This church was consecrated in Szczecin in the year 1187, intended for the rapidly growing number of German colonists. In the 13th century, the site housed a brick basilica, which was turned in the 14th century into a hall church (a church in which all the naves are of the same height, unlike in a typical basilica, where the side naves are lower than the central one). In the 17th century, the cathedral, which was Protestant at the time, was destroyed in a fire, and subsequently rebuilt with a baroque design. Another important renovation took place at the end of the 19th century – during which the tower collapsed in a hurricane that destroyed the roof of the church.
When World War II broke out, the church had a monumental, gothic silhouette, richly decorated with baroque details. In 1944, as a result of the Allied air raids, the cathedral was destroyed, its chancel surviving in the best condition. The ruins were secured, but the church was not reconstructed until the 1970s. The parishioners tried to receive a permit to begin renovations much earlier, but it was impossible due to political reasons – the German origin of the building proved to be problematic for the authorities.
In 1972, when Pope Paul VI recreated the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień, the decision was made to rebuild the Szczecin cathedral. The renovation work lasted until 1974, and the design of the cathedral was created by well-known Szczecin architects: Stanisław Latour and Adam Szymski. The church saw its gothic form restored, but its northern side was built in a contemporary style, with modern windows inserted in the brick walls.
The work didn’t finish there – in 2007, the tower was topped with a slender helmet, which restored its original look, and in 2018, the northern, modern side of the church was destroyed. It is currently being replaced with a new one resembling the gothic original. Thanks to this contemporary process of restoring the gothic features of the cathedral, its uniform and consistent look will be restored.
Fundraising a reconstruction