Located in the middle of Old Town, this square was first built in 1821. It's roughly triangular, with one side facing the Royal Castle.

One of the most prominent features of the square is Sigismund's Column, a 17th-century monument to King Sigismund III. It was built in 1644 and is the world's oldest secular column built in modern history. It's a landmark that you can't miss.

One of Warsaw's biggest highways runs underneath Castle Square. Besides the castle, the rest of the square is surrounded by historic townhouses. This is the center of exploration in Warsaw-it's a meeting point for locals and tourists alike, and it's full of life. There are street musicians, horse carriages, churches, and restaurants all around. The main attraction here, though, is the Royal Castle.

Castle Square also marks the northern point of the Royal Route, which led from the castle southward to King Jan III Sobieski's personal residence at Wilanów. Along that route, you'll pass many must-see Warsaw sights.

The Royal Castle as it stands today was rebuilt and restored in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Germans had destroyed it during World War II, but the foundation and many components were rescued and used in the reconstruction.

The original structure was built in the Middle Ages. Sometime around 1410, the first parts of the Curia Maior, or Big Manor, were built. It functioned as a prince manor. When Masovia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland in 1526, the building became a royal residence. Between 1569 and 1572, King Sigismund II Augustus began altering the structure to accommodate the new parliament. Next to Curia Maior, the king built a Renaissance-style building known as Royal House, where he resided when parliament was in session. Over the years, the castle continued to expand.

The castle was destroyed during The Deluge from 1655 to 1657 when Sweden and Russia invaded. Reconstruction began in 1657, but the royal purse was stretched, so construction was limited to rebuilding what had already been there.

Why You Should Visit:
The castle operates as a museum while also being the setting of state functions. Inside the castle, you'll see one of the most impressive art collections in Europe.

The Jagiellonian Rooms contain the modern Gallery of Painting, Sculpture, and Decorative Arts. The Houses of Parliament, where the world's second-oldest constitution was signed into effect, is available to be toured. The Royal Apartments provide a glimpse into the lavish lifestyles of the royal families and the chance to view many masterpieces from the 1700s. The Lanckoronski Collection includes two Rembrandts and a Stradivari violin.

The castle, together with Old Town Warsaw, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the very center of Old Town Warsaw, you'll find the Old Town Market Place. Since the city was founded in the 13th century, merchants would meet here to sell their goods. The square has been the center of Warsaw life since, with everything from festivals to executions occurring here.

The townhouses built around the Old Town Market Place were Gothic until a fire destroyed them in 1607. Renaissance-style buildings replaced them, only to be replaced by the current late-Baroque style that you see today. There was a large town hall building here, but the German Luftwaffe destroyed it and the rest of the square during World War II.

The square was rebuilt in the 1950s, and efforts were taken to mimic its appearance from the 17th century. Each side of the square is named to an 18th-century parliamentarian. Dekert's Side on the north is named for Jan Dekert, a merchant and political activist. Barss' Side contains the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, honoring its namesake's poetry. Kollataj's Side honors Hugo Stumberg Kołłataj’s, a constitutional reformer and educationalist, while Zakrzewski's Side is named for mayor of Warsaw, nobleman, and art collector Ignacy Wyssogota Zakrzewski.

Several of the buildings on the square house the Warsaw Museum. Here, you can see collections of historical artifacts from the city that depict daily life. Their collection includes more than 300,000 objects spread over 21 themed rooms. The main entrance is in house No. 42 on Dekert's Side.

In the square, you will also see a statue of Syrenka, the "little mermaid" of Warsaw. She has appeared on the city's official coat of arms since at least the 14th century. The statue has stood here since 1855.

The Warsaw Barbican is one of the last remaining relics of the extensive network of walls, fortifications, and gates that once surrounded the city. It was built in 1540 and designed by Italian Renaissance architect Jan Baptist the Venetian. It replaced a gate on Nowomiejska Street.

