Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Stegna

The Polish delegation, which included the famous chronicler Jan Długosz, had its seat in present-day Stegna. Sztutowo was occupied by the Teutonic Knights.

For tourists looking for interesting places in the region, a big attraction will be the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord Jesus. The type of construction is a half-timbered one, also known as a half-timbered church filled with brick, characteristic of Pomorskie. The temple was built in the years 1681-83, on the site of a non-existent, burnt down Gothic church.

Entering the interior, the eye is drawn to the amazing decoration of the ceiling, which is covered with a thin canvas measuring 35x18m, painted by Reinhold Schneider, dated 1688. In the center of this unique work is the scene of the Resurrection, above the presbytery the Last Judgement, and in the corners scenes from the New Testament. In the frame of his work, the artist placed an image of the 12 Apostles.

Under the ceiling, an incredibly large model of a ship was suspended, the designer of which is F.W. Wehlm. The work was created in 1872 and was a gift from the ship crew for saving their lives. The walls of the church are also decorated with Schneider’s paintings.

The church’s furnishings are Baroque in style, and special attention should be paid to the main altar with a copy of Caravaggio’s Entombment, the baptismal font and the beautiful decorations of the pulpit. Until the end of World War II in 1945, the church was in the possession of Evangelicals, later it was taken over by Catholics. Thanks to the efforts of  monument lovers, the bell from 1643, which was taken away by the Germans during World War II along with two other bells, returned to the tower.

Every year, the International Organ Festival organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Baltic Philharmonic in Gdansk takes place here.