Ever wonder about the story behind this seemingly modest church? The Kościół parafialny pw. Matki Bożej Królowej Polski stands before us. It is more than just a place of worship. It’s a testament to Warsaw’s resilience. It echoes with royal history.
This Kościół parafialny pw. Matki Bożej Królowej Polski began as a royal residence. It was a summer palace for Queen Maria Kazimiera in the 17th century. King Jan III Sobieski commissioned Tylman Gamerski to design it. The construction took place from 1692 to 1695. Imagine a small palace on a hill, a retreat for the royal family. The location gained a French-inspired name: Marymont, meaning “Marie’s Mountain”.
Later, King August II acquired the palace in 1720. He transformed it into a hunting lodge. He also established a menagerie and an ornamental garden. This garden became a public park in 1763. Over time, the property changed hands. It was owned by an English envoy. Then, it belonged to Crown Marshal Franciszek Rzewuski. Eventually, the Prussian government purchased it in 1796. It then became property of the Treasury of the Kingdom of Poland.
In 1816, the palace became the home of the Agronomic School. It opened to students in 1820 as the Agronomic Institute. A chapel was established on the ground floor. The upper floor housed offices. However, in 1862, the tsarist authorities moved the school to Puławy. The buildings in Marymont were converted into barracks.
During World War I, Russian troops left Warsaw in 1915. The abandoned palace became a shelter for the chronically ill. In 1916, Marian priests re-established a chapel in the ruined palace.
The chapel underwent significant reconstruction in 1924. It was redesigned in an eclectic style. Bishop Stanisław Gall consecrated it that same year. Two side entrances were added between 1928 and 1930. Ownership issues were also resolved.
The Kościół parafialny pw. Matki Bożej Królowej Polski suffered damage during World War II. The presbytery’s vault was damaged. Renovation and expansion took place between 1956 and 1959. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński granted it parish church status in April 1959. In 1960, the church was enlarged. It became a three-nave church with a transept. It also got an arched presbytery designed by Bruno Zborowski. The Kościół parafialny pw. Matki Bożej Królowej Polski was listed as a historical monument in 1965.
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński consecrated the church on October 11, 1966. He established the parish under the patronage of Our Lady Queen of Poland. Inside, you can find a reliquary of St. Cecilia from the mid-18th century. In the mid-1970s, a 21-voice organ was installed.
Archaeological work in 2016 revealed remnants of Queen Maria Kazimiera’s palace. They found the southeastern corner of a retaining wall. It supported the rectangular terrace where the palace once stood.
Today, the Kościół parafialny pw. Matki Bożej Królowej Polski stands as a testament to history and faith. It has been a royal residence, a school, and a sanctuary. It has survived wars and transformations. It is now a place of worship for the community.