In the 16th century, while Jan Baptist was living and working in Mazovia, the city's 14th-century walls were in disrepair. The barbican was part of his revitalization project. It took shape as a three-level semicircular bastion that was 14 meters wide and 15 meters tall. There was also a 30-meter-wide moat around the outside of the city walls.

Unfortunately, by the time the barbican was completed, it had become obsolete. Artillery technology had advanced considerably. It was used for its designed defensive purpose only once during the Swedish Invasion in 1656. Over the following years, the barbican was partially dismantled and modified to allow for a larger gate into the city. In the 1800s, part of the structure was incorporated into new apartment buildings.

Like many other Warsaw buildings, the barbican was more or less destroyed during World War II. It was rebuilt in the 1950s from 17th-century etchings. The Museum of Warsaw operates The Barbican. For more information about the history of the city, visit them in Old Town Market Place.

The Warsaw Uprising was a pivotal moment in World War II for Poland. From August until October in 1944, the underground Polish resistance movement and the Home Army fought to retake Warsaw from the Germans. The uprising was timed to coincide with the German retreat from Poland as the Soviets advanced.

Being against the communist party, the resistance was not supported by the Soviet troops who stopped short of the town. Their pause allowed the Germans to regroup and defeat the uprising. In retaliation, the German troops destroyed virtually every building in Warsaw, spending the remainder of 1944 pillaging and looting the city before leaving it abandoned. The Soviets, who held their position outside of town and prevented Allied support from reaching Warsaw, only retook the town only after the Germans had left.

For many years after the war, the significance of the uprising was downplayed. Communist propaganda condemned the Home Army and their insurgent actions.

The monument to the tragic events was unveiled in 1989 on the 45th anniversary of the uprising. Wincenty Kucma and architect Jacek Budyn sculpted it. The monument is located just outside the Palace of Justice, the seat of the Polish Supreme Court.

If you'd like to learn a little more about the 1944 Uprising, don't miss the Warsaw Rising Museum. The museum's exhibits depict the fighting and everyday life during the uprising and cover the political issues and post-war Communist regime.

Sometimes called the Palace of the Commonwealth, Krasiński Palace was built between 1677 and 1683 and reconstructed after World War II. It was initially designed and built for the Voivode of Plock, Jan Dobrogost Krasiński.

Krasiński came from an old Mazovian noble family. He was heir to a large fortune, and he was interested in French culture and architecture. He hired French artists for the work on his home, in addition to Michelangelo Palloni, who did the frescoes.

The palace was purchased by the state in 1765 and turned into the Treasury Commission and later the Supreme Court of Poland's home. It was burned down and mostly demolished during the German occupation of Poland during World War II. The Germans deliberately destroyed most of the artwork housed in the palace during the Warsaw Uprising; today, the collection contains only about five percent of its former catalog.

Today Krasiński Palace is part of the Polish National Library's Special Collections Section. The garden is a beautiful place to take a walk, look for the Baroque gate from Bohaterów Getta Street. The gardens are made up of a public park with fountains, walking paths, and many monuments. If you're visiting Krasiński Palace, take a detour across the street to visit the Warsaw Uprising Fighters monument.

The Neoclassical Saint Anne's Church is one of Warsaw's oldest buildings and most notable churches. Even though it has been rebuilt and reconstructed several times, its appearance has remained mostly unchanged since 1788.

The foundations were laid for the church back in 1454 when the Duchess of Masovia Anna Fiodorowna set it up for the Franciscan friars. In the 1700s, the facade was done in a Late-Baroque style. After suffering heavy damage in World War II, the church was restored between the late 1940s and 1970s.

The church impresses with its baroque style. It has a richly decorated interior that is full of beautiful frescoes. The only diamond vaulted ceiling is found here, in the cloister leading to the vestry. During the summer at noon, a 30 minutes organ concert is played every day except Sundays and holidays.

