Abstract
The aim of the study is to determine the role of parish churches and adjacent parish facilities in a city’s spatial structure on the example of southern districts of Warsaw. The research includes a description of the parish structure development and characterisation of urban elements surrounding existing parish churches and architectonic elements of the ecclesial buildings which link them to the exterior space. Within the area analysed, initially rural settlements developed surrounding churches founded by Catholic religious orders or landowners and later have been included within the city limits. New ecclesial buildings were erected in parallel to the new residential area. The churches have an important influence on their urban surrounding form. Their influence often extends beyond their nearest surroundings due to the vertical elements of symbolical character, which are a clear reference point in the urban landscape.