The text mentions Dorpat, which still belonged to Poland in the 16th century - in 1596, a church there burned down and was never rebuilt again. The history of the ruins of this cathedral is further recalled and its appearance described (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1885, Series 4, T:6, pp. 415-416, after: University of Łódź Digital Library).

A modernised reading of the text

Backstage of Dorpat Cathedral.

Few countries in Europe can boast such numerous and well-maintained monuments to the past as Inflants. It was not until the 13th century that Bremen merchants, followed by German monks and knights, brought the beginnings of European culture here, and as they had to spread this culture among the pagan peoples of the Latvian tribe with a sword in their hand, the castles and churches they built for themselves and their God had to be distinguished not so much by the beauty of their forms as by the thickness and solidity of their walls. Therefore, while the remaining buildings from that time are heavy and clumsy, the ruins delight the eye with their size and picturesqueness.

Everyone knows Dorpat from the fame of its university, but not everyone knows that in the same Dorpat lies one of the oldest and most beautiful monuments of Gothic architecture in Inflants. The Cathedral of St Dionysius, the ruins of which, set in a beautiful park, adorn the summit of Domberg, 38 metres high, which dominates Dorpat, was founded in 1224 by the first local bishop, Herman, whose palace was located in an equally beautiful position on the opposite hill, on the site now occupied by the observatory. In 1596, at the time when Dorpat belonged to Poland, on Midsummer's Eve, the church was burnt down by St. John's Eve fire due to the carelessness of a church servant; the vaults and towers collapsed and were never rebuilt.

In the 18th century, when the Russian government was thinking of fortifying Dorpat, part of the walls began to be demolished for this purpose, but when with the accession of Finland the Swedish border receded far to the north, and at the same time the rapidly and successfully developing new university (since 1803) began to feel the lack of space for its large book collection, the eastern part of the walls was renovated, divided into storeys, windows were added and a roof was put over them. The library housed there now contains 250,000 volumes, including many prints and manuscripts which are of great value to those researching the past of the Baltic provinces.

Viewed from the front, i.e. from the west, the ruin presents a truly impressive sight. Erected on either side of the huge pointed gateway are two towers with a wide square base, reduced by fire to half their former height, and built, like the whole edifice, of sturdy old-fashioned bricks, so strong that they have triumphantly withstood the mania for the carving of names by tourists, who have to content themselves here with modest pencil inscriptions. As for the foundations, these, as well as the edges of the towers, are made of granite blocks. Inside the ruin, the division into three naves is still clearly recognisable, and the twelve huge pillars marking it are intact; only some of the bold arches linking them are broken. Traces of cornices and capitals can still be seen in places.

Inside the towers, the former layout can also be discerned. The mighty walls inside are full of windows, door frames and corridors, which can be reached by winding steps up to the top, between the jackdaws' nests, where several original balconies and galleries allow curious visitors to look down on the ruin and its surroundings. The park in which the old tum is located contains, apart from the library, several other facilities belonging to the university, such as the clinic, the anatomicum and the observatory. The high terrace in front of the latter offers a magnificent view of the city, its houses, churches and university.

And the whole place used to be a cemetery years ago, as evidenced by the modest monument located downstairs outside the anatomical college, with inscriptions in four languages: Latin, Russian, German and Estonian, in memory of the Germans, Finns, Poles and Swedes buried beneath it.