Inside the church, you will also find a simple wooden cross with an interesting history. The cross was built to commemorate the tragic loss of 96 lives in a 2010 Polish Air Force crash. The fatalities included the President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, and his wife, Maria. The cross was displayed for a time at the Presidential Palace. However, the cross became a flashpoint in local politics, as it raised questions of the separation of church and state, religion, and Polish patriotism.

Why You Should Visit:
This church is completely painted from floor to ceiling with magnificent frescos. The illusions painted on the columns and walls are very beautiful.

Tip:
Try to schedule your visit around noon or 2pm to catch the daily organ concert (lasting 30 mins). It's also possible to climb to the top of the tower, which will earn you some impressive views over the city in a clear day.

The Royal Route began as a communication route that led from the Royal Castle and Castle Square to King Jan III Sobieski's personal residence, known as Wilanów. The route runs through Old Town Warsaw, connecting many notable points and containing many monuments and sights.

The route spans south from Castle Square along Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, New World Street, Ujazdow Avenue, Belweder Street, and Sobieski Street. The route is named as an official historical monument in Poland.

The first part of the Royal Route, Krakowskie Przedmiescie, is one of Warsaw's best known and most prestigious streets. Around it, you will find many historical structures and sights. The north end of the road starts at the Presidential Palace and passes Warsaw University, the Polish Academy of Sciences. You'll also see Potocki Palace, Kazimierz Palace, Tyszkiewicz Palace, Czetwertyński Palace, Hotel Bristol, Saint Anne's Church, and Holy Cross Church.

Do not miss a stroll through the grounds of Lazienki Park. This 76-hectare park contains palaces, villas, monuments, and decorative structures. In the center of the park is the much-photographed Palace on the Isle. If you're in Warsaw during the summer, keep an ear out for the Sunday Chopin Concerts at the Fryderyk Chopin monument.

The Royal Route connects most of the must-see sights in Warsaw. Strolling the sidewalks here and taking your time to visit each monument, garden, and palace is well worth your time. There is much to explore and many quiet hidden treasures along the way.

One of the best-kept secrets is the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski, known as Marysieńka. The palace is operated as a museum, with elaborate and authentic 17th, 18th, and 19th-century interiors throughout. It's also home to the Polish Portrait Gallery. The gardens are not to be missed. The house is often called the "Polish Versailles."

The Nożyk Synagogue, located in Warsaw, stands as a poignant historical monument and the sole prewar Jewish house of prayer in Warsaw to have survived the tumultuous events of World War II. Its establishment dates back to the late 19th century, a period when Warsaw's Jewish community, one of the largest globally, had over 400 houses of prayer. Among these, only two were independent structures, with the majority being smaller chapels integrated into schools, hospitals, or homes.

This synagogue's history began when the need for a temple for the orthodox Jewry of Warsaw became apparent. Responding to this need, Zalman Nożyk, a prominent Warsaw merchant, and his wife Ryfka financed the construction of this temple on Twarda street, near Grzybów and Grzybowski Square. The construction spanned from 1898 to 1902.

The architectural design of the Nożyk Synagogue was the work of Karol Kozłowski, a renowned Warsaw architect also credited with designing the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra Hall. The building's façade exhibits a neo-Romanticist style with distinct neo-Byzantine elements. The structure is rectangular, featuring an internal chamber divided into three aisles.

The synagogue's history is marked by World War II tragedies. In 1939, it was damaged in an air raid. During the war, it became part of the Small Ghetto, witnessing the Ghetto Uprising and later being repurposed as stables and a depot by the Nazis. After the war, it was restored and now serves as a place of worship, housing the Warsaw Jewish Commune and other Jewish organizations, a testament to the resilience of Warsaw's Jewish community.

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews opened in 2013. The museum focuses on Jews in Poland from the Middle Ages through present day. It has a strong focus on the Holocaust, but it covers more than 1000 years of Jewish history.

The core exhibition has eight galleries that include artifacts and information detailing the arrival of Jewish people, their settlement and their culture. There are interactive exhibits, films, artwork and photos that work together to provide a narrative history.

