Attractions and Things to do in Warsaw
The right bank of the Vistula River houses the increasingly fashionable Praga district whilst Warsaw’s main ‘must-sees’ are all located in close proximity on the left bank, making seeing them on foot all the easier! Most are located between the
Stare Miasto (Old Town) and the
Lazienki Park. The
Old Town Square (Rynek Starego Miasta) is a beautiful and vibrant center of cafes, street artists and flowers and continues to provide a lively atmosphere at night. Located close by is the
St John Cathedral which provides the religious center for the strongly catholic inhabitants, and the
Royal Castle (Zamek Krolewski) dating back to the fourteenth century but still being repaired after the damage caused in WW2.
The Jewish population of Warsaw suffered terribly during the war. Four hundred thousand Jews were rounded up and forced to stay in the Jewish ghetto surrounded by a three meter high wall stretching from the
Palace of Culture and Science to the
Umschlagplatz monument. Memorials and museums dedicated to this period of history are prevalent including the
Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto and
Jewish Historical Institute. The
Nozyk Synagogue (Synagoga Nozykow) dating back to nineteen hundred and
Prozna Street (Ulica Pozna) a thoroughfare providing evidence of former Jewish Warsaw, offer additional insights.
The Lazienki Park contains the Chopin Monument (where the annual Chopin Festival is held each summer) and the
Palace on the Water (Palac Lazienkowski). Originally built in the mid-seventeenth century, Ujazdowski Castle now houses the
Center of Contemporary Art and a variety of Polish, European and North American artists’ exhibitions.
