Warsaw

    Warsaw suffered quite a bit during the communist era. It was virtually flattened during the war and the Soviets wouldn't pay for repairs, so other towns in Poland would donate money and building supplies to have it rebuilt.

    This is rather evident in Old Town, which is completely rebuilt. They did not have any detailed plans of the place, so it was rebuilt according to some huge paintings that were made in the late 19th century. Its well done, but just doesn't have that same feel to it that somewhere like Prague has and I think it suffers a bit from that.

    As you walk around, there are snippets and hints of what happened. The cathedral has a section of tank track bricked into the wall. During the war people holed themselves up in the cathedral, the German's couldn't get in, so instead they packed a tank full of explosives and drove it in. When it was in far enough they detonated it, destroying the cathedral and killing the people inside. When it was being rebuilt, they found the section of track and built it into the wall.

    It does have some nice gardens though, we visited Lazienki Park and saw the Chopin statue, which apparently is the thing for tourists to do. We visited the memorial to the Warsaw Getto, they're building a museum there now, I would not mind reading up on that some more, its something I had very little understanding of just how bad it was.

    Overlooking most of the city is the Palace of Culture and Science - a massive building built by the Soviets as a "gift" to the city. It was put up during the Cold War to basically show if the Americans could do something, so could the Soviets. Its big, ugly and very dominating, and now, rather ironically I think, houses a casino.

    Out last stop was Vilanov Palace on the outskirts of town. An interesting place, a packed museum, well worth a visit if you're in that direction


trip3_2010-06-12.232826.jpg
Palace of Culture and Science (A present from the Soviets in 1967)
Size: 653x975 414kb


trip3_2010-06-13.005432.jpg
The hotel corridor in Warsaw
Size: 1300x975 254kb


trip3_2010-06-13.145503.jpg
Early morning in Warsaw streets
Size: 1300x975 320kb


trip3_2010-06-13.145728.jpg
Jozef Klemens Pitsudski, seen as responsible for getting Poland's independence
Size: 1300x975 538kb


trip3_2010-06-13.151809.jpg
Chopin in Lazienki Park
Size: 731x975 221kb


trip3_2010-06-13.151950.jpg
Roses
Size: 1300x975 281kb


trip3_2010-06-13.152001.jpg
Chopin again
Size: 1300x975 434kb


trip3_2010-06-13.152415.jpg
More of Warsaw Streets (Belwedersk Road)
Size: 1300x975 390kb


trip3_2010-06-13.154229.jpg
Palace of Culture and Science again
Size: 1300x975 260kb


trip3_2010-06-13.154551.jpg
Bank of Poland
Size: 1300x975 255kb


trip3_2010-06-13.154621.jpg
More building details
Size: 1300x975 201kb


trip3_2010-06-13.155101.jpg
Monument to the Warsaw Getto
Size: 1300x975 244kb


trip3_2010-06-13.155235.jpg
Other side of the Warsaw Getto monument
Size: 1300x975 327kb


trip3_2010-06-13.155300.jpg
Statue at the monument
Size: 1300x975 393kb


trip3_2010-06-13.161218.jpg
The Great Synagogue use to be here
Size: 1300x975 289kb


trip3_2010-06-13.161811.jpg
Gryphons
Size: 1300x975 211kb


trip3_2010-06-13.162144.jpg
Sigismund's Column in Castle Square
Size: 1300x975 313kb


trip3_2010-06-13.162230.jpg
House of Literature hotel/cafe
Size: 731x975 197kb


trip3_2010-06-13.162624.jpg
Clock Tower on the Royal Castle
Size: 731x975 105kb


trip3_2010-06-13.162647.jpg
A very cool gargoyle
Size: 1300x975 168kb


trip3_2010-06-13.163017.jpg
Castle Square - note the pelican
Size: 1300x975 409kb


trip3_2010-06-13.163024.jpg
Close up of the pelican in case you missed it
Size: 1300x975 318kb


trip3_2010-06-13.163339.jpg
Statue outside a jewelers shop in Old Town
Size: 731x975 166kb


trip3_2010-06-13.163420.jpg
Warsaw's Old Town
Size: 1300x975 425kb


trip3_2010-06-13.163751.jpg
This is a section of tank track which was driven into the cathedral and blown up
Size: 1300x975 438kb


trip3_2010-06-13.164624.jpg
I like the signs
Size: 1300x975 276kb


trip3_2010-06-13.164727.jpg
Old Town - although it was completely flattened during the war and rebuilt
Size: 1300x975 327kb


trip3_2010-06-13.164736.jpg
Clock on a corner building
Size: 731x975 149kb


trip3_2010-06-13.165100.jpg
Very ornate pharmacy sign
Size: 1300x975 246kb


trip3_2010-06-13.165301.jpg
Another cool sign
Size: 1300x975 377kb


trip3_2010-06-13.170332.jpg
New Town Square (as opposed to Old Town)
Size: 1300x975 369kb


trip3_2010-06-13.170656.jpg
Sapieha Palace, New Town
Size: 1300x975 350kb


trip3_2010-06-13.171301.jpg
St Mary's Church, built 1411, 1518 and 1947
Size: 1300x975 494kb


trip3_2010-06-13.171627.jpg
Sundial
Size: 1300x975 228kb


trip3_2010-06-13.171635.jpg
Building in New Market Square
Size: 1300x975 338kb


trip3_2010-06-13.172743.jpg
Warsaw's Barbician
Size: 1300x975 341kb


trip3_2010-06-13.172918.jpg
Old Town Walls
Size: 1300x975 339kb


trip3_2010-06-13.174223.jpg
Looking down Krzywe Koto street in Old Town
Size: 1300x975 341kb


trip3_2010-06-13.174243.jpg
Old Town
Size: 1300x975 384kb


trip3_2010-06-13.174442.jpg
The Warsaw Mermaid
Size: 731x975 224kb


trip3_2010-06-13.174706.jpg
Looking from Old Town up to the Palace
Size: 1300x975 279kb


trip3_2010-06-13.181040.jpg
Door to St John's Cathedral
Size: 1300x975 321kb


trip3_2010-06-13.181538.jpg
Doorway at the palace
Size: 1300x975 289kb


trip3_2010-06-13.183747.jpg
A nice little fireplace in the Palace
Size: 1300x975 341kb


trip3_2010-06-13.183817.jpg
Throne room
Size: 1300x975 381kb


trip3_2010-06-13.202600.jpg
Gate to Vilanov Palace
Size: 1300x975 469kb


trip3_2010-06-13.202944.jpg
Vilanov Palace
Size: 1300x975 288kb


trip3_2010-06-13.214226.jpg
Doorway of Vilanov Palace
Size: 1300x975 272kb


trip3_2010-06-13.214246.jpg
Detail of the archway
Size: 1300x975 205kb


trip3_2010-06-13.214425.jpg
Clocktower
Size: 1300x975 206kb


trip3_2010-06-13.214600.jpg
More of the palace
Size: 1300x975 263kb


trip3_2010-06-13.214656.jpg
More building detail
Size: 1300x975 209kb


trip3_2010-06-13.215914.jpg
The main gates
Size: 1300x975 508kb


trip3_2010-06-13.220051.jpg
Monument near Vilanov Palace
Size: 1300x975 470kb


trip3_2010-06-13.220343.jpg
Bells near St Anne's church, just outside Vilanov
Size: 1300x975 373kb


<-- Go back Images and content © Ryan McConigley, 2011
Not to be used without permission, for profit, etc.
Last modified: July 02 2023 04:11:23.
Contact: web*at*madphin.com