{"id":21646,"date":"2026-08-17T17:34:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T17:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/21646\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T17:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T17:34:19","slug":"st-annes-church-in-warsaw-is-under-threat-the-w-z-route-is-to-blame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/21646\/","title":{"rendered":"St Anne\u2019s Church in Warsaw is under threat. The W-Z Route is to blame"},"content":{"rendered":"

St Anne\u2019s Church on Krakowskie Przedmie\u015bcie has stood on the Warsaw escarpment for over 500 years. It has survived fires and wars, but today it is once again in need of rescue. Recent surveys have shown that the church is cracking. The cause of these problems is an unstable slope, which has been shifting slowly since the construction of the W-Z Route in 1949. A deep excavation carried out for a construction project in the late 1940s compromised the stability of the slope. Extensive cracks appeared in the church walls at that time. The building was successfully saved then. Today, the problem has resurfaced: the historic walls are cracking once more, and the solution is to be advanced conservation work.<\/p>\n

St Anne\u2019s Church: medieval origins<\/p>\n

The church\u2019s origins date back to 1454, when Princess Anna brought the Bernardine friars to Warsaw. Their monastery and first church were built along the Czersk Road and opened to the faithful in 1518. The building has retained Gothic features from that period in the chancel, apse, sacristy and buttresses. Following a fire in 1515, the church was rebuilt between 1521 and 1533. The belfry was built in 1578, and the Kryski family chapel around 1620. Another fire in the mid-16th century led to a major reconstruction. Between 1658 and 1667, the church was given a Baroque design, whilst retaining its medieval walls. Giovanni Battista Gisleni and Tylman van Gameren were involved in the work.<\/p>\n

Gothic, Baroque and Classicism in a single church<\/p>\n

The church combines elements of Gothic, Baroque and Classicism. From the side facing the escarpment, the Gothic apse and buttresses are visible, whilst the fa\u00e7ade facing Krakowskie Przedmie\u015bcie was designed in 1788 by Chrystian Piotr Aigner. The Classical fa\u00e7ade features pilasters, columns and statues of the four Evangelists attributed to Franciszek Pinck. The interior has retained its Baroque polychrome decoration by Walenty \u017bebrowski, as well as the altars, pulpit and organ. Also of great value are the inlaid confessionals, cupboards and doors by Brother Paschalis Scholtz. The church also houses the chapel of Blessed W\u0142adys\u0142aw of Gielni\u00f3w and the 19th-century Loreto Chapel by Henryk Marconi. Since 1928, the building has served as a university church.<\/p>\n

\"Ko\u015bci\u00f3\u0142Krakowskie Przedmie\u015bcie then and now. Source: United States Library of Congress and Mateusz Markowski\/WhiteMAD
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

St Anne\u2019s Church and the ravages of war<\/p>\n

Bombs dropped on Warsaw damaged the church as early as 1939. The Loreto Chapel, the roof over the nave and the roof truss of the dome of the Chapel of Blessed W\u0142adys\u0142aw were destroyed. In 1944, the Germans occupied the church and set up a defensive post there, though the building did not suffer serious damage. After the war, the reconstruction was overseen by Beata Tryli\u0144ska. In 1945, a new roof was fitted, and a year later the western gable, which had been knocked down by a hurricane, was rebuilt. The greatest threat to the historic building arose during the construction of the W-Z Route between 1947 and 1949. The excavation for a huge tunnel compromised the embankment, and cracks appeared in the walls. The apse, the chancel and part of the chapel began to slide dangerously. The situation was so serious that the church was at risk of structural collapse.<\/p>\n

The battle to save St Anne\u2019s Church in Warsaw<\/p>\n

The rescue operation was led by Professor Wac\u0142aw \u017benczykowski. As part of this, the ground was reinforced with reinforced concrete columns, the foundations were braced with a reinforced concrete ring beam, and the slope was stabilised. Electro-osmosis was also employed to limit the migration of water through the ground. Prof. Romuald Cebertowicz\u2019s method was pioneering at the time. Once the church had been stabilised, the roof was rebuilt, and in 1950 the Gothic relics were unveiled. The stabilisation measures averted disaster, but the slope continues to shift. The vibrations generated by car and tram traffic on the W-Z Route are also a significant factor.<\/p>\n

\"\"The construction of the ill-fated W-Z Route in the vicinity of the church. Source: NAC \u2013 National Digital Archives
\nSensors, laser scanning and the future of the church<\/p>\n

As the slope continues to undergo cyclical, creeping movements, any cracks in the walls and vault require careful monitoring. New cracks had already been noted previously, including in 2009. Expert assessments carried out at the time did not indicate any immediate threat to the safety of the church. However, as this concerns a priceless, 500-year-old historic monument, the church has been placed under constant geodetic, photogrammetric and laser monitoring. Specialised sensors have been installed to record even very slight movements in the structure. This makes it possible to check whether existing cracks remain stable or are active.<\/p>\n

St Anne\u2019s Church is cracking and needs to be saved<\/p>\n

The latest news regarding the church is not particularly optimistic. It has transpired that observation alone is no longer sufficient. The church is cracking and requires specific rescue measures. As Katarzyna G\u00f3recka-Ruszel from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw explained in an interview with TVP, some of the cracks are so significant that daylight can be seen through them. In September, a massive scaffolding structure is to be erected by the high altar, after which work will begin on reinforcing the damaged vault using special carbon-fibre mesh. The next stage will involve the conservation and restoration of the historic polychromes.<\/p>\n

Source: tvp.info<\/a>, niedziela.pl<\/a><\/p>\n

See also:Religious architecture<\/a>|Warsaw<\/a>|Historic monument<\/a>|Interesting facts<\/a>|whiteMAD on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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