Levelled in 1944, the meticulous rebuilding of the Old Town fully deserves to be classed as one of the capital’s greatest ever achievements.
10.08.2023
Levelled in 1944, the meticulous rebuilding of the Old Town fully deserves to be classed as one of the capital’s greatest ever achievements.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it presents itself in an atmospheric network of cobbled streets hemmed by tenements capped with sloping tiled roofs – no matter the season, it looks picture perfect. Bound by the Old Town walls, beyond these discover a rich offer of Baroque and Renaissance churches and institutions whose peeling bells add to the sense of magic – as do the half-hidden courtyards, ivy-encrusted walls and dusty antique stores that proliferate throughout.
Left in a heap of rubble by the Germans, the destruction and subsequent rebuilding of Old Town is covered in precise detail by the wonderful Heritage Centre. Elsewhere, the statue of ‘the little insurgent’ by the Barbican walls honours the children that were killed. It is, though, the epic Warsaw Uprising monument on the fringe of the historic centre that is the grandest memorial, depicting fighters escaping down the sewers.
Demolished by the Nazis, the Royal Castle was only rebuilt in 1984 – walking its gilded chambers, you’d never know. Admire the works of Rembrandt and Canaletto before heading back to admire the 22-metre Zygmunt’s Column, built to honour the man that shifted the royal family from Kraków to Warsaw. After, you can pay homage to previous monarchs, premiers and dignitaries by visiting the crypts of St. John’s Cathedral.
Eating in Old Town remains a perilous affair such are the number of tourist traps. Look a little beyond the Old Town walls instead to enjoy the swanky but historic confines of Kuk inside the Hotel Verte. For drinks, Bar & Books serve premium cocktails inside a book-lined carriage house, while for craft beer Same Krafty are an excellent choice.
Some of the historic core’s greatest treasures are found looking up: from vintage semaphore signs marking out trade stores to the elaborate sgraffito adorning the former merchants’ houses. Having gazed up, stare down at all before you by climbing the 147 steps of the bell tower attached to St. Anne’s. The views of the old town rooftops are unimpeachable.
The Museum of Warsaw is the first pick when it comes to sightseeing, telling as it does the story of the city. But there’s also a string of lesser-known places such as a Pharmaceutical Museum groaning with antique vessels and manuscripts as well as the Marie Curie Museum filled with the scientist’s equipment. The Doll House Museum is an enchanting miniature world with 150 gorgeously crafted exhibits.
The side alleys contain the best secrets – the photogenic blue archway that spans Dawna could have been built with your Insta in mind. Likewise, the tight stairwell known as Kamienna Schodki where once Napoleon once stood gazing East. And then there’s pretty Kanonia, its centre decorated with a patched-up bell that fell from the Cathedral. After circling it three times with your finger on the top, it’s customary to make a wish.
New Town! Pass through the stout brick Barbican and head forward along Freta to discover the New Town, a place every bit as attractive as the Old Town – only far less dense in visitor numbers. The Gothic Church of the Visitation is magnificent and the nearby statue of Marie Curie offers relaxing views of the river ahead.
