The main square in the
heart of Warsaw's Old Town is a charming area.
Filled with cafes, bars, shops and restaurants it's
an ideal place to sit, relax and people watch. In the
middle of the square is the symbol of Warsaw, the
Syrenka (Little Mermaid). She is the mythical
protectress of the city and appears on Warsaw's
coats of arms.
On Ulica Kanonia can be found Warsaw's oldest
church, St John's Cathedral-Katedra Sw.Jana). The
kings of Poland were coronated here and in fact,
Poland's last king is buried in one of the crypts.
Destroyed during the
war and subsequently re-built in a Gothic style-the
cathedral houses artworks by Veit Stoss (the same
artist who created the magnificent wooden altar in
Krakow). On the outside wall can be seen fragments
of a German tank.
East of the Old Town
Square lies a maze of cobbled streets. Along one
such street you will find one of the narrowest
houses in the world at Ulica Kanonia 20/22.
North of the Square you will come across the
Barbican and remnants of the city's defensive walls.
Considered to be a gateway between the Old Town and
New Town it is a very picturesque area. Further
along the city walls you will find an iconic image
to many Poles, the statue of the Little Insurgent.
Erected to commemorate the part
that many children played in the Warsaw Uprising,
the statue depicts a small boy wearing a captured
German helmet.
Totally destroyed by the
Nazis after the Warsaw Uprising, the Old Town of
Warsaw was painstakingly rebuilt. The reconstruction
project lasted from 1949 to 1963 (the Royal Castle
was only rebuilt in 1970/71).
King Zygmunt's column
stands in front of the Royal Palace.Built in 1664 to
commemorate King Zygmunt III (who was responsible
for moving the capital from Krakow to Warsaw). The
column was damaged during the war but thankfully not
destroyed.
As retribution for
the failed Uprising Hitler ordered that the Royal
Castle be levelled to the ground. German sappers
drilled holes into the foundation and dynamite was
then inserted into the walls........the whole
structure was brought down in 1944.
In 1971, a national
fund raising campaign was initiated with the purpose
of collecting money to finance the rebuilding
project. People were encouraged to send in old
photographs and drawings of the building (exterior
and interior) to assist the architectural
restoration team. The project was finally completed
in 1988.
Some of the original
fixtures from the Pre-War Castle still exist and
have been restored to their original locations
throughout the building. The original fixtures were
rescued from the rubble and can be identified by
their tarnished appearance.
The Castle is now a
beautifully restored museum housing many original
artifacts that were hidden from the Nazis during the
war.
The museum is open
Tues-Sat 10am - 6pm
Sun & Mon 11am - 6pm |
