Wroclaw Katedra

[Tomdaviesclay]

In anticipation of our Cathedralquest to Poland early next summer, I have collected 19 different model kits of the cities that we will visit in Poland – Warsaw, Czestochowa, Kracow, Auschwitz, Wroclaw, Torun, Gdansk and Marienburg (Malbork Castle).The only cities that I do not have models for are Torun and Warsaw. If anyone knows of models for these two cities, please let me know.

Last year in anticipation of visiting Gdansk on a Baltic Sea Cruise - which we had to cancel at the last minute due to illness - I made the model of the Gdansk Waterfront and Malbork Castle, both of which are on threads on this forum. Due to a family illness, we have not been able to travel this year.

Among several models that I bought recently from GPM was the Wroclaw Katedra, which I started several days ago. So, I have 16 churches and a few other buildings to make before next Summer.You will know where to find me all winter.

The Wroclaw Katedra is going to be a rather large model with the 2 front towers measuring 19.5 " high. There are 24 large pages of 360 parts, 27 pages of drawings of the construction – there are no written instructions anywhere – not even in Polish. For an additional expense other parts could be ordered. These included 21 heavy cardboard pages of construction supports plus stained-glass windows printed on acetate and delicately laser cut tracery for the Windows. I bought this material.

Construction begins with the right front tower. In the photos below is the cardboard frame for this part, the stained-glass windows and the stringcourse which is the stone banding that separate the various levels. The stringcourse takes a lot of time because it is so small and each piece has to be attached separately. The 2 pages of drawings in the photo below is just for the one tower. For the size of the towers, note the 19.5" stick next to the completed first part.

I hope to finish this model before the International Paper Modelers Convention which will be held the last of October. I am afraid that the Mezquita in Cordoba is the only model that I have completed since last year's show. I have worked on that almost every day for the last 9 months.

A bit of history. The current cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Wroclaw is the fourth church to have been built on this site. The first church was built in the 10th century. War and fires destroyed the earlier churches. The cathedral was almost entirely destroyed during the siege of Breslau and heavy bombing by the Red Army in the last days of World War II. The cathedral was restored by 1951. The towers were restored in 1991.

I will be posting, I hope, progress on a regular basis. It is an beautiful cathedral with many, many small parts.

[elliott]

My goodness, that's going to be a tall tower! The stained glass and window tracery sheets will add a nice touch to the cathedral. Should be another great build Thomas. Looking forward to your updates.

PS I'm sorry y'all weren't able to make your Cathedralquest again this year and sincerely hope you are able to make the one next year.

[gotham]

This is going to look great, with all the extras you bought to add to it. Where are you going to house the model , with the height of it ? Looking forward to watching this build.

[Mike Stamper]

That's quite an ambitious model - a lot of standing up to finish the towers!

Here's a model of Warsaw castle, it's an old kit and a bit basic

Paper Model Store

More info to follow

Cheers

Mike

[douglasmarrel]

Monty Python tall tower joke barely avoided!

[Don Boose]

It is a beautiful building, Thomas, and you are off to a good start!

Don

[ricleite]

Count me as an interested viewer! This is a very appealing kit

[Tomdaviesclay]

Thank everyone who has responded so far to my latest model.

Elliott- actually the towers are the same size as my SB model of Cologne which is 1:300, Stephendom (don't remember scale), Sagrada Familia whose center tower is taller. Wroclaw Cathedral is 1:200 scale.

Gotham - the size of the model is the same as many of the Instant Durable cathedrals - Reims, Chartres, Notre Dame etc. The problem is not where to house this model, but where to display the next 70 plus that I still have to make.

Mike - No standing for me. I will build this model horizontally and then put it on the base when finished. Thank for your info about the Warsaw Castle. I ordered it last night. Anymore suggestions?

Douglas- I am sorry but I don't know that Monty Python joke and couldn't find it on the internet. I am curious.

Don - It sounds as if you have seen the cathedral in person. I sure hope you see the finished model in October.

Ricleite- you are counted in as an interested viewer. Thanks.

Does anyone know how to contact GPM with questions about some models? I have ordered from them several times. The Wroclaw model came in one week. I have written to the email address on the invoice plus the form on the webpage. It is been several weeks with no response.

On the back cover of the kits is a map of Poland with a small photo of the GPM models. There are several that are pictured but not listed on their webpage. These include Barbakan-Krakow, Brama Florianska-Krakow, and Columina Zygmunta- Warsaw. If you know how to correspond with GPM or another place that might carry these models, please let me know.

[Mike Stamper]

It struck me that one of the more difficult parts of these kits is -- being able to pronounce their name;-)

Cheers
Mike

[SCEtoAUX]

That is going to be a great looking model once completed.

The only Monty Python tower jokes I can think of off hand are the Kamikaze Scotsmen skit on The Flying Circus tv show


and the Tall Tower of Swamp Castle or the Frenchmen in the castle mocking King Arthur & co. from the MP & the Holy Grail movie.

There are probably other tower references in more of those MP shows.