Matka Boska Statue

Gazing up at the Matka Boska Statue, have you ever wondered about the stories whispered within its weathered stone? Here on Krakowskie Przedmieście, near Warsaw’s historic Plac Zamkowy, stands the second oldest monument in the city. The Matka Boska Statue is more than just a statue. It’s a testament to gratitude, a symbol of resilience, and an echo of a turbulent past. This statue, crafted by the sculptor and architect Józef Bellotti, was erected in 1683. It served as a votive offering, a heartfelt thank you to a higher power. Bellotti and his family were spared from the devastating plague that ravaged Warsaw from 1677 to 1679. The statue’s creation also commemorated King Jan III Sobieski’s triumph at the Battle of Vienna. Bellotti even gifted a version of the statue to the pious king. The Matka Boska Statue takes its name from the renowned image of the Virgin Mary in the pilgrimage church of Mariahilf in Passau, Germany. This Passau image itself is a faithful copy of Lucas Cranach the Elder’s 1537 altarpiece from Innsbruck, duplicated in 1620. Emperor Leopold I and his wife prayed before this very image during the Turkish siege of Vienna. After the Turks were defeated, it became a venerated symbol of the Habsburg monarchy, inspiring copies throughout Austria. While the Warsaw figure mirrors Cranach’s image, it remains a mystery whether Bellotti ever visited Passau or Innsbruck. He may have worked from a reproduction. The Matka Boska Statue is perched on a sandstone pedestal. Inscribed on its four sides are messages in Latin and Italian. In the 1830s, the statue was crowned. Later, in 1852, it underwent restoration funded by General Aleksander Hauke as thanks for saving the Republic during a cholera outbreak. Hauke replaced the original zinc crowns with gilded iron ones. Initially located further south on Krakowskie Przedmieście, the statue was moved to its current spot in 1866. Ornate lanterns were added in 1880. In 1905, the pedestal was raised upon a new Art Nouveau base, complete with a wrought iron fence. Remarkably, the Matka Boska Statue survived the Warsaw Uprising largely intact and was meticulously restored in 2001 by Franz Batthyány and his company. Their contribution is marked by a plaque at the statue’s base. As you stand before the Matka Boska Statue today, remember its layered history. It’s a story of faith, survival, and royal triumphs, etched in stone for generations to admire.