Temple & church · Yashnabad District

Sacred Heart Cathedral

A Catholic cathedral begun in 1912 to a design by Polish architect Ludwik Panczakiewicz, used as a warehouse in Soviet times and reconsecrated after restoration in 2000.

Russian Empire191225 min1 min read

Photo: Nikolai Bulykin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

History

Construction of Tashkent's Catholic church began in 1912 at the initiative of Father Justin Bonaventura Pranaitis, to a design by the Polish architect Ludwik Panczakiewicz. Catholic soldiers of the garrison did the early work, followed by prisoners of war held near the city, among them skilled engineers, sculptors and stonemasons. After Pranaitis died in 1917 Father Bolesław Rutenis carried on, but after the revolution work stopped for lack of money.

From 1925 to 1976 the unfinished church housed factories, a hostel and a warehouse, and all its sculptures were stolen or destroyed. Restored in 1976, it was declared an architectural monument in 1981.

Revival

In 1992 the building was returned to Tashkent's Catholic parish, and a full restoration led by architect Sergei Adamov and engineer Alexander Ponomaryov began in 1993. The cathedral was reconsecrated on 22 October 2000 and became the seat of the Apostolic Administration of Uzbekistan in 2005. Sunday Mass is celebrated in several languages, including English, Russian and Korean.