Located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, on Place Maurice-Barres, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has for many years served as a spiritual and cultural centre for Poles living in the French capital. Handed over to the care of the Polish Catholic Mission in 1848, the church has become an important place of commemoration for many figures and events connected with Polish history.

In an atmosphere of conflict. History of the building's origin

The classicist Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Paris was built between 1670 and 1676 to a design by the French architect Charles Errard, the first director of the French Academy in Rome, on the site of a former Jesuit monastery chapel. Modifications made to the original architectural plans were met with displeasure by the convent of the temple's founders. As a result of these changes, allegedly made arbitrarily, a conflict broke out between the designer and the construction manager. The atmosphere of mutual accusations prevented the final completion of the temple. The unfinished church was further damaged during the French Revolution, during which it was used as barracks.

Polish temple

In 1848, Paris Archbishop Denis Affre entrusted the care of the church to the Poles and the Polish Catholic Mission. Since 1884, the temple has remained under the care of Concorde, the largest Polish parish in France. The new users made numerous changes to the interior, enriching it with many Polonics. These include copies of iconic paintings from Poland, such as images of Our Lady of Czestochowa and Ostrobramska, as well as plaques commemorating figures and events important to Polish history, including the first superior of the Polish Mission in Paris, Father Aleksander Jełowicki, the poet Juliusz Słowacki and the victims of martial law in Poland.