Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, Gdynia

The Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, located at the northern tip of Gdynia in the Oksywie district, is the city’s oldest building, originally founded in 1224 by Norbertine nuns on the site of a former pagan temple. With its simple single-aisle structure, polygonal presbytery, and Baroque tower, the church reflects the style of rural medieval Pomeranian architecture.

Throughout centuries, it has endured multiple destructions and restorations-most notably after being reduced to rubble during the 17th-century Swedish invasion and again after being struck by a Soviet cannonball during the final days of World War II.

The church holds a deep connection to the Polish Navy and is often referred to as the “Small Pantheon of the War Navy.” Its walls are adorned with memorial plaques dedicated to fallen Polish warships such as Grom, Orzeł, and Kujawiak, each commemorated with the date and location of their sinking. Inside and around the church, other plaques honor Polish naval heroes including chaplain Władysław Miegoń, who died in Dachau, and Admirals Józef Unrug and Jerzy Świrski. This sacred site also remembers naval officers executed by the communist regime in 1952, and entire naval flotillas like the Pińsk and Vistula units.

Surrounding the church is a serene and historically rich cemetery considered one of the most beautiful in Pomerania. It serves as the final resting place for many prominent figures, including Kashubian activist Antoni Abraham, navy commanders, and Polish Coast defenders from September 1939.