Discover Underrated Warsaw: Top Things to Do and Must-See Attractions
While visiting this city, people usually don't know what to expect. Warsaw’s Old Town was destroyed to the ground during World War II by the Nazis andt has been completely reconstructed. It's very underrated destination, as it has a lot to offer.
Let's start this travel city guide by describing some interesting things to do and the best tourist attractions.
Warsaw's city center
This is the main part of the city. If you like crowded places and a new architecture, like skyscrapers, this is the place to go. Full of delicious restaurants and pubs. As it is built mainly for office purposes, you can find here many shopping centers, gyms etc. This part of the city is more expensive than others.
Palace of Culture and Science
The Palace of Culture and Science was built in 1955 by architect Lew Rudniew. This is the highest building in Poland with 42 floors and over 3000 rooms.
You can find here institution headquarters, offices, Polish Academy of Science, museums, libraries, two private universities, theaters, post office, cinema and swimming pool. When you look on the palace, you can find the second-largest clock in Europe. It's also the highest clock tower in the world.
While visiting Warsaw you cannot miss a huge terrace on the 30th floor (114m height) of the Palace of Culture and Science, where you can see an awesome panorama of the city. You can see photo made from that terrace on the top of this article.
You can also find here the virtual reality application “History Horizon”, which allows you to see how Warsaw looked in its history: in XI, XIV, and XVI century and also after the Warsaw Uprising when it was destroyed.
Warsaw's Old Town
This is the historical center and also the oldest part of the Warsaw. It has been founded in the 13th century as the prince's castle, which has been surrounded by the walls. Unfortunately, during WWII about 90 percentage of the whole city was destroyed, but the Old Town was restored in the 1980s and was listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. It's full of cafes and restaurants.
Royal Castle
This castle was built in the 15th century and it was the residence of Mazovian princes. After the capital of Poland moved from Cracow to Warsaw, the king and the government was living here. Unfortunately, the whole castle was completely destroyed during World War II and it was rebuilt in 1988.
Today the Royal Castle is opening the way to the Warsaw's Old Town. You can find a museum inside the castle (clock tower side) with two original Rembrandt paintings and other painters as Bernardo Bellotto (Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski court painter, called also Cantellatto). His paintings were vital during Warsaw’s post-war reconstruction.
On the other side of the castle (called Vistula side), you can find an archaeological exhibit and pension. This part was used as barracks as stables during the 1830s uprising.
King Zygmunt III Waza Column and the square
In front of the Royal Castle, you can find the big square, which is the common meeting and events place in Warsaw. You can also find here the Column of King Zygmunt III Waza. This is the oldest non-church monument in Warsaw and it was raised in 1644 by King Władysław IV, in honor of his father.
St. Anne's Church
Near the Palace Square, you can find beautiful St. Anne's Church. It is one of Poland's most notable churches with a Neoclassical facade. You can get here on the top of the church's tower from where you will see the panorama of the Old Town and the Royal Palace.
Old Town Market Square
Founded in the 13th century, this was the main square of Warsaw. All the markets, legal judgments, and celebrations were here. A long time ago there was a town hall building placed in the square's center, but it was demolished in 1817. The whole Old Town was completely destroyed in 1944 and all those buildings were reconstructed after the war in the shape of the square's original look from the 17th century.
Nowadays it's the square mainly for tourists, surrounded by many polish cuisine restaurants. If you want to eat here, remember "Zapiecek" name. You can taste local food here, especially the dish called "pierogi".
Barbican and defensive walls
The Barbican is the alley which links the Old and New Towns. It was, with the remains of Warsaw's defensive walls, built in 1548 by Giovanni Batista Venetian. You can find here an exhibition illustrating the history of the city's fortifications, with models of the towers and walls, explaining why Warsaw's Old Town is a UNESCO cultural heritage monument.
Little Insurgent Monument
This is the touching sculpture of a boy with a too large helmet, which reminds the heroic children who fought against the Nazi Germans during Warsaw Uprising. This can be found near the Barbican's defensive walls.
Krakowskie przedmieście and Nowy Świat streets
This are for sure one of the most beautiful streets in Warsaw, which are like a wide promenade. Along the sidewalks, placards with reproductions of 18th century Canaletto's paintings have been placed.
It is starting from the Royal Castle Square, but the enumeration of the mansions starts down by the Nicolas Copernicus monument, where the street joins with Nowy Świat Street. During the summer weekends the road is closed for the cars.
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph
The church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph was built in the 17th century in the baroque style for the Barefoot Carmelite monks and it was served as a pro-cathedral. It was rebuild in the 18th century in a classicist style.
The big surprise was that this church was not destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising or a war, so you can watch it exactly as it looked in the 18th century.
Presidential Palace
Since 1994, the house of the President of the Republic of Poland and the biggest palace of all in Warsaw. It was built in 1645, rebuild in the 19th century when bought by the authorities of the Polish Congress.
The palace has many different public purposes. It was the seat of the first government after Poland regained its independence in 1918. The Warsaw Pact in 1955 and the Pact on the Normalisation of Relations with Germany in 1970 were signed here. Also, the Roundtable Debates were held here.
Warsaw's New Town
Founded at the end of the 14th century and was a separate town by the 18th century.
Church of St. Jack
This church was built in the early XVII century in a baroque style, founded by Warsaw citizens for Dominicans who came here from Cracow.
During the Warsaw Uprising, there was a rebel hospital inside the Church of St. Jack and when it was destroyed hundreds of wounded died under its rubble.
Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum
Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum is placed inside the 18th-century building and if was created in 1967. The exhibition is dedicated to the life and activities of the great scientist and the only woman who was awarded the Nobel Prize twice and the only winner in history to be honored in two different fields of natural sciences: physics and chemistry.
New Town Square Marketplace
Built in the 15th century and was originally constructed as a rectangular shape. It was twice as big as the Old Town's Square. There was also a Town Hall building, but it was demolished in 1818.
You can also find here the Saint Kazimierz Church, which was originally the residence of a business magnate. It was bought by Queen Maria Kazimiera Sobieska and then turned into a church.
The same as the Church of St. Jack, it was a hospital during the Warsaw Uprising, and many people were killed here under the rubble when the church was bombed.
Krasinski Palace
Krasiński Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in Warsaw. It was built in 17th century in a baroque style. It was formerly the seat of the supreme court and it was called the Palace of the Republic of Poland. Now the National Library can be found here.
You can find here many old polish medieval manuscripts. Behind the palace, you can enjoy the beautiful baroque urban park, called Krasiński Garden.
The Łazienki Królewskie Palace with the gardens
Łazienki Królewskie (literally translation: Royal Baths) is one of the most beautiful palaces and gardens in Europe. It was founded in the 17th century. Stanislaw August Poniatowski (the last Polish king) decided to create the largest and most beautiful gardens in Warsaw here. With the palace, it was the real symbol of luxury.
You can find in Lazienki Krolewskie many different buildings: the royal summer residence, the Palace on the Island, the Theatre on the Island or the Myślewicki Palace, where the royal courtiers lived. You can also find here the Orangery, the Kordegards, and the White House.
This is the place of many cultural events and it's one of the favorite spots for people of Warsaw, who used to come here to take a rest or spend the weekend's afternoon.
Conclusion
Warsaw is a very underrated destination. I've spent here a lot of time and all that attractions I've described in this city guide is just the scratch of this city surface. There are so many parks, gardens, churches, palaces here and it's even more impressive if you think, that it all was destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising.
