The Evangelical-Reformed Church in Warsaw is an outstanding example of neo-Gothic church architecture. The building, designed by the renowned architect Adolf Loewe, is also an important part of the history of the Evangelical-Reformed Church in Poland. The building is located at 74 Solidarności Avenue in Warsaw’s Muranów district and serves as the parish for the capital’s parish.
The Calvinist community had already been active in Warsaw since the 16th century, despite the fact that a decree by Janusz III, Duke of Masovia, had been in force in Mazovia since 1525, forbidding dissenters to settle and build their own churches. Warsaw’s evangelicals had to practise their faith in secret until restrictions were lifted by the Treaty of Warsaw in 1768. Only then was it possible to officially establish a Warsaw Evangelical-Reformed parish, which took place in 1776 on the territory of the jurydyka Leszno.
1880. photo: http://mbc.cyfrowemazowsze.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=58896, Tygodnik Illustrowany. 1880, Series 3, T. 10 No. 254, p. 289
The construction of the present church was started by Pastor Joseph Spleszynski in 1866 in the vicinity of the existing church. The design of the building was drawn up by a member of the parish, the architect Adolf Loewe. Due to a lack of funds, construction took fourteen years. The parishioners had to take out an additional loan to finalise the construction work. on 24 October 1880, the completed church was consecrated by August Karl Diehl. The Muranow church is a brick and plastered building, taking the form of a three-nave hall on a rectangular plan with a five-sided chancel. The façade of the church is tri-axial with a central tower about 60 metres high, surmounted by a distinctive steel-framed openwork cupola. The shape of the tower is modelled on the Gothic Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Freiburg im Breisgau, considered one of the most beautiful church towers in the world.
Inside the church there are galleries over the side aisles, supported by columns on a four-leaf plan. These columns continue into the emporiums, with a balustrade in the form of openwork arches with a rosette motif. A frieze with a quadrilateral motif inscribed in a circle runs through the entire interior at the level of the emporium. Particularly noteworthy are the 24-voice organ made by the Silesian company Schlag und Söhne of Świdnica, built in 1900, as well as original decorative elements such as the neo-Gothic wooden baptismal font, antique organ, pews and door carpentry. Also worth mentioning are the plaques dedicated to the memory of Jan Łaski and Mikołaj Rej.
The church in the early 20th century and today. Source: Digital National Library Polona and Adrian Grycuk, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL, via Wikimedia Commons
There were numerous charitable institutions attached to the parish, such as an elementary school, an orphanage and a home for the elderly and crippled. The period of greatest development of the parish was in the interwar period, when the Youth Association and the Inner Mission Circle were established, the magazine “Jednota” was published and Bible meetings were organised.
During World War II, the church and the parish buildings constituted a so-called Evangelical enclave in the ghetto area. The building was an aid station for the Jewish population. In 1944, the church was severely damaged, including the chancel with its wooden neo-Gothic pulpit burned down, and the tower was heavily shelled. After 1945, a small group of surviving parishioners set about rebuilding the damage. The first services were held in a chapel provided by the Methodists at Zbawiciela Square. Repaired in stages, the church also served the Warsaw Lutherans, whose church on Małachowskiego Square was burnt down in September 1939. The building is one of the few in the area to have survived the war and is still standing today.
Today, the Evangelical Reformed Church in Warsaw is not only a place of worship, but also a valuable architectural monument. The building is accessible before and after services and organ concerts. The temple is an example of how sacred architecture can reflect both deep faith and artistic value. Its history, dating back to the 16th century, is a testament to the persistence and commitment of Warsaw’s evangelical community.
Source: zabytek.pl
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