Cathedral of św. Marcina i Mikołaja (SS. Martin and Nicholas)

building, which dates back to the 15th century, is an outstanding monument of Brick Gothic architecture in Poland. Its interior program is no less remarkable as it incorporates artistic heritage from several historical periods and a distinctive vivid polychrome painting of the ceiling, columns, and walls. When the Cathedral was planning a renovation, Granda was asked to carry out a project that would integrate the historical features of the interior while aiming for a contemporary update with the addition of some much-needed new elements.The altar of sacrifice was at the core of the design proposal. Together with the emphasis on the preeminence of the altar in the sanctuary, its design had to include an allusion to the Gothic painting from 1467 under the invocation the Virgin of Fairest Love, known locally as Virgin of the Rose. She is one also of the patrons of the Cathedral. In addition, the altar should have included some reference to the religious persecution Catholics have suffered in Polish history.

we designed an altar which conveys an image of solidity, with a figurative relief where the various references requested by the client are expressed through symbols. Thus, its decoration consists of scrolls with roses, alluding to the image of the Virgin preserved in the shrine chapel. The stems are intertwined with barbed wire, in a reference to the prison and persecution of Catholics by the Fascists and the Communists. This decorative pattern is also repeated in the ambo. We also designed and crafted gold and silverware with the motif of present in the altar.Just like the altar and the ambo, we suggested that the chancel should be laid in green marble, thus achieving the harmonious continuity with the pre-existing decoration of the interior. The floor around the chancel was designed using black and white tiles forming a beautiful and discreet geometric pattern. We also crafted auxilary elements, such as lateral sitting.