The church of St. Peter and St. Paul

Main data:

Year of construction: 1883-86
Year of reconstruction: 1946-57
Designer: Jozef Pius Dziekonski, Edward Cichocki / Stanislaw Marzynski
Location: ul. Emilii Plater / Nowogrodzka / Sw. Barbary

It is sometimes said that this church is the only one in Warsaw built in the style of social realism. It is not actually truth, but it is a fact that this church was rebuilt in 1950s in a form that is completely different from the previous one. Many Warsaw temples, among others, the ones in the area of the Old Town, were much devastated during the Second World War, but at least some parts of its walls survived, thanks to that its reconstruction was possible. In contrast, this church was destroyed completely, nothing survived from its walls and its today's appearance is totally different the one from before the war.

Actually, what is much more interesting than the church itself is its surrounding, or precisely - its history. When we look at this temple, situated in the very centre of Warsaw, it is hard to believe that previously this place was a... cemetery. In spite of the fact that the estimated number of people who were buried is about 130 thousand, till today nearly no trace of this cemetery survived. The Holly Cross Cemetery (Cmentarz Swietokrzyski), because that was its name, as it belonged to the Parish of the Holly Cross initially, was founded in 1780s, so nearly simultaneously with the Powšzki Cemetery. At that time this place was completely peripheral, far away from any buildings. The foundation of this graveyard was connected with overfilling of other cemeteries, located inside the town, usually in surroundings of churches. On the new necropolis people representing different estates was buried, which was unusual at that time. Soon after foundation of the graveyard catacombs were built (along its southern and eastern wall) and also a classicist St. Barbara Chapel, which exists till today. The cemetery had been filled up fast and already in 1830s it was closed down. Later, as a result of regular robberies and undermining by groundwater, it became completely devastated. Most of the tombs were destroyed, the catacombs gradually collapsed. Bricks from disassembled catacombs were used in constructions of nearby buildings, and some tombstones were used for constructing pavements.

The only item that survived was the Mausoleum of Grabowski family (but it was disassembled later, in first years of 20th century). In 1860s the area of the cemetery was tidied up, some gravestones which remained were built embed into the graveyard's wall and St. Barbara Chapel was renovated and started to be used as a parish church. But its tiny size soon turned out to be too small, as the surrounding districts had been developing quickly. So later on a new church was built - it was neo-gothic, named after St. Peter and St. Paul and designed by Jozef Pius Dziekonski and Edward Cichocki. The founder of the temple was Tekla Rapacka, who died in 1880 - this person was well known thanks to her charity work - she bequeathed 82 thousand roubles to the construction of the church in her testament. In 1883 the cornerstone was laid, an already three years later the temple was consecrated. This imposing building was build on a plan of a cross, with an octagonal dome, two aisles and rows of chapels along them. In the interior two marble altars, a pulpit, a baptistery and plaques that survived from the former cemetery were put. What was characteristic for this church, were the magnificent, colourful polychromes, made in sgraffiti technique, and many golden items. In the end of 19th century also small chapels with the Stations of the Cross were constructed around the church - they remained until today.

What was unusual, was the fact that the construction of the church was actually not the end of a 'cemetery' history of this place, because in 1886, in the north-eastern part of the former graveyard, in the place where today Sw. Barbary (St. Barbara) street runs, a neo-gothic Chapel-Mausoleum of Przezdziecki family was built. It was designed by Jerzy Werner.

During September Campaign in 1939 ammunition yard was located next to the church. When a bullet hit into it, it exploded and damaged the church and the Przezdziecki Mausoleum. However, that damages were not that much. But later on, in 1944 the temple was blown up by the Germans and actually nothing survived from it. The only items that did remained was the main altar, the baptistery and the chapels around the church.

Unfortunately, till today also the magnificent Przezdziecki Mausoleum did not remain. In spite of the fact that this building, although damaged, but survived during the war, it was disassembled in 1950s and its elements were used in the construction of new brick church on Bródno Cemetery.

Just after the war the reconstruction of the church was started, or actually a new one was started to be built from scratch, on foundations of the old one. The design was made by architect Stanisław Marzynski. The style of the new church can actually be described as neo-roman, on contrary to the pre-war one, which was rather neo-gothic. The today's building is higher than the one from before the war, it has a completely different front and it does not have so many decorations. Instead of the row of side chapels, wider aisles were designed. The reconstruction works were started already in 1946 and the consecration took place in 1957. In 1950s St. Barbara Chapel, which was devastated during the war, was also rebuilt. The enormous dome of the church, thanks to which St. Peter and St. Paul Church can be associated with the Cathedral of Florence, was added not earlier than in 1970s. Furnishing and items in the interior - mosaics, bells, organ - were supplement even later - until 2004.

Today, when looking at the church and its surrounding, it is worth to remember, that the objects we see come actually from three different historical periods.
- the oldest one - which dates back to the time of the former Holly Cross Cemetery - is St. Barbara Chapel, but actually only its structure is original, the interior was devastated during the war, and during the renovation in 2004 the last remained tombstones from the Holly Cross Cementary, which used to be embed in the elevation, were disassembled, unfortunately;
- there are some traces of the 19th-centurial church, which was destroyed during the war, these are: elements of the main altar, the baptistery, and the chapels with the Stations of the Cross, which surround the church, and also the figure of Christ next to the main entrance to the church;
- all the other items come from after the war - among the modern furnishing, impressive mosaics inside the church and the pieces of stained glass are worth mentioning;

In the end, it is worth to add one formal remark - the temple is sometimes called St. Barbara Church - which is not precise - the parish and the historical chapel are named after this saint, but the church itself is named after St. Peter and St. Paul.

Practical information:

The masses in the church of St. Peter and St. Paul take place on workdays at 6.30, 7.00, 7.30, 8.00, 15.00 and 18.00, and on Sundays and holidays at 7.00, 8.30, 10.00, 11.30, 13.00 and 19.00.

More about the former Holy Cross Cemetery (in Polish) can be read on the website 'Cmentarium': http://www.cmentarium.sowa.website.pl/Cmentarze/CmWZ_43.html.

More information about the church and the parish of St. Barbara can be found on its official website: http://www.swbarbary.pl/.

The church seen from the outside: