Led by the charismatic and licensed tour guide Antoni Wladyka of Walking Warsaw, the Insider embarks on a tailored journey from Plac Bankowy to Plac Zamkowy. This exclusive route is packed with significant sites from the Uprising at almost every turn.
Długa 52
At 17:30 on March 26, 1943, Operation “Meksyk II,” also known as Operation Arsenal, commenced. Commander Stanisław Broniewski, codename “Orsza,” ordered the attack on a Nazi prisoner transport vehicle carrying Jan Bytnar, codename “Rudy,” from Gestapo headquarters to Pawiak prison. With the original plan failing, the Polish fighters, led by Tadeusz Zawadzki, codename “Zośka,” quickly stormed the van, freeing around 20 prisoners, including “Rudy.” Although not part of the Warsaw Uprising, Operation Arsenal stands as a symbol of Polish resistance and determination to liberate themselves from Nazi occupation during World War II.
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Location: Krasiński Square
The new sculpture placed on Krasiński Square honors the women of the Warsaw Uprising, both participants and civilian victims. It acknowledges the incredible yet often overlooked stories of women who faced disgrace, exile, and immense suffering. For decades, their experiences and emotions were marginalized, suppressed by societal stigma and the Polish People’s Republic’s persecution. This monument, unveiled on August 1, 2023, with tributes from figures like Mrs. Wanda Traczyk-Stawska and Gen. Zbigniew Ścibor-Rylski, stands as a tribute to these women’s heroism and pain. It especially remembers the mothers and grandmothers who bid farewell to their loved ones on August 1, 1944, often never seeing them again.
Krasinich Street and Długa Street
During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, the manhole covers on Krasinich Street and Długa Street provided crucial access to the sewer network, which was used for covert communication and movement by resistance fighters. Insurgents, including young scouts and women, navigated these cramped, dark, and often waterlogged passages to transport weapons, relay messages, and evacuate from besieged areas. Important routes included connections from the Old Town to Śródmieście and from the Old Town to Plac Bankowy. These manhole covers were vital in the urban battlefield, facilitating key operations during the uprising.
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plac Krasińskich
On Krasiński Square in Warsaw, the Warsaw Uprising Monument dramatically captures the fervor of the 1944 rebellion. Designed by Wincenty Kućma and Jacek Budyń, the monument features striking bronze and granite sculptures of Polish partisans, their forms alive with the dynamism and drama reminiscent of Jan Matejko’s epic paintings. The scene unfolds with insurgents emerging from the chaos, some climbing into sewers to escape the burning city—a nod to the real evacuation of the Old Town.
Unveiled in 1989, the monument’s delayed construction reflects the complex political history of Poland. During the communist era, the uprising was downplayed, and the statue’s creation was stalled. It wasn’t until the regime’s final years that the monument could be realized, symbolizing a significant shift in how Poland commemorates its past.
ul. Długa 22
For over 30 years, the building on Długa Street has served as a gathering place for Warsaw Uprising veterans. It now hosts an updated version of the permanent exhibition, Warsaw Uprising 1944: Thirsty for Freedom. This modern and free-to-view exhibition showcases rare artifacts, including General Zbigniew Ścibor-Rylski’s leather briefcase and various weapons.
The display features large-format photos, such as the poignant “Girl with a Mirror” from ul. Zgoda, capturing a young girl amidst the ruins adjusting her hair. Visitors can also listen to recorded accounts from the insurgents themselves, with English subtitles. These firsthand narratives, shared by figures like Gen. Ścibor-Rylski (codename Motyl), Wanda Traczyk-Stawska (Pączek), and Anna Przedpełska-Trzeciakowska (Grodzka), among others, bring the 63-day uprising and its aftermath to life.
At the exhibition’s opening, Warsaw’s Deputy Mayor Aldona Machnowska-Góra highlighted the exhibition’s role in bridging past and present, connecting veterans’ memories with the curiosity of younger generations. Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska, chairwoman of the Warsaw Council, emphasized the exhibition’s message of friendship and cooperation, particularly resonant for today’s youth navigating isolation and pandemic challenges.
The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Friday, and on weekends, from 12:00 to 16:00, http://www.powstanie1944.pl/
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ul. Kilińskiego/ul. Podwale
In mid-August 1944, a tragic episode of the Warsaw Uprising claimed over 300 lives. On August 13, German forces attacked the Old Town from Castle Square. At 09:00, a vehicle resembling a tank crawled up Podwale Street, a key insurgent stronghold. Insurgents, unable to find weapons but spotting a suspicious radio device, decided to wait for a sapper to inspect it. Before this could happen, two soldiers, claiming orders from Polish command, drove the vehicle into the Old Town. A celebratory crowd gathered, only for the vehicle to detonate around 16:00, causing devastation and casualties among the spectators.
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Podwale 19
The Little Insurgent Monument, located in front of Warsaw’s Old Town city wall, honors the children who perished or were killed during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Unveiled on October 1, 1983, this monument depicts a young boy with a machine gun. Designed by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz, who was just 26 in 1945, the work reflects his processing of wartime trauma. Although children did not engage in combat, they served as messengers and medical aides. Today, the monument faces criticism for its portrayal of children in war, raising questions about its representation of child involvement in conflict.
St. John’s Archcathedral
The Goliath tank-mine was a remote-controlled demolition vehicle loaded with 60 or 100 kilograms (130 or 220 lbs) of explosives. It was operated via a 650-meter cable with three strips: two for movement and steering, and one for detonation. During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, the Germans used a Goliath to breach the walls of St. John’s Archcathedral. After the Uprising was suppressed, the Germans demolished the cathedral. It was later rebuilt in the 14th-century style. A plaque on the cathedral wall on Dziekania Street notes the Goliath’s destructive role.
Next to the Royal Castle
The original Column of Zygmunt, erected in 1644, was a marble monument. In 1887, it was replaced with a granite column. On September 2, 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising, a German tank destroyed this granite column. The current column, also made of granite, was erected in 1949 as a replacement. The surviving fragment of the destroyed column is displayed next to the Royal Castle as a historical reminder of the Uprising’s devastation and the enduring spirit of Warsaw’s reconstruction.
Lisensed city guide and founder of Walking Warsaw
Antoni was born in Poland, grew up in Germany, and now resides in Warsaw. Originally, he intended to become a lawyer after studying at the universities of Bielefeld and Warsaw. However, his path took an unexpected turn. In 2013, after obtaining his city guide license—initially just a hobby—Antoni discovered a passion for the tourism industry that soon became his calling.
In April 2017, Antoni founded Walking Poland Group, a platform where he channels his extensive experiences and adventures. His goal was to provide visitors with a well-organized and insightful overview of Warsaw. He has since expanded this vision to include other Polish cities, such as Krakow and Gdansk, aiming to create a cohesive network that shares his love for Poland with guests from around the world.
In Warsaw, Antoni conducts tours in both German and English. To meet him in person, you can book a private or public tour through our website, Walking Warsaw. For those interested in the German version of his tours, visit www.stadtfuehrer-warschau.com.
