Warsaw City Guide
This charming city is also the Polish capital. The city is rich in history, dating back to the 9th century, and despite suffering heaving bombing during the World War II, a wealth of historic buildings remain today. Enjoy Polish theatre at the National Theatre, enjoy a coffee on the Old Town Market Place and visit the former home of the Polish monarchs at the Royal Castle.
What to do and see in and around Warsaw
Old Town
Warsaw’s Old Town is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, and deservedly so, as the charming pastel hued buildings on the Market Place and medieval architecture of the city walls are a sight to behold. The Old Town was established in the 1200s and despite much of it being badly damaged by bombs during World War II, it has been reconstructed to its former glory. A memorial statue to the Warsaw Uprising known as the “Little Insurgent” can be found on the city wall.
National Museum
Dating back to 1916 the National Museum, formerly known as the Museum of Fine Arts, currently boasts a collection of 780,000 permanent pieces including Ancient and Medieval Art, Polish and Western European paintings, as well as many temporary exhibitions. The museum also holds an extensive collection of old maps and prints.
St. Kazimierz Church
This Roman Catholic Church started life as a Palace before becoming the Church of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament in the late 1600s. During World War II the church served as a hospital for the wounded of the Warsaw Uprising, it was heavily bombed by the Germans, but was reconstructed after the war.
Palace of Culture and Science
This dramatic skyscraper dominates the Warsaw skyline, as well as holding the title of the tallest building in Poland. Dating back to 1952, the Palace was a gift to Poland from the Soviet Union, however much of the population felt it was a negative symbol of Soviet domination. The building currently contains cinemas, theatres and museums, as well as providing fantastic views from the terrace on the 30th floor.
National Theatre
The National Theatre was first established by King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski in 1765 as a stage for showcasing Polish theatre with Polish actors. The theatre faced a myriad of challenges in the 20th century including fire and war but has overcome such trials and today remains a popular venue for an evening out in Warsaw.
The Royal Castle
The Royal Castle used to be the home of the Polish monarchs but today serves as a venue for national and cultural functions, as well as housing a branch of the National Museum. Having been heavily bombed during World War II the castle was rebuilt in the 1970s in baroque style.
Royal Lazienki
The former residence (during the late 1700s) of the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Stanislaw II August Poniatowski, Royal Lazienki is a Palace and park complex which occupies 80 hectares in the centre of Warsaw. The Palace sits on an island in the middle of the lake and is open to visitors who can come along and view the wonderful interiors of this majestic building.
Warsaw Zoo
Originally founded in 1928, by 1939 the zoo was the largest zoo in Europe and the proud owner of the only elephant born in a Polish Zoo. All this came to an end in the event of World War II when the zoo was heavily bombed. It was reopened in 1946 and today covers an area of 40 hectares containing 5,000 animals from jaguars to elephants.
The Powazki Cemetery
This famous cemetery is the final resting place of many of Poland’s great and good, including those involved in the doomed Warsaw Uprising of World War II and renowned Polish actors, writers and statesmen.
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