It is monumental: the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gdańsk, Poland, is the largest brick church in Europe – and it was recently re-roofed.
Gdansk is particularly popular with many travelers because of its historic city center. A central feature for all visitors is the magnificent St. Mary’s Basilica. Now that the impressive tiled roof has been completely renovated and its substructure fortified, visitors can admire it once again from the church tower. The foundation of the largest brick basilica in Europe was laid in 1343. The complete construction took 159 years and the last roof tile was fitted in 1502. Today, this hall church extends over 100 metres in length. It features three naves, three transepts and a complicated system of roof ridges. As many as 26 columns support the heavy vault, which is surrounded by 31 chapels. Seven towers adorn the church, one of them a monumental bell tower that rises about 50 metres above the roof.
In 2015, researchers from the Technical University of Gdańsk conducted an analysis and found that both the roof and the steel substructure were in poor condition and no longer met current wind and snow load standards. The ceramic roofing and cladding elements had also deteriorated to the point where they could no longer be repaired.
Hence, the complete roof had to be replaced and the weight of its structure had to be significantly reduced. During renovation of the church, the roof and its tiles were completely removed and replaced with new components. Almost 100,000 tiles were laid on a roof area of 7,052 m².
The roof surfaces were covered using Koramic E28 monastery tiles. The shape of this type of tile makes it perfect for listed buildings. Koramic E28 monastery tiles look almost identical to historical “monk and nun” tiles, whereas the two interlocking parts are not mortared together because they are coupled during the manufacturing process. This means that the tiles not only require less maintenance, but are also much lighter than their historical equivalent. The renovation reduced the weight of the roof by 40 percent – equivalent to more than 500 tonnes. The imposing roofscape can be seen in its entirety from the viewing platform on the main tower and thanks to the roof renovations, it will probably last for decades or even centuries to come.
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