Warsaw Things to Do

To gaze upon the massive former Soviet embassy is to understand the power relationship between Poland and the USSR. The building is a monument of might, built in a style dubbed 'neoclassical social-realism.' Besides the huge em... more

The Czapski Palace, which changed owners at least ten times, was built in the 18th century. Its present Baroque character dates from 1752-65, when the Palace belonged to the Czapski family. In 1826 Frederic Chopin lived here wi... more

Built in 1913-14 in an early modernist style the Bracia Jablkowscy building was Warsaw's largest department store. Since the 1980s, when it underwent restoration, the building has hosted the Arka department store. It is worth v... more

It's really hard to tell what shape the New Town Market Square has. It used to be rectangular, with the Town Hall of the New Town (which was a separate municipality until the end of the 18th century) standing in the middle of i... more

The Mermaid on Wybrzeze Kosciuszkowskie is the second monument of the mythical creature, half fish half woman, who appeared in Warsaw in the 14th century and was said to defend the city in times of distress. Sculpted in 1939 by... more

Built in 1575, the building was first used as a gatehouse closing the wooden bridge over the Vistula River. After the bridge was destroyed by an ice-floe in the early 17th century, the gatehouse was used first to store gunpowde... more

The monument to this revered Polish national poet was funded by public subscriptions and unveiled in 1898 on the hundredth anniversary of his birthday. The ceremony was attended by a crowd of 12,000 despite the ban on rallies a... more

This lovely Baroque tenement house, which closes Piwna Street from the North, was built for an Italian merchant (Jacob Gianotti) in 1632. It's called Salvator house, even though the statue from which the house took its name doe... more

The Marconi Fountain stands just behing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Saxon Gardens. Renovated every year, it manages to stay white for a few months before it rusts again, and it leans slightly towards one side, threat... more

This beautiful green-domed church was the home of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who were brought to Poland from France by Queen Maria Kazimiera Sobieska in 1687. The church was designed by Tylman van Gameren and is const... more