[1] It was situated on the via mercatorum trade route, which allowed the early church to be attended by foreign merchants and sailors arriving in the city.

[1] On 22 January 1227, Świętopełk II, Duke of Pomerania, entrusted the church to the Dominican friars, who were invited to the region by Saint Hyacinth of Poland.

[9] However, Sigismund II Augustus, King of Poland, repudiated the idea and intervened on behalf of the Catholic worshippers; the church reverted to the Dominican Order in 1567.

[10] Upon arriving from Sweden, Sigismund III Vasa was handed an official document confirming his election to the Polish throne inside this church on 11 September 1587.

[15] In the post-war period, under the Polish People's Republic, the church became a gathering point for the anti-communist opposition and Solidarity members.

[17] As with the other historic places of worship in Gdańsk, the basilica is a long hall church made of red brick with its exterior more reminiscent of defensive castles or fortresses – a style common within the Hanseatic League.

[23] Having escaped destruction, the interior of the church is adorned by original furnishings from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods.