The year is 1891. The heart of Warsaw’s Muranów district bustles with life around the rising structure of St. Augustine’s Church. This church, Parafia św. Augustyna na Muranowie, is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a testament to love, faith, and the enduring spirit of Warsaw. Parafia św. Augustyna na Muranowie stands as a beacon of Neo-Romanesque architecture. Its soaring 70-meter tower, once the highest in Warsaw, dominates the skyline. The church owes its existence to the Countess Aleksandra Potocka. She generously donated 300,000 rubles to build this majestic church in memory of her late husband, Count August Potocki. The cornerstone was laid in 1892, and the first mass resonated through its hallowed halls in December 1896. Parafia św. Augustyna na Muranowie witnessed tumultuous times. During World War II, the church was trapped within the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto. Despite its official closure, the parish priest, Father Franciszek Garncarek, and vicar, Leon Wiąckiewicz, bravely remained. They risked their lives to smuggle Jews out of the ghetto, exemplifying courage and compassion. Tragically, Father Garncarek was killed by the Nazis in 1943, and Father Wiąckiewicz perished in the Gross-Rosen concentration camp in 1944. Their sacrifice stands as a testament to the church’s unwavering commitment to humanity. The war left its mark on Parafia św. Augustyna na Muranowie. The Germans used it as a warehouse and stable, its sanctity desecrated. During the Warsaw Uprising, the tower became a German machine-gun nest, its height a strategic advantage. Despite the devastation, the church endured. After the war, it stood as a beacon of hope, one of the few structures still standing in the ravaged ghetto. Parafia św. Augustyna na Muranowie, with its scarred walls and resilient spirit, embodies the story of Warsaw itself: a city that has faced countless hardships but always rises from the ashes, stronger and more determined.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to