Description of the attraction
Mostovaya Street is one of the streets of Warsaw that got its name in the 17th century. The street is famous for the large number of cafes and drinking establishments.
In the Middle Ages, Mostovaya Street was just a small path leading to the Vistula. After the construction of a bridge over the river in 1568, the street quickly became an important city thoroughfare. The brick bridge was built by order of King Sigismund Augustus, and was named after him.
In the late 16th century, the Brotherhood of Mercy opened nearby Saint Lazarus Hospital for the city's poor. Mostovaya Street became more and more busy transport artery, so in 1595 it was paved. The buildings of the hospital in 1621 were rebuilt from wood to brick, while the rest of the houses located along the street remained wooden until 1655. In May 1656, by order of the Swedish Field Marshal Arvid Wittenberg, Mostovaya Street was almost completely burned down by the Swedish army - only a hospital and one house could survive.
The main changes in the appearance of the street took place after 1730, when 16 brick houses were built here, in which local residents, mainly artisans, began to settle. After the construction of a pier on the banks of the Vistula, Mostovaya Street quickly became overgrown with numerous pubs, where they served not only beer, but also cheap soup with ham.
In 1767, a prison was opened at the Bridge Gate, and a new infirmary was built at the St. Lazarus Hospital.
The year 1832 brought about a big change, when the hospital of Saint Lazarus was relocated and the former building was converted into a tenement house for the middle class.
During the Second World War, Mostovaya Street was razed to the ground along with the buildings located on it. Restoration work was carried out in 1948-1956, the original appearance of Mostovaya Street was lost.
