1720. Currently it is a seat of the Archeological and Historical Museum.

Baroque Tenement Houses

Baroque Tenement Houses – the only ones in the market which were rebuilt after 1945. House No. 3 was built in the 17th century probably in place of New Exchange of about 1500, reconstructed after the fire in 1635. House No. 4 was built after 1635 on the grounds of the former church graveyard. Both houses were rebuilt in baroque style and currently are seat of the Archeological and Historical Museum and Tourist Information (in House No. 4)

Collegiate Church of Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of the World

Collegiate Church of Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of the World – The most valuable landmark of Western and Central Pomerania, and at the same time the most outstanding work of medieval architecture in Poland. Its construction started in 1292 and the current shape dates back to the turn of the 14th and 15th century. It is a double towered basilica with chancel surrounded by a ring of chapels. Its quality is enhanced by the intricate ceramic façade decoration, unique tower decor – the so called „Stargard style” blind arcade and the remarkable triforium passage in the choir. The church and adjoining city walls represent one of Poland’s official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated September 17, 2010. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.

Presbytery Complex

Complex of three houses built between the 14th and 19th century as a medieval seat of a school, later dwellings of clergy and organists, regional museum and a parish office.

City walls

In the Middle Ages, the city fortifications of Stargard were regarder as one of the most powerful in Pomerania. The Stargard Fortification were built in three phases, between the 13th and 16th century. The entire ring of fortifications was 2260 meters long, and about half of the wall length and four towers have survived to this day: the Red Sea Tower, Weavers Tower (Ice Tower), The Captives Tower and Whitehead Tower, as well as three gates – two land gates: the Pyrzycka Gate and Wałowa Gate and one water gare – the Mill Gate. The last one is the only such facility in Poland. Today, in many cities in Poland one can find preserved or reconstructed fragments of fortifications, but there are only a few such centers as Stargard, where you can trace the history of fortifications from the earliest to modern times in such extraordinary fashion. In September 2010, the church complex dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Queen of the World, and the medieval defensive walls of the city in Stargard were recognized as a Historic Monument.

The Red Sea Tower

One of the most impressive town towers in Poland is 34 meters high and dates back to the turn of the 15th and the 16th century. The tower takes its name after the red colour of soil due to iron ore or, according to a legend, after the bloody clash during the Thirty Years’ War. The tower’s base was used as a dungeon until 1860, when the passage under the tower was made. The tower has three scenic terraces with the wonderful wide view of the panorama of Stargard and surroundings.

The Weavers’ Tower (Ice Tower)

Its shape resembles the Red Sea Tower. Constructed around 1450, it is 31 meters high. The cylindrical part is decorated with a rhombic pattern of glazed bricks. The name comes from the Middle Ages, when the weavers’ guild was responsible for defending the tower. The second name is connected to the 19th century, when the tower served for storing ice.

The Captives Tower

The Captives Tower – originates from the 13th – 16th century. The 13-meter high, cylindrically shaped tower stands on a round stone foundation and its upper part is topped with the crenels. The tower’s name suggests that the captives were kept in its rooms.

The Whitehead Tower

Built at the beginning of the 15th century sits on a rectangular foundation that further takes on a cylindrical shape until the height of about 30 meters. Its name derives from the colour of the hexagonal cone or, according to a legend, from brave noble women (called in polish „Whitehead”) who defended the tower.

Basteja

Basteja – the round bastion, built in the 16th century in view of new idea of defense based on fire-arms. Used as a dwelling in the 19th century, destroyed in 1945 and reconstructed in years 1979-1980. Currently it houses the most modern museum in West Pomerania with the exhibition of the history of Stargard.

The Pyrzycka Gate

One of the most fabulous city gates in Pomerania. Erected in stages from the 13th to the 15th century, originally in the form of a tower. Reconstructed into a gabled gate in the middle of the 15th century. In the second half of the 15th century reinforced with a neck and a pre-gate, which burned down in 1666 and was finally demolished in 1790. The gate was turned into a residential building in the 18th century. It is a part of a unique system of defense walls in Stargard.

The Mill Gate

The Mill Gate – also referred to as the Water or Harbor Gate, built in the 15th century is Poland’s only town gate erected above the river-bed. Originally the two towers were connected by a wooden bridge. This was later replaced with a brick gatehouse with a crossing. The name derives from a mill located at the riverbank until the 18th century.

The Mill Gate was the town’s symbol for years being represented on seals as well as it was one of the elements of the old-time municipal emblem.

The Rampart Gate

The Rampart Gate – Its name refers to the ramparts around the castellan’s city existing before the construction of the city walls. The gate was constructed in stages from the 15th to the 17th century and connects elements of gothic and a renaissance style. On its southern wall one can see a latrine bay which is undoubtedly a little trivia for tourists.