Rotating exhibits vary. They often focus on visual art, photography and history. These temporary exhibits are sometimes on display for as long as six months or as short as only a few weeks. Thanks to the broad range of rotating exhibits and the importance of the core exhibition, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2016.

The museum is located on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto. It was designed by architects Rainer Mahlamäki and Ilmari Lahdelma in a Postmodern Architectural style using concrete, copper and glass. The imposing, box-shaped building stands in contrast to the surrounding green space where it sits. The award-winning building is illuminated at night in multiple colors.

The tragic history of Polish Jews who perished during the Holocaust is shared at the Umschlagplatz Monument. Umschlagplatz, a German word meaning "collection point," is the location where Jews from Warsaw were held to be taken to Nazi death camps.

Visitors to Warsaw can observe the Umschlagplatz Monument at the end of the Memorial Route of Jewish Martyrdom and Struggle. It is engraved with the 448 most popular Jewish names, which are meant to represent the Jews who were sent to Treblinka, and then murdered at the hands of Nazis. The Umschlagplatz Monument honors their memories with its design, which represents the colors of Jewish ritual robes.

The monument was completed in 1988 and unveiled on the 45th anniversary of the beginning of the Ghetto Uprising. It includes two inscriptions that commemorate the lives lost and include a verse from the Book of Job in Polish, Hebrew and Yiddish.

Warsaw's Old Town, nestled in the core of Poland's capital, stands as a beacon of historical and cultural significance, providing a window into the city's storied past. Referred to locally as "Stare Miasto," this district is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, drawing tourists and history buffs alike. The Old Town, heavily damaged in World War II, has been meticulously restored, symbolizing Warsaw's revival.

The area is distinguished by its conservation of medieval and Renaissance architectural styles. It features an array of vibrant townhouses, cobblestone pathways, and heritage-rich squares. The Market Square, the epicenter of the Old Town, is a quaint area encircled by multicolored townhouses, hosting cafes and eateries. The Warsaw Mermaid statue, an emblematic figure of the city, takes pride of place in the square's center.

The Royal Castle, formerly the abode of Polish royalty, dominates Castle Square. It invites exploration of its opulent rooms, halls, and galleries, along with the Castle Museum, showcasing a vast collection of art and historical pieces. Saint John's Archcathedral, a notable Gothic edifice dating to the 14th century, stands as another prominent landmark, celebrated for its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

Enclosed by reconstructed defensive walls and a medieval Barbican, the Old Town offers insights into Warsaw's history as a fortified city. The area abounds with quaint cafes, restaurants, and bars, serving traditional Polish fare, global cuisine, and delectable sweets, perfect for enjoying a meal or coffee amidst the ambiance.

Throughout the year, the Old Town becomes a hub of cultural events, festivals, and open-air concerts, animating the historic quarter and providing opportunities to engage with local customs and entertainment. Additionally, it houses various souvenir shops, boutiques, and artisanal stores, offering unique keepsakes and Polish crafts as lasting reminders of one's visit.

The Warsaw Uprising Museum is dedicated entirely to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The museum, more commonly called the Warsaw Rising Museum, was established in 1983 but wasn't opened until 2004.

The Warsaw Uprising was led by the Polish underground resistance with the purpose to liberate the city from German occupation. The uprising, which lasted 63 days, was the largest resistance movement during the war.

Opened on the 60th anniversary of the fighting, the Warsaw Uprising Museum offers a variety of exhibits that cover each district of the city. Patrons can view both a Nazi and a Communist section to see the atrocities and mistreatment that the Polish people have faced. They can view footage shot by insurgents in the Kino Palladium or watch a 3D film showing the ruins of Warsaw.

Other exhibits include replicas of the sewers and an insurgent hospital, a hangar that contains a B-24 Liberator and the children's room, which shows the uprising from the youth perspective.

The Warsaw Uprising Museum offers an observation tower that has a panoramic view of the city. The tower is 32 meters, or roughly 105 feet tall.