Warsaw is a delightful city to explore, and hard to believe it has been so meticulously rebuilt after the destruction of World War II. The city’s Old Town is the jewel in the Polish capital’s crown. It delights visitors from around the world with its colourful tenement houses and the unique atmosphere of its narrow cobblestone alleys. It is no wonder that it has been entered on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Don’t miss the Royal Castle, the former lavish home of Polish rulers where you will see the royal apartments, paintings by Rembrandt, and canvases by Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto. On Castle Square stands the column of King Sigismund III Vasa, who in the 16th century moved the capital of Poland from Kraków in the south to Warsaw to the north. The oldest and the highest secular monument of the capital is a popular place where locals in Warsaw come together to socialise.
An even better place to socialize is at the Old Town Square which is the oldest and most charming squares in Warsaw. The square was laid out at the turn of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Over the centuries, it has been the focal point of festivities and markets, though convicts were also publicly executed here. Even though the square is more than seven centuries old, its form has hardly changed over the times. In the middle of the square stands a statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, the emblem and guardian of the city that also appears on the city’s coat of arms.
The Old Town of Warsaw was rebuilt after World War II based on paintings from the 17th-18th centuries
Among the other highlights of the city are the Museum of Warsaw, the barbican, the bell on Kanonia street, Staszic Palace, Presidential Palace, the old city walls, and many cathedrals and churches.
Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) The Warsaw mermaid on Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) Royal Castle Barbican Horseman Streets of the Old City Streets of the Old City Church of the Holy Cross Church of the Holy Cross St. Anne’s Church St. Anne’s Church Carmelite Church Church of Saint Kazimierz Staszic Palace Presidential Palace Surprized horseman on the Royal Way Horsemen on the Royal Way
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.