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The Old Town Market Square is a charming place with the city's symbol, the statue of the Warsaw Mermaid in the middle. But the statue has not always been there. In the past, the place was a real lively and noisy market square with rows of stalls selling all kinds of goods and craftsmen's workshops. With the Town Hall in the middle until 1817, it was the venue of town celebrations, fairs and public executions. The houses around it represented the Gothic style until the great fire in 1607, after which they were re-built in the late-Renaissance style. Still, some Gothic elements can even now be found in its architecture, like, for instance, the portal on the right in the fifth picture, one of the few remaining original fragments of the Old Town.
1944 was the year when it all came to an end. The Old Town was razed to the ground by the bombs and the enemy's shell fire during the Warsaw Uprising. Nothing was left but ruins of the beautiful colourful houses in the Market Square. Dead silence fell on the now deserted town.
Its post-war reconstruction was a real feat of architects and builders, who gave the new Old Town its 17th and 18th century look. Yet, first the masses of rubble reaching the second floor had to be removed and that is where the Polish people came in. Volunteers poured in from all over Poland to re-build their capital.
The place now looks as if nothing had happened there; the cheerful school trips and individual tourists, the outdoor restaurants, the artists selling their pictures seem to have always been there. Looking at it all, for a moment we can forget. Leave a Comment
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As I looked on the Stare Miasto (the old town) I could not quite take in the images I saw portrayed before my eyes. Yes I had heard and read of its destruction in WWll and its rebirth between 1948 & 1950's. To stand in the summer sunshine looking at the beautiful details on the historic looking Town Houses and then to see the date etched in the buildings along with the artwork was a breath catching time for me. No Guide Book or pictures prepared me for the deep joy and humility I felt looking at a place which held real beauty and a very timeless feeling. Leave a Comment Address: Stare Miasto
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 The tourist train in Castle
Square by evaanna
Prices:
Adults - 18 zl ($5)
Children - 16 zl Leave a Comment Address: Plac Zamkowy
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I had heard & read of its destruction in World War II by the Germans (nobody in my family was in the army, so no hard feelings, ok?!) and its "rebirth" between 1948-1950's, but unlike any other town it has been completely rebuilt to look like the original of the XIII century & has therefore been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
One word that I have heard the most throughout VT-pages is "charming". I guess this indeed does best describe the Stare Miasto: it won't knock your socks off in utter awe & amazement, but it's not boring & any visit to Warsaw would be complete without seeing this historical part.
Even though this talented recreation of an old city's architecture is impressive, I couldn't help but feel like I was wandering around in a Hollywood movie set... it truly is a unique atmosphere that I doubt could be found in any other city of the "old world" (Europe).
This is THE place for residents & visitors to enjoy picturesque cafes & restaurants, small shops & street vendors. I was there in September, and as soon as the sun made an appearance from behind an autumn cloud, cafe tables filled-up with eager patrons in this 73x90m square, and street artists begin performing for their pleasure & their pennies.
I didn't encounter any beggars (probably because it wasn't high-tourist-season) but there are plenty of shop owners that will try and sell you... anything really! There is also a post office and exchange bureau.
I've made it a tradition whenever I travel to always buy 2 fridge magnets: one for myself & one for my mother :-) I also bought some very nice charcoal & watercolour paintings from a local artist. You can haggle and I paid around 28 US$ for 3 small paintings; around 30% less than the original price. Surely, with a "local" I would have paid less, but I was happy.
The main attraction in the middle of Old Market Square is of course Warsaw's symbol - the MERMAID (see separate tip). Leave a Comment
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 People walking the streets of
the Old Town by PolishChickLeave a Comment
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 The Old Town by PolishChickLeave a Comment Directions: You can take the subway to the Ratusz metro station and then trams number 26, 46, 32, 13 in the "Praga" direction or the bus 175 that goes there straight from the airport, or the tourist line- number 180.
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 Rebuilt Old Town Market Square by HORSCHECKLeave a Comment Directions: The Old Town Market Square is situated in the centre of Warsaw's Old Town (Stare Miasto) on the left bank of the Vistula River.
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The ride in a charming horse-drawn carriage around the Old and New Town is quite expensive (ca 80zl - $25) and can be bumpy but, if you visit Warsaw once in a lifetime, why not splash out on it and have a good time?
The sound of horses' hooves on the cobbled streets can transport you back in time to the Old Town of the past. Leave a Comment Address: Plac Zamkowy
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 One of the horse-drawn
carriages by PolishChickLeave a Comment Directions: The train starts the route from the Castle Square- you will see it for sure- it`s only available in the summer though, as well as the rykszas and the carriages. The rykszas and the carriages you should be able to find easily- they just stand around.
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TARAS WIDOKOWY Observation Deck:
If you don't want to stand in neverending queues, waiting for the elevator ascending to the observation deck of the Palace of Science & Culture then this is a good alternative.
Climb up the steep spiral stairs (might be difficult for older people or kids) until you reach a hatch at the top (mind your head! My fellow tall people will know what I mean... ouch!) and enjoy the lovely view over the old town's castle square (Plac Zamkowy).
Entrance fee is only 3 Zloty... a bargain! Is it worth it? Just click on my pictures & decide for yourself :-)
There is also a nice restaurant/cafe on the ground floor where I enjoyed a fabulous coffee and cake after our not-so-graceful decent... Leave a Comment Address: Krakowskie Prezedmiescie 68, 00-322 WarsawPhone: 0048-22-8269828
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