Stary Służew is a

neighbourhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...

, and a City Information System area, located in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, within the district of

Ursynów Ursynów () is a district of the city of Warsaw, Poland. It has an area of 43.79 km2 (16.88 sq mi), and in 2023, it was inhabited by 149,775 people, making it the 5th most populous and 3rd largest district of the city. Located in its western ...

. The area is dominated by single-family housing with an additional presence of multifamily housing. It includes the historical portion of the neighbourhood of

Służew Służew, historically until 16th century known as Służewo, is a residential neighbourhood, and an area of the City Information System, in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located within the district of Mokotów. Landmarks and transport Służew ...

, including the 19th-century

Krasiński Palace The Krasiński Palace (), also known as the Palace of the Commonwealth (), is a reconstructed Baroque palace in Warsaw, Poland, on Krasiński Square (''Plac Krasińskich''). Initially erected between 1677 and 1683 for the powerful Krasiński f ...

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

St. Catherine's Church, and Fort VIII of the

Warsaw Fortress Warsaw Fortress (, ) was a system of fortifications built in Warsaw, Poland during the 19th century when the city was part of the Russian Empire. The fortress belonged to a Western Russian fortresses, chain of fortresses built in Congress Poland an ...

. The campus of the

Warsaw University of Life Sciences The Warsaw University of Life Sciences (, SGGW) is the largest agricultural university in Poland, established in 1816 in Warsaw. It employs over 2,600 staff including over 1,200 academic educators. The University is since 2005 a member of the Eu ...

is also located there. Służew dates back to at least the 13th century, when it was a small farming community. In 1238 the St. Catherine's Church was founded there (it was later rebuilt in the 19th century), with its parish becoming the oldest parish within the current boundaries of Warsaw. In 1245 the village became the property of the knight

Gotard of Służew Gotard of Służew (Polish language, Polish: ''Gotard ze Służewa'') was a 13th-century knight and count from the Duchy of Masovia. He served under duke Konrad I of Masovia, and later duke Bolesław I of Masovia. He was also Castellans of the Poli ...

, whose descendants formed the Służewiecki family of the Radwan heraldic clan, whom owned this land until the 17th century. In 1776 the Krasiński Palace was constructed there. Służew was incorporated into Warsaw in 1938. In 1956, the campus of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences was established, which was then further expected in the 1960s, 1970s, and 2000s.

History

Signs of human settlements from the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

(4000 BCE and 2000 BCE),

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

(3300 BCE to 1200 BCE), and of the

Lusatian culture The Lusatian culture existed in the later Bronze Age and early Iron Age (1300–500 ) in most of what is now Poland and parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany and western Ukraine. It covers the Periods Montelius III (e ...

(1300 BCE to 500 BCE) have been found in the area of Warsaw Escarpment and Służewiec Stream. By 1065, the area was inhabited by the

monks of the

Order of Saint Benedict The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

. They also had there their

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

centre. In 1238, there was established the

Parish of St. Catherine, founded by duke

Konrad I of Masovia Konrad I of Masovia (ca. 1187/88 – 31 August 1247), from the Polish Piast dynasty, was the sixth Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1194 until his death as well as High Duke of Poland from 1229 to 1232 and again from 1241 to 1243. Life Konrad w ...

, ruler of the

Duchy of Masovia The Duchy of Masovia was a District duchy, district principality and a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385), Kingdom of Poland, existing during the Middle Ages. The state was centered in Mazovia in the northeastern Kingdom of Poland, a ...

, and erected by bishop Paweł II of Bnin. It is the oldest parish within modern boundaries of

.Grzegorz Kalwarczyk: ''Przewodnik po parafiach i kościołach Archidiecezji warszawskiej'', vol. 2: ''Parafie warszawskie''. Warsaw: Oficyna Wydawniczo-Poligraficzna Adam, 2015, p. 364, ISBN 978-83-7821-118-1, OCLC 948875463. (in Polish)A. Sołtan-Lipska (editor): ''Służew i jego kościół''. Warsaw: Church of St. Catherine, 2013, p. 743. ISBN 978-83-938420-0-1. (in Polish) At the same time, nearby was founded the

Służew Old Cemetery The Służew Old Cemetery () is a Roman Catholic cemetery in the area of Stary Służew in the Ursynów district of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is located next to the presbytery of St Catherine's Church at 17 Fosa Street. Notable burials * ...

