Holy Cross Church

The second work by Bernardo Bellotto from our collection, the Holy Cross Church, depicts the view of Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, the principal and hallmark route in Warsaw at that time. The painting shows the street running northwards from a place now occupied by the Staszic Palace. In the foreground to the left is shown (in foreshortening) the facade of the baroque Holy Cross Church, the biggest and one of the most important churches in Warsaw at the time. It was there that significant state events took place, including some of Stanisław August’s coronation ceremonies in 1764. Numerous palaces of magnates are visible in the distance; on the right, the entrance gate to the Kazimierzowski Palace, today within the area of the University of Warsaw. In the distance is the facade of the Carmelite Church, of which Canaletto painted a separate painting.