The Holy Ghost Church

A neo-gothic brick church constructed from 1874 to 1877. It is a one-hall church covered with a slender, over fifty-meter-high tower with galleries and choir that are characteristic to evangelical churches.

St. John the Baptist’s Church

Built in the mid 13th century by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem as a one-hall church. Its current shape comes from the 15th century. The neo-Gothic spire has been erected from 1892 to 1893, and since then the tower reaches 99 meters of height and is decorated with the “Stargard style” blind arcade. One of chapels surrounding the chancel is covered by crystal vault.

Church of St. Peter and Paul

Neo-Gothic church built in 1889-1890 on a square plan forming a Greek cross and was one of five temples built in Stargard at that time. In 1953 it was handed over to a disposal of the Orthodox parish Church in Stargard.

Kletzin’s House

Kletzin’s House (also known as Rohleder’s House) -It’s a sample of a late-Gothic Hanseatic merchant’s house from 15th / 16th century. In the basement there are still two rooms with the stellar and cross vaults. At the end of the 19th century the house was owned by the postmaster Rohleder, around 1922 by Rudolf Kletzin. Destroyed in 1945, reconstructed in years 1969 – 1973. Currently it is a seat of the Stargard’s Library.

Gothic Tenement House

Gothic Tenement House (also known as Protzen’s House or The Old House) – one of the most splendid late-Gothic buildings of that kind in Poland. It’s an example of a mixed-purpose building typical for Hanseatic town, with the ground floor including a tall entrance hall and upper floors used for dwelling and storage purposes. The House was erected in the second half of the 15th century. Its façade was decorated with the “Stargard style” blind arcade. It was destroyed in 1945 and reconstructed from 1951 to 1959. Currently the House is a seat of a music school.

The Armory

The Armory – constructed on the plan of a rectangle around 1500 as a place of production, repair and storage of a weaponry. In the 19th century, until 1875 was used as a criminal prison. Destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century and finally reconstructed in 1974 houses a branch of the State Archive in Szczecin.

Conciliation cross

This over three-meter-long stone symbol of penance, the largest in Europe, is a testimony of a crime committed centuries ago. The inscription engraved on it says, that in 1542 Wawrzyniec Mader killed his cousin Hans Billeke. The Pomeranian legend say that he did it for the wealth, others prefer to say it was for love …

Water Tower

The 65-metre-high tower has rich wall decorations. Built in 1896 as a part of the town’s water network. The upper part of the tower holds a water tank that stores 500 m³of water for the residential area. The tower is one of the most interesting monuments of 19th century’s technology.

Neo-gothic Tunnel

Neo-gothic Tunnel – dates back to the end of the 19th century, located in the place of the former pre-gate of the St. John’s Gate, which used to be a part of the town walls.

„PTTK” (Polish Tourism Association) Hotel

A unique in form, three-level building from 1876. One of few buildings in the Old Town that survived the ravages of 1945. In the corner of 2nd floor there is a balcony with a view over a landscape of Ina canal. Before 1945 the building played a role of a tenement house occupied by two families. After War adapted to a hotel by Polish Tourism Association.

Panorama Palace

– a magnificent complex surrounded by a park – the former seat of the Stargard Marksmen companies. The buildings built in the 1860s were used as a hospital during the First World War. Currently constitutes a private property

Karowów Willa

– a neo-Renaissance, representative building erected in 1926 by the distinguished stargardian family, who were also the owners of the nearby Big Mill. The building is now occupied by the Youth Culture Center.

Red Barracks

– erected in the years 1881-1884 for the 9th Kołobrzeski Grenadier Regiment of Count Gneisenau. The construction was paid with the funds that came from the compensation paid by France to the Germans after the war in 1870. Their commonly used name comes from the color of the bricks.

The 15th east meridian

– at the outlet of Szczecińska street, next to the roundabout, there is a stone obelisk erected there in the interwar period informing that 15th meridian of eastern latitude runs through Stargard near this place.

International War Cemetery

– It is located far from the city center, next to the Reymonta street. The cemetery was founded during the Great War. Like all necropolis, it makes one think about the passing of time, about the fate of those who died far from their homes. Muslims, Catholics of both rites, Protestants, Jews – soldiers of two world wars – prisoners of war – Belgians, Frenchmen, Dutch, Poles, Portuguese, Romanians, Serbs, Italians, as well as soldiers of the Tsar army and the Red Army rest at the International War Cemetery. There are seven monuments in the cemetery: three from the times of the Great War, one from the World War II and three erected post-war. Among the latter is a monument (and tombstones) moved here from Freedom Platz, formerly part of the Soviet Soldiers Mausoleum.

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