Warsaw - The Manhattan of Poland or just a dull Eastern Bloc?
And here we are at the end of our trip to Poland, more specifically in the capital of the country - Warsaw. A city that has often attracted attention in history. Warsaw Ghetto, Warsaw Uprising, Warsaw Genuflection are just a few historical events associated with this city.
After the approximately 2-hour train journey, we arrived at Warsaw Central Station. A constant companion: the Palace of Culture. Poland's most famous building constantly catches our eye and almost makes us feel a little uneasy.
The Palace of Culture, which was a gift from Stalin to the Polish people in 1955, is supposed to be a symbol of reconstruction and communism. No other high-rise buildings were constructed as playfully before or after. But unfortunately, it was not popular with the citizens. The Warsaw vernacular called the most beautiful place in the city the observation deck of the palace.
'Because it is the only place from which you cannot see the Palace of Culture!'
In my opinion, the beauty of this colossus is highlighted when it is illuminated in the most surreal colors.
The Old Town, which is not that old
On
our list was also the Warsaw Old Town, which presents itself as a postcard motif with its different colors. But first, we made a detour to the Holy Cross Basilica to pray. This church was completely destroyed by the Wehrmacht during World War II.The
Warsaw Old Town is considered an illusion of itself. The colorful buildings were almost completely erased in World War II. Only six out of the original 260 buildings survived the bombardments unscathed.The
communist regime from Moscow declared the reconstruction of the Old Town as a prestige object, while the rest of the country became impoverished. The idea behind it was to restore Polish identity. So the Old Town was rebuilt according to old photographs, copper engravings, and paintings. The Old Town was also made 200 years older than it was before its destruction so that the ugly sins of the Communists would not be repeated again.Only
a few meters away, the St. Anne's Church (Kościół św. Anny) is a must-visit, it is decorated inside with incredible details and above all the magnificent golden organ deserves a longer look.
Łazienki - Park and Wilanów Palace
To
end our trip to Poland, we made our way to the Baths Park to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. In the 80-hectare park, for example, you can admire the palace of the same name, which was built in the 18th century for a Russian nobility. In the entire park, you can find various monuments, such as the Frederic Chopin monument. After
a short train ride, we finally arrived at Wilanów Palace. The palace is one of the few buildings in Warsaw that survived the war unscathed. The palace was built in 1677 by King Jan III Sobieski but then constantly changed owners. For example, King August II the Strong was also an owner of the palace. The special feature of this palace was that each owner furnished various rooms in different eras. I can also give you a culinary tip where you can eat delicious Polish specialties. I would recommend you to make a reservation or try your luck to get a free table, as the restaurant is always crowded. For more information, click here!
