Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on ulica Henryka Sienkiewicza in Łódź's Śródmieście [city centre district] is a neo-Romanesque three-aisled basilica with a front tower, built of brick in the second half of the nineteenth century. It was constructed during a period when Łódź was growing rapidly as an industrial city, with factory owners financing the construction of churches for their workers. Since 2021, the parish has been administered by the Dominicans.

Construction and consecration

Work on the church began formally in 1860, though actual construction took place between 1872 and 1875. The church was consecrated on 19 May 1888. The architectural project was prepared by Franciszek Tournelle, and the interior design was the responsibility of Warsaw architect Konstanty Wojciechowski. The building's form, brick as a material, and the front tower give it a recognisable nineteenth-century character typical of Łódź churches from that period.

The role of Łódź industrialists

The interior decoration of the church bears clear traces of the involvement of Łódź factory owners. The main altar was donated by Karol Scheibler, one of Łódź's greatest industrialists, who also financed an organ with 31 stops. Such donations were common practice in nineteenth-century Łódź: industrialists built churches and equipped them in exchange for prestige and remembrance among their factory workers. The church contains a total of six altars, distributed in the main nave and in side chapels.

Chapels and interior

In addition to the main altar, the church has a Chapel of Saint Anne and a Marian Chapel, each with its own separate altar. The three-aisled interior arrangement allows for a larger congregation than a typical parish church, which met the needs of the densely populated, industrial Śródmieście of late nineteenth-century Łódź. The interior also contains memorials dedicated to victims of martial law and shipyard workers who fell in the events of December 1970, which gives the church an additional commemorative dimension that extends beyond its construction history alone.

Parish and administration

The church is cared for by the Parish of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Since 2021, pastoral ministry at the church has been conducted by the Dominican order, representing a change from the previous secular parish administration. The building remains an active parish church, open for services and daily prayer, and its history extends back nearly 150 years to the beginning of construction work.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Henryka Sienkiewicza 38, 90-993 Łódź, Śródmieście
• Getting there: city centre Łódź, Śródmieście district, good public transport links
• What to expect: active parish church, interior with six altars and two chapels, altar and organ funded by Karol Scheibler
• Opening hours for visitors and mass times should be checked directly with the parish before your visit