Description of the attraction
The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is one of the oldest buildings, an example of the preserved Gothic architecture in Warsaw.
The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary was built on the site of an ancient pagan temple in 1410 by order of Prince Janusz the Elder and his wife Anna Mazovike. In 1411 the church was consecrated by Bishop Adalbert. Soon the church became popular with artisans and fishermen thanks to the sermons delivered in German. In the second half of the 15th century, the church was expanded: instead of one nave, three appeared, a bell tower was added. The most striking feature of the church is the tower, built in 1518, which was visible from almost all parts of the city. In April 1608, a permanent pastor appeared at the church instead of the vicars appointed earlier.
During the war with the Swedes, the Church of the Virgin Mary was plundered and destroyed. In the 19th century, the church was reconstructed, which greatly changed its previous appearance. The work was carried out under the supervision of the famous Italian architect Joseph Boretti.
During World War II, the church was badly damaged by German troops, the roof was completely destroyed, and the upper part of the tower was blown up. Restoration work was carried out from 1947 to 1966 according to the project of Beata Trulinski.
Currently, the church is active, daily masses are held here. There is a small park behind the church, where open theater performances and concerts are held.
