After I came back from Częstochowa, I decided to profit from the Christmas time and visit the moving nativity scene (or crèche) in the Capuchin Church of Transfiguration in the Old Town of Warsaw. The church was founded in 17th century by the Polish king Jan III Sobieski as a thanksgiving for his military victories. It is the same king who founded Wilanów.
The church was designed by Tylman von Gameren, Izydor Affaita and Augustyn Locci. It was destroyed during World War II and then rebuilt in the 1950s. Nowadays it looks like this.
The nativity scene is located in the basement of the church.
It includes a mixture of themes typical for Christmas, like the crib itself …
… or the three biblical Magi (called „kings” in Poland) …
You may however see there also some elements typical for Poland like the Old Town (remember the Royal Castle?) …
… the king Sobieski …
… and his troops of Polish Hussars.
If you look for some more recent history, you can spot the Polish militants defending Warsaw during World War II.
The Pope John Paul II is also present.
The most amazing thing about this particular nativity scene is the fact that all the figures are moving. There are even living fish!
Pictures cannot really show you this so I encourage you to visit the crèche by yourself. Or at least to watch this video.
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