St. Hyacinth's Church, Warsaw
Encyclopedia
St. Hyacinth's Church is located in Warsaw's New Town at ulica Freta 8/10.
and adjoins Warsaw's largest monastery
. The church is a mixture of Renaissance
and early-Baroque
styles. Its construction began in 1603 and was completed in 1639.
During the construction and shortly afterwards the church was encompassed with ornate chapels. In 1627 Jadwiga Mińska established the Holy Cross Chapel, so-called Dark Chapel and in 1651 the Royal Musicians founded the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows.
When Warsaw was captured by Swedish and Brandenburg
ian forces in 1655 the church, shared same fate as other buildings in the city. It was ransacked and burned. After the war it was rebuilt and consecrated in 1661 by bishop Wojciech Tolibowski, bishop of Poznań. In 1662 the bell tower was erected, adjacent to the church, and in 1690 the Wyszogród
pantler
Adam Kotowski established the most important church feature - the St. Dominic Chapel. The ornate baroque building was constructed according to design by the prominent Warsaw architect Tylman Gamerski
.
The 18th century was the age of the church's greatest prosperity. According to relations the monastery's library possessed the richest collection of volumines in Poland. Unfortunately it was later completely destroyed.
During World War II
, the church and monastery served the Polish forces in the Warsaw Uprising
as a field hospital
. This fact turned these buildings into targets of frequent bombing by the Germans. During the bombardments over a thousand civilians and insurgents were killed.
tomb of Katarzyna Ossolińska, constructed in 1607 (it was only partially reconstructed); tomb of Anna Tarnowska, carved in brown Chęciny
marble in about 1616, depicts the founder in typical for Polish sepulchral art sleeping pose; made in black marble epitaph of Regina Sroczyńska, a wealthy merchant from Kraków
, originally adorned with a coffin portrait
of the founder painted on tin plate. Next to the sanctuary there is a chapel of St. Dominic with the most valuable element of the church's furnishing - 18th century wooden statue of Ecce Homo by Antoni Osiński, profuse stucco
decorations, black marble altar and a portal.
History
St. Hyacinth's Church was founded by the Dominican OrderDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and adjoins Warsaw's largest monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. The church is a mixture of Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
and early-Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
styles. Its construction began in 1603 and was completed in 1639.
During the construction and shortly afterwards the church was encompassed with ornate chapels. In 1627 Jadwiga Mińska established the Holy Cross Chapel, so-called Dark Chapel and in 1651 the Royal Musicians founded the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows.
When Warsaw was captured by Swedish and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
ian forces in 1655 the church, shared same fate as other buildings in the city. It was ransacked and burned. After the war it was rebuilt and consecrated in 1661 by bishop Wojciech Tolibowski, bishop of Poznań. In 1662 the bell tower was erected, adjacent to the church, and in 1690 the Wyszogród
Wyszogród
Wyszogród is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodship, in Płock County, by the Vistula River. The population of Wyszogród was 2,793 in 2004.-History:...
pantler
Stolnik
Stolnik was a court office in Poland and Muscovy, responsible for serving the royal table.- Stolnik in Crown of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania : In Crown of Poland under the first Piast dukes and kings, this was a court office....
Adam Kotowski established the most important church feature - the St. Dominic Chapel. The ornate baroque building was constructed according to design by the prominent Warsaw architect Tylman Gamerski
Tylman van Gameren
Tylman van Gameren was a Dutch-born Polish architect and engineer who, at the age of 28, settled in Poland and worked for Queen Maria Kazimiera, wife of Poland's King Jan III Sobieski...
.
The 18th century was the age of the church's greatest prosperity. According to relations the monastery's library possessed the richest collection of volumines in Poland. Unfortunately it was later completely destroyed.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the church and monastery served the Polish forces in the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
as a field hospital
Field hospital
A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
. This fact turned these buildings into targets of frequent bombing by the Germans. During the bombardments over a thousand civilians and insurgents were killed.
Interior
The facade is baroque, although the interior is completely modern, because very few of the original furnishings of the church were preserved. Among them the most worth mentioning are tomb monuments - manneristMannerist architecture and sculpture in Poland
Mannerist architecture and sculpture in Poland dominated between 1550 and 1650, when it was finally replaced with baroque. The style includes various mannerist traditions, which are closely related with ethnic and religious diversity of the country, as well as with its economic and political...
tomb of Katarzyna Ossolińska, constructed in 1607 (it was only partially reconstructed); tomb of Anna Tarnowska, carved in brown Chęciny
Checiny
Chęciny is a town in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,252 inhabitants .The town is first mentioned in historical documents from 1275. It obtained its city charter in 1325. The most important sight in the town is the royal castle built in the late 13th or early 14th century...
marble in about 1616, depicts the founder in typical for Polish sepulchral art sleeping pose; made in black marble epitaph of Regina Sroczyńska, a wealthy merchant from Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, originally adorned with a coffin portrait
Coffin portrait
A Coffin portrait was a realistic portrait of the deceased person put on coffins for the funeral and one of the elements of the castrum doloris, but removed before the burial...
of the founder painted on tin plate. Next to the sanctuary there is a chapel of St. Dominic with the most valuable element of the church's furnishing - 18th century wooden statue of Ecce Homo by Antoni Osiński, profuse stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
decorations, black marble altar and a portal.
See also
- St. Kazimierz Church
- Kotowski PalaceKotowski PalaceKotowski Palace was a 17th-century palace in Warsaw, Poland. It served as a main cloister building for sisters of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.-History:...
- St. Mary's ChurchSt. Mary's Church, WarsawThe Church of the Visitation of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary , otherwise known as St. Mary's Church is a church in Warsaw, Poland. It is one of oldest buildings and one of the few surviving examples of Gothic architecture in the city. It is located at ulica Przyrynek 2.-History:St. Mary's Church...
- St. Florian's CathedralSt. Florian's CathedralSt. Florian's Cathedral, more formally known as the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian the Martyr , is a Catholic church and historical landmark at ul. Floriańska 3 in eastern Warsaw. The 75-meter towers of St...