St. Benno's Church
Main data:
Year of construction: 1649
Year of reconstruction: 1958
Designer: Giovanni Battista Ghisleni (?)
Location: ul. Piesza 1
Among the churches of New Town this one is for sure the least known - it is situated out of typical tourist routes and its outside appearance is rather modest. But it is a place with long and interesting history, worth visiting.
In the first half of 17th century German settlers started to come to Warsaw. They hid here from repressions during Thirty Year's War. Most of them was members of so-called St. Benno's Guild - an organisation which associated and supported foreign Catholics in Poland, especially those ones who had to escape from repressions. On the organisation's initiative a small, one-naved temple was constructed here in years 1646-49. Despite the church was very modest, it was one of the first baroque buildings in Poland. It is an example of so-called Lublin group of temples. Such temples have features such as one nave and semicircle-shaped chancel, and they are all modelled on the church in Kazimierz Dolny. Probably the court architect Giovanni Battista Ghisleni was the church's designer. As the tradition says, the church was constructed "by torches" - what can mean that the same workers who had been constructing Jesuit's Church at the Old Town also worked overtime on this church. What can confirm that is the fact that the churches are in some way similar. It is known also that Jesuits used to take care of St. Benno's Guild at its beginning.
In 1730 a small tower (Fleche) was added. In 1739 there was a fire in the church, the interior was partly destroyed then.
In 1787 a Redemptorist Clement Hofbauer (who later became a saint) came to Warsaw from Moravia, together with a few friars. The Redemptorists took over the church, thanks to them it became a centre of help for the poorest Warsaw inhabitants. A orphanage was founded next to the church and later a school. In 1794 also a first school for girls in Warsaw was organised here.
Unfortunately, in 1808 the Redemptorists were displaced from Warsaw by French military authorities of Duchy of Warsaw, in result of untrue accusations of instigating Warsaw inhabitants against the authorities and supporting Austria. Since then the temple was not used, the building was divided into three floors, flats and factories were organised on them. Among other things, in 1820s a foundry lead by J. Moriss and T. Evans functioned here, and in years 1825-49 - a well-known Samuel Gerlach's knives' factory.
Before Second World War there were some trials to bring back the church to its initial function, which was caused by increasing cult of St. Clement Hofbauer, who was canonised in 1909. In 1938 the building became again the property of Warsaw Curia, also Redemptorists came back here then. But before the war the church was not brought into life. In 1944 the temple was destroyed.
In years 1956-58 reconstruction took place, but furnishing the interior was done later - from 1977 till 1980. Because the church was used as a factory for so long, none of its initial furnishing survived. Today, the interior looks rather austere and is a mixture of modern elements and historical equipment, which was brought here from Lower Silesia.
Practical information:
Masses take place in St. Benno's church on Sundays and holidays at 10 and 12, and on weekdays at 18, on some days also at 18.30. It is worth mentioning that masses at 10 and 18.30 are so-called Tridentine Masses - which is, to tell it simply, a traditional form of a mass, in reference to first centuries of Christianity. More data about the church (only in Polish) can be found on its official website: www.swbenon.pl.
(C) 2001-2010 Maciej Blazejewski