Dreams of a grand basilica began with Princess Maria Radziwiłłowa. She and her husband Michał purchased land for a church. It was to be near Kawęczyńska and Siedlecka streets. That dream took shape as Parafia Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa.
Imagine the Warsaw of 1902. City officials approved the church’s construction plans. In 1904, papal blessing arrived. It was handwritten by the Pope himself. Construction finally started three years later. Interruptions plagued the project. Architects faced technical challenges. Underground water complicated matters. Before World War I, the lower church was completed.
By 1911, a chapel for 1,000 people was built. It served the faithful while the main church was delayed. Princess Maria Radziwiłłowa bought columns from Rome. They were originally for the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. During World War I, she used her influence. She transported 24 granite columns from Italy by train. These columns became a defining feature.
In January 1920, the lower church was consecrated. The outer walls of the upper church rose that same year. Princess Maria requested a special honor. Pope Pius XI granted the church the title of minor basilica in 1923. It was still under construction. She also wanted the Salesian priests to run the parish. Her wish was granted after her death.
In 1931, Father Antoni Hlond became the administrator. Princess Maria chose the Salesians. She wanted the parish to be a religious center. It was also to be an educational hub for children. World War II halted interior and exterior work. Thankfully, Parafia Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa survived the war. Damage was minimal. Repairs finished in 1945. The final touch was a five-story tower built between 1998 and 1999.
The basilica’s architecture echoes ancient Roman basilicas. Łukasz Wolski and Hugon Kudera were the architects. Kudera made minor adjustments to the design. The facade features steps and a columned portico. Ten Corinthian columns support a classical entablature. A niche above holds three windows and two columns. The tympanum shows Christ blessing people. A priest, a woman with a child, a peasant and a soldier are depicted.
Inside Parafia Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa, 24 granite columns divide the space. These support arcades below stained-glass windows. The nave stretches 65 meters long. It is 30 meters wide and 22 meters high. A coffered ceiling adorns the nave. Five large panels show scenes from the New Testament. The apse features a gilded mosaic. Side aisles mirror the main nave. The church organs sit in a side chapel.
Princess Maria received papal blessing in 1904 to build the church. Construction began in 1907. A filial chapel was established in 1911. The parish was established in 1919. Bishop Stanisław Gall consecrated the lower church in 1920. Pope Pius XI granted the title of minor basilica in 1923. Archbishop Aleksander Kakowski consecrated the church. The Salesians were given control of the parish in 1931. In 1938, the facade was illuminated. Pope John Paul II opened the Second Plenary Synod in 1991. The tower was built in 1998-1999.
Parafia Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa stands as a testament to faith. It also shows the power of dreams. Princess Maria’s vision became a reality. It continues to inspire and serve the community today.