- Church of the Holiest Saviour
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Church of the Holiest Saviour General information Architectural style Polish Renaissance,
Polish BaroqueTown or city Warsaw Country Poland Construction started 1901 Completed 1927 Demolished 1944 Design and construction Architect Józef Pius Dziekoński,
Ludwik Panczakiewicz,
Władysław ŻychlewiczChurch of the Holiest Saviour (Polish: Kościół Najświętszego Zbawiciela) is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Śródmieście district of Warsaw, Poland. It is located on the Saviour Square.
Contents
History
The origins of the church date back to the end of the 19th century. Growing number of citizens of Śródmieście Południowe and Ujazdów districts of Warsaw wanted to commemorate upcoming year 1900. They were supported by the Archbishop Wincenty Popiel. In 1900 the grounds between the Marszałkowska and Mokotowska streets were bought, and the construction began the next year. In 1903 the church was partially opened to believers and four years later became fully operational. In 1927 it was ceremonially consecrated by Bishop Stanisław Gall.[1]
During World War II the building was heavily damaged. In 1939 during the Nazi bombing of Warsaw, missiles destroyed the western tower and the roof.[1] Nazis also arrested church rector, priest Marceli Nowakowski, who was later executed in the Sejm gardens in February 1940.[2] After the fall of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, Germans detonated explosives in the church, heavily damaging the whole building.[1] After the war quick restoration works have been conducted and in 1948, the building was again given to the worshippers. The communist authorities however allowed the reconstruction of towers only in 1955. During the construction of the Marszałkowska Apartments District, they also changed the course of the Marszałkowska street and built the MDM Hotel at the Constitution Square in order to hide the church from the panorama of the city.[3]
The building is a three-nave basilica church with a dome over the crossing of the naves. The main facade, facing the square, features two slim towers and sculptures of Saints Peter and Paul.
References
- ^ a b c (Polish) "Historia Parafii i Kościoła". parafiazbawiciela.org. http://parafiazbawiciela.org/index.php?page=historia-parafii-i-kosciola. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
- ^ (Polish) Jan Żaryn. "Ksiądz Marceli Nowakowski (1882–1940)". jan.zaryn.salon24.pl. http://jan.zaryn.salon24.pl/142633,ksiadz-marceli-nowakowski-1882-1940. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
- ^ Mordyński, Krzysztof (1/2008). "Bierut i kandelabry na placu Konstytucji w Warszawie". Kronika Warszawy (Warszawa: Archiwum Państwowe m.st. Warszawy): p. 62. ISSN 0137-3099.
See Also
St. Florian's Cathedral
External links
- Official website of the parish (Polish)
Coordinates: 52°13′08″N 21°01′04″E / 52.21889°N 21.01778°E
Categories:- Polish building and structure stubs
- Roman Catholic churches in Warsaw
- Basilica churches in Poland
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