Warsaw

Warsaw Old Town was razed by the Nazis in 1944, so the WHS designation was awarded for the restoration effort that is still ongoing. As such, we had to view it as a construction project instead of an old town. The job done is remarkable, but one always wonders if things are made more for the tourists, which are many. Mea culpa. As a tourist site, it is pleasant enough, with broad squares, the church spires, classical and Gothic architecture abound. But there isn’t anything that makes it different from any other old European city. There are no WHS class churches, no architecture master pieces, no stunning river views.

It’s worth a visit for the 20th Century history, along with other scars. 

It isn’t too difficult to imagine a world in which the reconstruction of Warsaw after World War II was done in such a way to make the city centre indistinguishable from every other concrete jungle in eastern Europe. Indeed, large swathes of the city seems to be done in the stereotypical brutalist style with wide streets and a fair amount of greenery between the tower blocks, which was no doubt supposed to be highly efficient but doesn’t make for the most interesting visiting experience. For my visit, I was staying near the university on the southwest side of the city but it was straightforward to head into the city centre on the excellent tram network that I made use of most nights. There was also an underground metro although I had very little experience with that. The tram led past the towering Palace of Science and Culture with its distinct Stalinist style that has come, for better or worse, to be symbolic of Warsaw and its relatively recent Communist past. However, it was surrounded by the glass and steel skyscrapers of the capitalist present and the city centre seemed to be a hive of construction activity.

With a free afternoon, I made my way on the tram to the stop outside the National Museum (Muzeum Narodowe) but sadly did not have time to venture inside. Instead, I disembarked the tram, which necessitates crossing a very busy road as there was no pedestrian underpass at that tram stop, then headed …

I visited this WHS in August 2020. The near total reconstruction of the Historic Centre of Warsaw is really outstanding and unlike other WHS such as Regensburg in Germany or Torun in Poland itself, the quality of the reconstruction is so high and on such a large but meticulous scale that it wouldn't be unheard of to think that most of the old city centre is from Medieval times.

Warsaw was deliberately annihilated in 1944 as a repression of the Polish resistance to the German occupation. The capital city was reduced to ruins with the intention of obliterating the centuries old tradition of Polish statehood. The rebuilding of the historic city, 85% of which was destroyed, was the result of the determination of the inhabitants and the support of the whole nation. The reconstruction of the old city centre in its historic urban and architectural form was the manifestation of the care and attention taken to assure the survival of one of the most important testimonial of Polish culture. The city as the symbol of elective authority and tolerance, where the first democratic European constitution of 1791 was adopted was rebuilt, including a holistic recreation of the urban plan, together with the Old Town Market, the town houses, the circuit of the city walls as well as the Royal Castle and important religious buildings.

I'd recommend starting your visit of the historic centre by entering through the Barbican gate and gazing at the different pretty motifs on most …

I went with friends to Warsaw in April 2015 for the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition. Whilst there, we took the opportunity to explore the Historic Centre, which is a pretty small section of the centre of the city that showcases what the area was like prior to its destruction by Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

Over 85% of the city’s buildings were destroyed in the war, as depicted movingly in the Roman Polanski film The Pianist.

It was in response to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 that the Germans took the decision to annihilate the city, destroying over 700 years of historical buildings ranging from the thirteenth to the twentieth century. The remarkable thing about what the people of Poland achieved in five years after the war was that they followed historical plans and imagery in great detail, enabling them to rebuild the city very much as it had been.

For a big European capital, Warsaw does not have a large number of attractions, but enough to spend a pleasant day or two. The reason for the relative lack of sights is of course the immense destruction it suffered during WWII, and the Old Town was meticulously rebuilt in the following decades. If you don't look too closely, you could believe that you are walking through a town with many authentic medieval, Renaissance and Baroque buildings. The restored centre is quite small, however. Apart from the Old Town, the (in)famous Palace of Science and Culture merits a visit for its panoramic views of the city.

Warsaw's Old Town is a dream for every city break. A large part of the old town was destroyed during the Second World War, but rebuilt. There are also plenty of small shops and restaurants that invite you to a short stop. The old town flows from an incredible charm.

Like Jorge I stayed at the hotel Gromada near the airport, as I was leaving next day for Riga. Very conveniently bus #175 stopped outside the hotel and took me directly to the Stare Miasto. So I was able to maximise my time visiting the WHS, first in the afternoon, then again early next morning.

I enjoyed seeing the imposing Royal Palace and the colourful baroque buildings surrounding the squares. But in addition there were the more sombre reminders of the Ghetto, the Nazi persecution and the Uprising.

I was really impressed by Warsaw. I had heard some pretty mediocre reports about the city from others that had visited, however I really enjoyed the two days I spent there at the start of my little jaunt.

The World Heritage Site itself is the reconstructed old town, and whilst it may not be as glorious as some of the other Central European cities on the list, it has an incredible story of rebuilding after near total destruction. It was actually a little bigger than I was expecting it to be, and the sgraffito wall decorations were some of the finest examples I have seen. It is pretty evident that this site has been rebuilt, however I think this is quite good as it enables people to ‘read’ the restoration, instead of just trying to pass it off as being more authentic. I kept on returning for strolls down different streets and think I probably walk down every one with-in the WHS.

Aside from the old town I really liked Warsaw, admittedly the Central station is a little grim looking but there are plenty of other worthwhile places to visit; most strikingly the Palace of Science and Culture, but we also had great fun venturing off to more remote parts of the centre to see the monuments and museum relating to the history of the city in the Second World War. Perhaps my favourite thing though was the relaxed atmosphere we found, from queuing in Milk Bars to bar hopping …

Some weeks ago I enjoyed for one week the wonderful and interesting town Warsaw and I liked it very much. Especially the combination of the old and the new in this town is quite interesting. A special impression for me was also the performances in the opera house TEATR WIELKI (e.g. BALLET DE LORRAINE, THE QUEEN OF SPADES ).

The market-place is really wonderful. But one negativ thing I have to mention with this old town square: Unfortunately it was started to change the wooden windows to plastic windows with no proportions and other dimensions. It would be terrible if more houses would change in this way. So please stop these plastic windows otherwise the market place would look like a plastic Disney World and the place would loose its wonderful atmosphere.

After hearing mixed reviews of the Polish capital, I decided that it would be worth checking out. I headed there from Krakow and though first impressions weren't the best [the Central Train Station was quite ugly], my mind was changed once I got to discovered the rest of the city.

The area known as Srodmiescie, with it's skyscrapers and modern buildings blends in with XIX century tenements and eventually the city's historic core, which can be reached by walking up the colourful promenade known as the Royal Route. It looks quite original and I have to say that the conservationists did a good job reconstruction the street. The Old Town and New Towns are interesting as well, offering everything from over-priced dining and junk to really good Italian Ice Cream. All in all, it's a nice place to idle around.

The city itself is one that is in a state of transformation. The grime and greyness that so many associate with it is slowly being replaced with glass and steel and fresh paint. In 10-15 years, it'll be a totally different place. Though it's not Krakow, I recommend Warsaw, especially if you enjoy modern architecture.