.Karol Mórawski: ''Warszawskie cmentarze. Przewodnik historyczny''. Warsaw: PTTK Kraj, 1991, p. 87-90. ISBN 83-7005-333-5. (in Polish) Archaeological findings suggest, that prior to that, there was a place of worship of

Slavic paganism Slavic paganism, Slavic mythology, or Slavic religion refer to the religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and the 13th century. The South Slavs, who ...

, with signs of fire that burned constantly for several-hounded years.Maria Dąbrowska, Magdalena Bis, Wojciech Bis: "Badania archeologiczne kościoła św. Katarzyny i cmentarza na warszawskim Służewie", ''Ad Rem: Kwartalnik akademicki''. Warsaw: University of Warsaw, Międzywydziałowe Towarzystwo Naukowe Badań i Ochrony Swiatowego Dziedzictwa Kulturowego HUMANICA, 2012. ISSN 1899-0495. (in Polish) It is unknown how the first church built there looked like. In 13th century, in its place was built a wooden church, which was later replaced by a brick church.Ewa Korpysz: "Przemiany w architekturze kościoła św. Katarzyny na Służewie", ''Ad Rem: kwartalnik akademicki''. Warsaw: University of Warsaw, Międzywydziałowe Towarzystwo Naukowe Badań i Ochrony Swiatowego Dziedzictwa Kulturowego HUMANICA, 2012. ISSN 1899-0495. (in Polish) By 1238, there was located the village of

o (later known as ''Służew''), placed near Sadurka river, and owned by the Catholic Order of Canon Regulars of St. Augustin from Czerwińsk nad Wisłą. In 1240, it was acquired by duke Konrad I of Masovia, who then gifted it to his knight and count,

, on 27 April 1245.Marta Piber-Zbieranowska: ''Służew średniowieczny''. Warsaw: Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie, 2001, p. 145–150. ISBN 8390732858 (in Polish) His descendants became the Służewiecki family of the Radwan heraldic clan, whom owned this land until 17th century.Józef Kazimierski, Ryszard Kołodziejczyk, Żanna Kormanowa, Halina Rostowska: ''Dzieje Mokotow''. Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1972, p. 25–26.Marta Piber-Zbieranowska: ''Służew średniowieczny''. Warsaw: Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie, 2001, p. 232–233. ISBN 8390732858 (in Polish) The St. Catherine's Church was again rebuilt in 1742, and in 1848, in

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended t ...

style. In 1776, in Służew was built the

. It was commissioned by princess Elżbieta Izabela Lubomirska as a gift for her daughter Aleksandra Lubomirska, and son-in-law

Stanisław Kostka Potocki Count Stanisław Kostka Potocki (; November 1755 – 14 September 1821) was a Polish nobleman, politician, writer, public intellectual, and patron of the arts. He was involved in public education and active in the period that has been terme ...

.Wiesław Głębocki, Tadeusz Kobyłka: ''Pałace Warszawy''. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Sport i Turystyka, p. 52. ISBN 9788321728148. (in Polish)Marek Kwiatkowski: ''Architektura mieszkaniowa Warszawy''. Warsaw: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 1989, p. 216. ISBN 83-06-01427-8. (in Polish) In 1822, it became property of

Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz ( , ; 6 February 1758 – 21 May 1841) was a Polish poet, playwright and statesman. He was a leading advocate for the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's Constitution of 3 May 1791. Early life and education Julian Ursyn Ni ...

, who organised there a library collecting rare and valuable books. He renamed his estate after himself to ''Ursynów'', which inspired the name of the modern city district of

.Tadeusz S. Jaroszewski: ''Księga pałaców Warszawy''. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Interpress, 1985, p. 67. ISBN 83-223-2047-7. (in Polish) The palace was rebuilt in 1860 in the

Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of ...

style. In 1857, it was acquired by the

Krasiński family The House of Krasiński (plural: Krasińscy) is an old Szlachta, Polish noble family, whose members held the title of Count in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, granted to them on 29 June 1856 by Franz Joseph I of Austria, Franz Joseph I. The name ...

