Spire of St. Mary's Basilica

Gdańsk, Podkramarska 5

The Basilica proudly towers over Gdańsk, after all it is the largest brick Gothic church in Europe.  The characteristic silhouette of the spire is one of the most easily recognised landmarks and the panorama of the city is best observed from this spire. The small observation platform on the top can be reached via 402 steps, and you don't even have to count them yourself since they've been carefully numbered in white paint. The ascent starts on a very narrow staircase and, more or less half-way through, you find yourself above the church ceiling ( which looks really fabulous from above), from which point on, the steps become much wider. The view from the very top is breathtaking - in sunny weather you can see a good chunk of the Tri-City,  Hel Peninsula and the Żuławy (Fens). It is also worth taking a look at the elaborate structure of the church roof.

www.bazylikamariacka.pl