- What to visit in Warsaw from palaces
- City walks
- Heart of Warsaw
- Stare Miasto
The capital of modern Poland, on the one hand, is a beautiful city with an ancient history, but in terms of tourism it lags far behind Krakow. On the other hand, the question of what to visit in Warsaw is not difficult for an experienced traveler. He will always name a dozen or so sights and places of interest from the point of view of an ordinary tourist, worthy of a visit accompanied by an experienced guide or suitable for independent exploration.
Most of the old buildings located in the historic center of Warsaw were destroyed during the Second World War. The residents of the capital have restored the lost architectural masterpieces bit by bit, the grandiose work of scientists and restorers has been appreciated by experts from UNESCO. The center is included in the list of monuments as an example of an ideal scientific restoration.
What to visit in Warsaw from palaces
The Royal Castle is called the heart of the Old Town, but its restoration was completed only in the 1980s, so it is not as interesting for tourists, unlike the famous Warsaw palaces. Of the architectural complexes that belonged to the powerful of this world (in Warsaw, of course), today you can see: the Presidential Palace; Lazienki Palace; Wilanow Palace; The Ostrozhsky Palace. These and other masterpieces of ancient architecture are on the list of important sights to visit in Warsaw on your own.
Of other interesting places, guidebooks and tourist brochures recommend taking a trip to the capital's museums. The main artifacts are presented in the collections of the National Museum, interesting exhibits await visitors in the Historical Museum and the Museum of the Polish Army, the latter museum will especially appeal to representatives of the strong (male) half of the tourist group.
City walks
The travel route can start from anywhere in Warsaw, but the classic version is Palace Square with an interesting monument located right in the center. The monument is a column erected by the King of Poland Władysław IV in 1644 in honor of his father, Sigismund III Vasa.
Here on the square you can see the Royal Castle, first a wooden fortress was erected on this place in the XIV century, later it was replaced by a beautiful stone structure. During the war years, it was destroyed and restored, and not only the external appearance, but also the interior decoration. Today this castle has a special mission - it belongs to an art museum and serves Polish and world culture.
Not far from the Royal Castle there is a masterpiece of sacred architecture from the 13th to 14th centuries. - Cathedral of St. John. The building is in the Gothic style, and therefore looks impressive and slightly gloomy. But it is with him that the brightest and most tragic pages of the history of Poland and its capital are connected. In this cathedral, coronations took place, here kings and nobles were escorted to another world. The cathedral continues to operate, services are held, which gather thousands of Catholics from all over Poland and abroad. Representatives of other faiths come to the cathedral to listen to the majestic music of the organ.
Heart of Warsaw
The Market Square has received a beautiful definition of the “heart of the Polish capital”; it is surrounded by old houses of interesting architecture and is always full of people. The main contingent is tourists, sellers of souvenirs, antiques and all sorts of things, representatives of the local creative bohemia, demonstrating their art and, at the same time, trying to sell their ingenious creations to guests from other countries.
In the center of this square there is a monument to Sirena, the Polish mermaid, who is considered the patroness of Warsaw. When asked about the history of the monument, any local resident will immediately tell a beautiful legend about a mermaid who sailed from the Baltic Sea and stayed to live in a local village that existed on the site of modern Warsaw.
Stare Miasto
The name of this district of Warsaw is understandable to any Slav without translation, Stare Miasto - Old Place (city), today it is one of the most beautiful corners of the Polish capital. The buildings were erected in the last century, but architects and builders managed to capture the spirit of the medieval city and convey it through decorative elements. Once in this area, a tourist plunges into the life of medieval Warsaw, can endlessly walk along the cobbled narrow streets, admiring the fairy-tale houses and their tiled roofs, go to old churches or sit until midnight in authentic Polish restaurants, where incredibly delicious dishes are prepared.
At the end of the trip, you must definitely find an observation deck, which is hidden behind the Royal Palace. It offers stunning views of the city and the river. You can try to throw a coin into the water and make a wish to return to this beautiful city again.
