Church of Peace in Świdnica

The Church of Peace in Świdnica is an Evangelical-Augsburg church of the Holy Trinity, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located at Plac Pokoju 6, in the centre of Świdnica, in Lower Silesia. This is the largest wooden Baroque church in Europe, capable of holding up to 7,500 worshippers. It was built between 1656 and 1657, after the Thirty Years' War, when the emperor allowed Lutherans to erect a church only from perishable materials, outside the city walls and without a bell tower. From the outside, it impresses with its half-timbered construction and colourful doors, while inside it delights with rich polychrome, carved galleries and Baroque furnishings. Particularly noteworthy are the historic pews from the 17th century, the Great Organ built in 1666–1669, and the smaller altar organ from 1695. The main altar by August Hoffman dates from 1752, and the tulip pulpit by the same artist from 1729. The church is open to visitors all year round, with entry through the sacristy, where a Baroque baptismal font from 1661 is located. The site is fully accessible for people with disabilities and offers toilets, a café and a gift shop. It is a place of symbolic significance – in 1989 Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Helmut Kohl prayed here together, and later Ewa Kopacz and Angela Merkel did the same. It is worth visiting during a service or a concert, especially the International Bach Festival, when both organs can be heard playing together.