Warsaw
A capital destroyed and rebuilt: the Archcathedral and Old Town raised again after 1944, Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko's grave, Saint Andrew Bobola's shrine, Saint Faustina's Żytnia Street and Saint John Paul II's Piłsudski Square
Warsaw is a capital that was destroyed and rebuilt, and its churches carry that story. German units razed most of the city after the Uprising of 1944, and the Old Town and the Archcathedral, where Blessed Stefan Wyszyński is buried and the relics of Saint Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński rest, were raised again, many of them under Wyszyński's leadership. Pilgrims come for the saints and martyrs. Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko lies in front of Saint Stanisław Kostka in the northern district of Żoliborz, Saint Andrew Bobola rests in his national shrine on Rakowiecka Street, and Saint Faustina entered her convent on Żytnia Street in 1925. Saint John Paul II said Mass on Piłsudski Square in 1979, where the Papal Cross now stands. The Old Town, the Royal Route and Holy Cross make one walking day, while the Temple of Divine Providence in Wilanów needs a half day. Mass in English is celebrated on Sundays at 13:30 and 19:00 at the Church of Saint Thérèse, Tamka 4A.
Fly over Warsaw in 3DA tour of a capital that rebuilt its churches from rubbleStart the tourTop sites
See all
The Saints of Warsaw
Blessed Jerzy PopiełuszkoPriest of Saint Stanisław Kostka parish in Żoliborz, kidnapped by the Security Service on 19 October 1984 and killed. His tomb stands in front of the church, and the Masses for the Homeland he celebrated from 28 February 1982 drew crowds during martial law. He was beatified on Piłsudski Square on 6 June 2010.
Blessed Stefan WyszyńskiPrimate of Poland from 1948 to 1981, arrested on Miodowa Street on 25 September 1953 and held until 28 October 1956. He oversaw the rebuilding of the cathedral and some 70 historic churches. His tomb is in the Archcathedral, and he was beatified at the Temple of Divine Providence on 12 September 2021.
Saint Zygmunt Szczęsny FelińskiArchbishop of Warsaw from 1862, he reopened the churches the clergy had closed in protest and was deported to Yaroslavl in 1863 for twenty years. His relics rest in the Literary Chapel of the Archcathedral, and he was canonized on 11 October 2009.
Saint Andrew BobolaJesuit missionary killed by Cossacks at Janów on 16 May 1657. His body was found incorrupt in 1702, and it has lain in Warsaw since 17 June 1938, now in the national shrine on Rakowiecka Street. He is patron of Poland and of the Archdiocese of Warsaw.
Saint Faustina KowalskaEntered the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on Żytnia Street on 1 August 1925 and saw the Merciful Jesus in Płock on 22 February 1931. Her relics are in the Temple of Divine Providence and in the Holy Spirit church of the Paulines.
Saint John Paul IISaid Mass on Piłsudski Square on 2 June 1979 and ended with "Let your Spirit descend." He prayed at Popiełuszko's grave on 14 June 1987 and beatified 108 martyrs of the war on the square on 13 June 1999. A relic of his blood is kept in All Saints.
Saint Maximilian KolbeFounded the friary at Niepokalanów in 1927, was arrested there in February 1941 and held at Pawiak before Auschwitz, where he died on 14 August 1941. The parish church at Służew has his relics.
Saint HyacinthThe Polish Dominican missionary, canonized in 1594. The Dominicans' church on Freta Street was founded in 1603 and is said to be the first dedicated to him.
Blessed Anicet KoplińskiA Capuchin friar of the Miodowa Street church who fed the poor of Warsaw. He was held at Pawiak, died at Auschwitz on 16 October 1941, and was beatified in Warsaw on 13 June 1999.
Saint Vincent de PaulQueen Marie Louise Gonzaga brought his Congregation of the Mission to Holy Cross on 1 December 1653, and it became the Vincentians' central house in Poland. They also founded All Saints on Grzybowski Square.
Saint Charles BorromeoKing Stanisław August vowed a church to him after escaping kidnappers on his feast day in 1771. It stands at the heart of Powązki Cemetery and holds the Katyń sanctuary.
Beyond the churches
Views, walks and the town between the churches.
The roof garden of the University Library
The University Library has a free garden on its roof, in Powiśle below the escarpment, from which you look back over the Vistula and the Old Town. It is a short walk down from Saint Anne's and a quiet pause after the Royal Route. Its opening hours change with the season, so check the library's page before you go.
Itineraries
See allIn Warsaw
1 day · 5 sitesA Day in Catholic WarsawThe rebuilt Old Town and Royal Route, Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko and Saint Faustina's convent, in one working day
1 day · 4 sitesBlessed Jerzy Popiełuszko: 19 October in WarsawThe anniversary of his martyrdom, Tuesday 19 October 2027
1 day · 5 sitesHalf a Day in Catholic Warsaw
2 days · 4 sitesAll Saints at Powązki, 1 November
2 days · 5 sitesSaint Maximilian Kolbe in Warsaw and Niepokalanów
2 days · 4 sitesThe Walking Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra, 6 August
2 days · 8 sitesTwo Days in Catholic Warsaw
2 days · 6 sitesWarsaw with Children
2 days · 5 sitesWarsaw with Limited Mobility
3 days · 8 sitesChristmas and Advent in Warsaw
3 days · 13 sitesThree Days in Catholic Warsaw
3 days · 10 sitesWarsaw's Witnesses Under Occupation and Communism
4 days · 10 sitesHoly Week in Warsaw, 2027
Collections
See all
12 sitesBlessed Stefan Wyszyński's WarsawTwelve places tied to the Primate who led the Church through communism
7 sitesHidden Gems of Warsaw: Seven Places Off the Usual RouteSeven places worth a detour, each with its own reason to go
11 sitesWarsaw's Modern WitnessesChurches, a prison and cemeteries that held Warsaw's faith under occupation and communism
5 sitesPraga and the East Bank of the VistulaFour churches and a cemetery on Warsaw's east bank
10 sitesReligious Orders of WarsawTen orders that built Warsaw's churches, lost them and came back
12 sitesSaint John Paul II in WarsawTwelve places where the Polish pope prayed, preached or blessed in Warsaw
9 sitesThe Saints of WarsawNine churches tied to the saints and blesseds who lived, died or rest in Warsaw
7 sitesWarsaw's Votive Churches: Vows Kept in StoneSeven places in Warsaw that exist to keep a promise made to God
Featured Events
Good to know
Saint Paul's English Speaking Catholic Parish celebrates Mass in English on Sundays at 13:30 and 19:00, and on holy days of obligation, at the Church of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Tamka 4A (the archdiocese's list of Masses in foreign languages, read on 30 October 2026). Confession in English is heard 30 minutes before Mass. There are also English Masses at Powsin on the first Sunday of the month at 16:00 and in Ursynów on certain Saturdays at 17:00. For confession, the Jesuits at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace post a weekly rota of English-speaking confessors on laskawa.pl.
Article · 4 minEnglish Mass and Confession in WarsawReadStart with the Archcathedral, the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace and Saint Anne's in the Old Town, then Holy Cross and the Papal Cross on the Royal Route. Add Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko's grave at Saint Stanisław Kostka in Żoliborz, the national shrine of Saint Andrew Bobola on Rakowiecka Street and the Temple of Divine Providence in Wilanów. Saint Faustina's shrine on Żytnia Street fits the same days. The Old Town and the Royal Route make one walking day.
Article · 4 minThe Catholic Sites to Plan Around in WarsawReadThe grave is at the church of Saint Stanisław Kostka in Żoliborz, and the sanctuary is open every day from 6:30 to 19:00. The museum in the lower church is open Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, with tickets at 25 złoty (zł) or 15 zł reduced, and it closes in Holy Week, 1 November and from 22 December to 1 January (popieluszko.net.pl and muzeumkspopieluszki.pl, checked on 30 October 2026). The Mass for the Homeland is on the last Sunday of each month at 18:00, with the rosary at 17:30.
Article · 4 minBlessed Jerzy Popiełuszko in WarsawReadFaustina entered the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on Żytnia Street on 1 August 1925, and the Shrine of Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina at Żytnia 1 stands on that ground. We checked the parish page on 30 October 2026. Masses are on weekdays at 7:00 and 18:00, and also at 15:00 on Fridays, and on Sundays at 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 18:00. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed daily at 15:00. The page does not say whether the sisters' house can be visited. Faustina's first vision of Divine Mercy took place in Płock on 22 February 1931.
Article · 4 minSaint Faustina in WarsawReadThe church is free to enter and pray in. The Pantheon of Great Poles below is seen only on a guided tour, Monday to Saturday on the hour from 10:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays from 13:30, for 10 zł. The museum of John Paul II and Wyszyński, called Mt 5,14 after Matthew 5:14, is in the dome ring. It is closed on Mondays, open Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 19:00, with a 35 zł ticket and free individual entry on Thursdays (the Temple's pages, checked on 30 October 2026). Trams 14 and 16 stop at the Temple, and Wilanów Palace is nearby.
Article · 4 minThe Temple of Divine Providence and WilanówReadOne full day covers the Old Town, the Royal Route and Popiełuszko's grave. A second day adds Bobola's shrine, the Temple of Divine Providence and Wilanów. A third adds the churches and museums of the war years, or Praga across the river. Niepokalanów is a separate half day by train. In a longer Poland trip, Warsaw pairs well with Kraków, with Częstochowa between them.
Article · 7 minHow Many Days Do You Need in Warsaw?ReadFrom Chopin Airport the SKM commuter trains S2 and S3 and bus 175 run to the center on a 75-minute city ticket, and the airport says the trip takes about 30 minutes. The night bus N32 runs from the airport to Warszawa Centralna. A licensed taxi to the center costs about 50 zł, according to the airport (airport and Warsaw Public Transport pages, checked on 30 October 2026). Modlin Airport, the low-cost hub 40 km north, is reached by a train of the regional operator Koleje Mazowieckie to Modlin station plus a link, or by direct shuttle buses.
Article · 6 minGetting from the Airport to Central WarsawReadThe Old Town, New Town and Royal Route are walkable. For the rest use the metro, where line M1 runs north to south and line M2 crosses the Vistula to Praga, or trams and buses. Bus 180 follows the Royal Route to Wilanów. One ticket covers metro, tram and bus in zone 1, which includes the airport: a 75-minute ticket is 4.40 zł, machines take cards, and you validate on boarding (Warsaw Public Transport price page, checked on 30 October 2026). The fine for traveling without a valid ticket is 266 zł.
Article · 7 minGetting Around Warsaw by Metro, Tram and BusReadCatholic lodging in Warsaw is small and spread across the city. The Sisters Disciples of the Divine Master take guests at Żytnia 11, near Faustina's shrine, and Dom Amicus stands beside Popiełuszko's church in Żoliborz with a reception open 24 hours. Niepokalanów and Płock have pilgrim houses of their own for those who sleep on a day trip. Most houses book by phone or email, and the sisters' house takes bookings only between 6:00 and 18:00 (checked on 30 October 2026).
Article · 7 minWhere to Stay in WarsawReadA regional train of Koleje Mazowieckie on the Kutno line runs to Teresin-Niepokalanów station, roughly an hour from central Warsaw, and the friary is near the station. Check the current times on mazowieckie.com.pl, because we could not confirm them on 30 October 2026. Saint Maximilian Kolbe's chapel, cell and basilica are there. The basilica's Masses start at 6:00 on most days and at 7:00 on Sundays (niepokalanow.pl, checked on 30 October 2026), and half a day is enough.
Article · 5 minNiepokalanów From Warsaw: Saint Maximilian Kolbe's FriaryReadPKP Intercity runs about 14 express trains of the EIP and EIC types a day between Warsaw and Kraków, according to its 2025/26 timetable presentation of October 2025, and the trip takes about two and a half hours. Seat reservation is required on these trains, and they sell out on feast weekends, around Christmas and on summer Fridays and Sundays, so buy as soon as your dates are fixed. We could not confirm the current timetable or the booking window on 30 October 2026, so check intercity.pl.
Article · 6 minGetting from Warsaw to Kraków and Other CitiesReadChurches hold their usual Masses on Sundays and holidays, and most big museums are open on Sundays but close on one weekday: the Royal Castle on Mondays, the Rising Museum and POLIN on Tuesdays. Most shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays. In 2027 the trading Sundays are 31 January, 21 March, 25 April, 27 June, 29 August and 5, 12 and 19 December. Christmas Eve has been a day off since 2025, so shops close all day on 24 December. Pharmacies, petrol stations, station shops, bakeries and restaurants are exempt.
Article · 5 minWhat Is Open on Sundays and Holidays in WarsawReadCorpus Christi (Thursday 27 May 2027) brings the central procession down the Royal Route to Piłsudski Square. Holy Week and Easter 2027 begin with Palm Sunday on 21 March. The Warsaw walking pilgrimage leaves for Jasna Góra on 6 August, and All Saints on 1 November fills Powązki with candles. In July and August some parishes drop Masses and shorten confession, and 11 November, Independence Day, brings marches in the center.