. Its last owner,

Edward Bernard Raczyński Count Edward Bernard Raczyński (19 December 1891 – 30 July 1993) was a Polish diplomat, writer, politician, President of Poland- in-exile (between 1979 and 1986). He was the longest living (101), and oldest serving Polish President (from ...

had donated it to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Education in 1921. Between 1818 and 1821, Stanisław Kostka Potocki had established the Gucin residence near the Church of St. Catherine. Following his death in 1821, his wife, Aleksandra Lubomirska had founded there the garden complex of Gucin Grove, developed between 1821 and 1830. At the turn of 19th century, there were also built

catacombs Catacombs are man-made underground passages primarily used for religious purposes, particularly for burial. Any chamber used as a burial place is considered a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etym ...

. In the 1880s, the Fort VIII had been built near Służew, as part of the series of fortifications of the

, built around Warsaw by the

Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

. It was decommissioned in 1909, and partially destroyed, including all its concrete structures.Józef Kazimierski, Ryszard Kołodziejczyk, Żanna Kormanowa, Halina Rostowska: ''Dzieje Mokotowa''. Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1972, p. 51. (in Polish)Lech Królikowski: Twierdza Warszawa, Warsaw: Bellona, 2002. ISBN 8311093563. (in Polish) On 27 September 1938, Służew was incorporated into the city of

.
Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 22 września 1938 r. o przyłączeniu części gmin wiejskich Wilanów i Bródno w powiecie i województwie warszawskim do powiatów południowo-warszawskiego i prasko-warszawskiego w m. st. Warszawie.
' In: ''1938 Journal of Laws''. Warsaw. 1938. (in Polish)Marian Marek Drozdowski: ''Warszawiacy i ich miasto w latach Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej''. Warsaw: Wiedza Powszechna, 1973, p. 17. (in Polish) Between 1945 and 1947, near the St. Catherine's Church, the Security Office had buried in unmarked graves bodies of political prisoners murdered in the

Mokotów Prison Mokotów Prison (, also known as ''Rakowiecka Prison'') is a prison in Warsaw's borough of Mokotów, Poland, located at 37 Rakowiecka Street. It was built by the Russians in the final years of the foreign Partitions of Poland. During the Nazi Ge ...

. It is estimated that around two thousand bodies were buried there. They were later exhumed, and moved to the nearby Służew Old Cemetery. In 1993, there was placed the Monument to the 1944–1956 Communist Terror Martyrs, commemorating the victims.Irena Grzesiuk-Olszewska: ''Warszawska rzeźba pomnikowa''. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Neriton, 2003, p. 178. ISBN 83-88973-59-2. (in Polish) Kampus-SGGW

In 1956, the

Council of Ministers Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme Executive (government), executive organ in some governments. It is usually equivalent to the term Cabinet (government), cabinet. The term Council of State is a similar name that also m ...

have given a plot of land in Służew, as well as in nearby

Natolin Natolin is a neighbourhood and a City Information System area located in Warsaw, Poland, within the district of Ursynów. It is a predominantly mid-rise multifamily residential area, with a smaller presence of low-rise single-family housing in ...

Wilanów Wilanów () is a dzielnica, district of the city of Warsaw, Poland. It is home to historic Wilanów Palace, the "Polish Palace of Versailles, Versailles," and second home to various List of Polish rulers, Polish kings. Wilanów is home to many v ...

, and Wolica to the

. Acquired area included the Krasiński Palace and a

vocational school A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary education#List of tech ed skills, secondary or post-secondar ...

