Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Poland Warsaw St John’s Arch Cathedral

St John’s Arch Cathedral

The last king of Poland was interred in this church nearly 200 years after his death.

Warsaw, Poland

Added By
subha basu ray
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
St John’s Arch Cathedral  
Burial Site of Poniatowski.   subha basu ray / Atlas Obscura User
Facade of St. John’s Arch Cathedral.   subha basu ray / Atlas Obscura User
Bust of Poniatowski in Lazienki Park.   subha basu ray / Atlas Obscura User
Information board at Holy Trinity Chapel.   subha basu ray / Atlas Obscura User
Holy Trinity Chapel.   subha basu ray / Atlas Obscura User
  michellepercha / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Arch Cathedral of St John is one of the oldest in the Polish capital. The historic church was almost completely destroyed during World War II.

It has since been painstakingly restored, retaining its noble gothic facade, though having lost its opulent, baroque interior. With a lofty, vaulted ceiling and some striking stained glass windows, the interior is now more gothic in character. Its crypt, which is the last resting place of generations of bishops, dukes, and other eminent Poles, has survived the ravages of time largely unscathed.

The remains of the Dukes of Masovia, King Stanisław August Poniatowski, and statesman Stanisław Małachowski are interred inside. Poniatowski was the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the last ruling monarch of the commonwealth. Malachowski was the first Prime Minister of Poland.

Born into an influential family on a large estate in present-day Belarus, Poniatowski was well-read, as well as a connoisseur of the arts and a reformer. He introduced the Constitution of Poland in 1791, the first codified constitution in Europe. Unfortunately, Poniatowski had powerful enemies and few friends. 

Forced to abdicate his throne following the final partition of Poland, he lived his last years on a meager pension in St. Petersburg as a ward of the Russian Tsar. During the Soviet regime, his body was exhumed from the church where he was buried and shipped to his birthplace. He was interred, for the second time, in the crypt of his family chapel in the village of Volchyn in Belarus. In 1995, his remains were moved one last time, to his final resting place in the Arch Cathedral of St Johns in Warsaw, almost 200 years after his death.

Related Tags

Churches History & Culture Architecture Burial Places Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

To see the burial site of Stanislaw August Poniatowski at the Arch Cathedral of St John, visitors are required to pay a small fee for entry into the crypt.

As with many churches in the region, St Johns regularly hosts concerts throughout the summer months, popular with the lovers of classical music. 

Community Contributors

Added By

subha basu ray

Edited By

jonathancarey, michellepercha

  • jonathancarey
  • michellepercha

Published

August 12, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
St John’s Arch Cathedral
Świętojańska 8
Warsaw, 00-278
Poland
52.248848, 21.013622
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mieszko the Stone Bear

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Old Town Wishing Bell

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

The Warsaw Basilisk

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Warsaw

Warsaw

Poland

Places 41
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Mieszko the Stone Bear

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Old Town Wishing Bell

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

The Warsaw Basilisk

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Warsaw

Warsaw

Poland

Places 41
Stories 2

Related Places

  • St. Canute’s Cathedral

    Odense, Denmark

    St. Canute's Cathedral

    The last Viking king of Denmark is buried inside the crypt of this cathedral.

  • Chapel on the Dunes

    Port Aransas, Texas

    Chapel on the Dunes

    The oldest functional consecrated church on Mustang Island.

  • Mantua Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Pietro)

    Mantua, Italy

    Mantua Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Pietro)

    The seat of the Mantua bishop holds many secrets within its walls.

  • Saint John Maroon Church

    Freetown, Sierra Leone

    Saint John Maroon Church

    One of the most important Krio heritage sites in the country.

  • Santuario de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

    São Bento do Canto, Portugal

    Santuario de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

    This chapel is the site of a yearly pilgrimage that originated during the Middle Ages.

  • Dome of San Lorenzo.

    Turin, Italy

    The Dome of San Lorenzo

    The intricate geometry inside this Baroque-style dome was designed to create "terror of the human soul."

  • Front of church.

    Athens, Greece

    Church of Agios Demetrios of Diakos

    This Ottoman-era church is hidden amid a busy tourist area.

  • Church of Agia Fotini Mantineias

    Tripoli, Greece

    Church of Agia Fotini Mantineias

    This church combines Christian, Byzantine, and ancient Greek architectural elements.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.