St. John's Archcathedral (Archikatedra Sw. Jana)

The basics

Visitors can explore St. John’s Archcathedral independently at almost any time. After viewing the red-brick exterior and gabled roof, head inside to admire the gilded altars, vaulted Gothic roof, and stained glass windows before descending to view the crypt.

The archcathedral is an exterior stop on almost all Warsaw tours. Tour options vary from guided Old Town walks to wider city tours by minivan or even Soviet-era coaches and minibuses—the latter perfect for adding a retro twist to your travels. If you want to view the archcathedral’s interior with a guide, choose a private tour that lets you adjust the itinerary to accommodate an in-depth visit.

Things to know before you go

• St. John’s Archcathedral is a must-visit for history enthusiasts.
• Dress conservatively if going inside, with shoulders and knees covered.
• Large parts of the interior, but not the crypt, are wheelchair accessible.
• The archcathedral hosts daily organ recitals between April and September, with tickets sold at the door.

How to get there

St. John’s Archcathedral sits on Swietojanska, in the heart of the traffic-free Old Town, and is only reachable on foot. To get there, catch a tram (number 4, 13, 20, 23, or 26) or bus (number 116, 175, 178, or 190, among others) to the Stare Miasto stop at nearby Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy). Walk northeast across the square and turn left into Swietojanska, where the archcathedral is on your right.

When to get there

The archcathedral is open daily, though visitors are asked not to enter during mass services, which are usually held in the early mornings and early evenings on weekdays, and more regularly on Sundays. It’s worth double-checking the mass times and the archcathedral’s program of daily summer concerts before visiting.

Must-Sees at St. John’s Archcathedral

If you’re going inside the archcathedral, don’t miss the underground crypt. It holds the tombs of key Polish figures, including the country’s last monarch, Stanislaw II August, and the brothers Janusz and Stanisław Mazovia, two Mazovian knights—whose tombstone depicts them in an eternal embrace. Afterward, stroll around the archcathedral’s exterior: one of its walls is embedded with parts of the Nazi tank that blew it up in 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising.