Frombork

Frombork is a small town in Warmia, often mistaken for Malbork. It is an obligatory part of any trip to the eastern part of the Polish coast!

The name of the town is most likely associated with the Marian Cult, which was present in Frombork since the middle ages. In the location documents Frombork was called Castrum Dominae Nostrae, which means „The Settlement of Our Lady”, while the settlers called it Frauenberg.

It might sound quite surprising, but the first documental mention of the settlement originated from 1278. The excavations, which took place after the war, didn;t show the existance of any older setlement. Perhaps this was associated with close proximity of a huge settlement in Bogdany, which had more to offer for eventual settlers.

The destruction of Braniewo during the Prussian uprisings caused bishop Henryk Fleming to build the first cathedral in Frombork. This was the reason why the town experienced rapid development – in 1310 Frombork gained city rights, and in 1329 the building of a new gothic temple began (it was finished in 1388).

The most improtant monuments of Frombork are located at the forested Cathedral Hill, which can already be seen from far away.

The first church that was ever established in Frombork, was most likely wooden. Im 1329, bishop Henryk II Wogenap began the construction of the current gothic, brick temple.

Despite the fact, that it suffered many attacks and fires, the monument survived to our times almost without any changes. One of the very few exceptions is the addition of the baroque-styled chapel of the Savior in 1735, by the order of bishop Krzysztof Andrzej Jan Szembek.