, which were adopted into the university campus, and located near Nowoursynowska Street. It was further developed with new faculty buildings throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In 1989, the Krasiński Palace became the seat of the university authorities. Between 1999 and 2002, it was expanded with the construction of a new campus, that became one of the most technologically advanced in Europe. In 2003, all remaining faculties and inspirations of the university were moved to Służew. Since 1983, the university hosts annually the Ursynalia, one of the largest music festivals in Poland. In the 1970s, around the Fort VIII was constructed a neighbourhood of single-family housing for the officers of the

Polish People's Army The Polish People's Army (, ; LWP) was the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East during the latter stages of the Second World War (1943–1945), and subsequently the armed forces of the Polish communist state (1945–1989 ...

. In 1981, in the fort were constructed concrete-enforced trenches. In 1994, Służew was divided into two parts, separated by the Dolina Służewiecka Street. The southern, historical part of the neighbourhood became part of the municipality of Warsaw-Ursynów, while the rest to the north, part of the municipality of Warsaw-Centre. In 1998, Ursynów was subdivided into the City Information System areas, with the neighbourhood becoming part of the area of Stary Ursynów (translation from

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

: ''Old Ursynów''). In 2000, it was renamed to Stary Służew. In 2002, the municipality was replaced by the city district of

. In 1996 in the woodland and

swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

on the Warsaw Escarpment in northeastern portion of Stary Służew was established the Ursynów Escarpment Nature Reserve. In 2019, the Fort VIII was renovated, and turned into the Fort 8 shopping centre. Next to it was opened privately owned recreational Eighth Park (

: ''Ósmy Park''). To the north, around Fort Służewiec Street were also constructed several multifamily residential buildings.

Characteristics

The residential areas of Stary Służew are contained within its northern portion. It is dominated by single-family housing, located to the east of Nowoursynowska Street, and with a few houses also located near the Fort VIII.
Studium uwarunkowań i kierunków zagospodarowania przestrzennego miasta stołecznego Warszawy ze zmianami
'. Warsaw: Warsaw City Council, 1 March 2018, pp. 10–14. (in Polish) The west of Nowoursynowska Street is also located a small neighbourhood of multifamily residential buildings. Between Dolinaka Służewiecka Street and Nowoursynowska Street is located the Fort VIII, a historical decommissioned fortification from the 19th century. Currently, it houses the Fort 8 shopping centre. Next to it is also located the privately owned recreational Eighth Park (

: ''Ósmy Park''). At 17 Fosa Street is located the

St. Catherine's Church, built in the 19th century, which is the seat of the oldest parish in Warsaw, dating to 1238. There is also the

, which was founded in the 13th century. Additionally, next to the church is placed the Monument to the 1944–1956 Communist Terror Martyrs by Maciej Szańkowski and Sławomir Korzeniowski, which is dedicated to the political prisoners executed by the

communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...

between 1945 and 1956. The southern portion of Stary Służew contains the campus of the

. Among buildings there, at 166 Nowoursynowska Street, is the

, a historical 19th-century palace, which currently serves as the seat of the university authorities. Additionally, the campus hosts annually Ursynalia, one of the largest music festivals in Poland. The northeastern portion of Stary Służew includes the Ursynów Escarpment Nature Reserve. It consists of a woodland and

on the Warsaw Escarpment. There is also the historical remains of the Gucin Grove garden complex, including the

Location and administrative boundaries

Stary Służew is a City Information System area located in

, within the northeastern portion of the district of

. To the north, its border is determined by Dolina Służewiecka Street; to the east, by Wilanów Avenue, Fosa Street, Służewiec Stream, Arbuzowa Street, and around campus of the

; to the south by Ciszewskiego Street; and to the west by Jana Rodowicza "Anody" Avenue and around possessions on Chłapowskiego Street. It borders

, and

Stegny Stegny may refer to: * Stegny, Warsaw, a neighbourhood in the Mokotów district of Warsaw * Stegny, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship * Stegny, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship {{geodis ...

to the north, Błonia Wilanowskie to the east, Ursynów-Centrum to the south, and North Ursynów to the west. Its northern and eastern boundaries form the border of the district of Ursynów, bordering districts of

Mokotów Mokotów () is a district of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. It is densely populated, and hosts many companies and foreign embassies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised (''Służewiec Przemysłowy''), while the majori ...

and

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stary Sluzew Neighbourhoods of Ursynów Former villages in Poland Populated places established in the 12th century