Article · 7 minThe Best Time to Visit WarsawReadCatholic stays
Catholic lodging in Warsaw is small and spread across the city. The Sisters Disciples of the Divine Master take guests at Żytnia 11, close to the Shrine of Saint Faustina. They have single and double rooms, most with a bath, and a shared kitchen but no meals. The house is open from 6:00 to 22:00, from 7:00 on Sundays, the porter is there until 18:00, and bookings and payments are made in those hours by phone. Dom Amicus stands beside Popiełuszko's church in Żoliborz, with 54 beds and a reception open 24 hours. Neither page posts prices. On the day trips, the Franciscans' pilgrim house at Niepokalanów has single rooms from 65 złoty (zł), and the House of Saint Faustina at the Płock sanctuary has rooms from 100 zł per person. Both take individuals. Dobre Miejsce, the archdiocese's house in the Bielany forest, takes groups, so ask before you book as an individual. We read each house's own page on 30 October 2026, so confirm prices and rules on pddm.pl, popieluszko.net.pl, niepokalanow.pl or faustynaplock.pl before you go.
Parish of Saint Stanisław Kostka in Warsaw, Diocesan Sanctuary of Blessed Father Jerzy PopiełuszkoDiocesan shrine in Warsaw's Żoliborz district, housing the tomb of Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, martyr and patron of the Solidarity movement, with a martyrdom chapel and multimedia museum in the lower church.
Camaldolese Monastery Complex at BielanyRoyal votive Baroque church founded by King Władysław IV Vasa in 1639, housing the heart of King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki and thirteen intact 17th-century Camaldolese hermitages.
Niepokalanów Friary of the Order of Friars Minor ConventualFranciscan friary and sanctuary founded by Saint Maximilian Kolbe in 1927, housing his original monastic cell, second-class relics, and a perpetual adoration chapel.
Article · The full guide to every stay · 7 min readWhere to Stay in WarsawWhich area suits a Catholic pilgrim, how the Catholic day shapes the choice, and the convent, pilgrim and parish houses worth knowingRead the guideArticles
See all
Feasts and seasonsAll Saints and Powązki Cemetery4 min read
Auschwitz and Treblinka From Warsaw6 min read- Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko in Warsaw4 min read
PracticalChoosing a Guide and Booking Tickets in Warsaw6 min read
Visiting sitesChopin and the Holy Cross Church4 min read
Feasts and seasonsChristmas in Warsaw5 min read
Easy Day Trips From Warsaw: Łowicz, Żelazowa Wola, Laski and More5 min read- Mass and sacramentsEnglish Mass and Confession in Warsaw4 min read
- Getting aroundGetting Around Warsaw by Metro, Tram and Bus7 min read
- Getting aroundGetting from the Airport to Central Warsaw6 min read
- Getting aroundGetting from Warsaw to Kraków and Other Cities6 min read
Feasts and seasonsHoly Week and Easter in Warsaw5 min read- PlanningHow Many Days Do You Need in Warsaw?7 min read
PlanningIs Warsaw Safe?5 min read
Jasna Góra and Licheń From Warsaw6 min read
Jewish Warsaw for Catholic Pilgrims7 min read
John Paul II and Cardinal Wyszyński in Warsaw5 min read
Mass and sacramentsMass and Church Visiting in Warsaw5 min read
PracticalMoney and Language in Warsaw7 min read- Niepokalanów From Warsaw: Saint Maximilian Kolbe's Friary5 min read
Płock From Warsaw: Where Saint Faustina Saw the Image5 min read
Praga Across the Vistula: Is It Worth a Visit?6 min read- Saint Faustina in Warsaw4 min read
- PlanningThe Best Time to Visit Warsaw7 min read
- Visiting sitesThe Catholic Sites to Plan Around in Warsaw4 min read
- Visiting sitesThe Temple of Divine Providence and Wilanów4 min read
The Warsaw Uprising of 1944 and the Churches5 min read
Feasts and seasonsWarsaw Feast Days Through the Year6 min read
PracticalWarsaw with Children or Limited Mobility6 min read
Warsaw's Rebuilt Old Town and Churches4 min read- PracticalWhat Is Open on Sundays and Holidays in Warsaw5 min read
- StayingWhere to Stay in Warsaw7 min read
Phrases
Keep exploring
Community
Questions and tips from pilgrims who have been to Warsaw.
No posts yet
Be the first to help a fellow pilgrim. Ask a question or share what you learned in Warsaw.