The Gdańsk Builder Bartel Ranisch (1648–1710?): New Research on His Biography and Architectural Activity

This essay presents the builder Bartel Ranisch, who is the author of one of the most exceptional books on architecture to appear in Europe in the 17th century. Titled Beschreibung Aller Kirchen­-Gebäude der Stadt Dantzig and published in 1695, it was an illustrated description of Gdańsk’s churches. According to the author, it aimed to reestablish the skills needed to build complex architectural structures, particularly rib vaults, in order to stimulate the development of architecture in the city. The aim of this essay is to analyse Ranisch’s work and contextualise his biography by describing his background, education and position in the local architectural milieu. This approach will allow for a better understanding of the context in which his book was written. Furthermore, it will provide a better understanding of the Gdańsk architectural milieu in the second half of the 17th and early 18th centuries, which has so far remained largely removed from the interest of researchers.