Let’s get one thing straight: the Warsaw that existed before 1944/1945 is nothing but a memory. The Nazis levelled Warsaw…80% of the captial was laid waste. Nothing but ruins, rubble, blood, and aching memory.
It’s now the 21st century, and as my mother said to me after our visit: “Hitler should rise out of his grave and see what this city has become.” The revenge of Warsaw is sweet AND complete. Rebuilt, alive, and resplendent. In every way a modern, bustling city, throbbing with life…yet one which seems to have managed to reach into the past and retrieve it from the clutches of those who sought to erase it from the world.
(1) WARSAW CASTLE
The pinnacle of the reconstruction. It was the seat of royal power…for nearly 400 years. From 1971 to 1984, it was rebuilt, inch-by-inch, based on photos and the original plans…inside and out. The end result is sumptuous, invigorating, and utterly stunning. Here are a few tidbits…
(2) THE OLD TOWN
Just like the castle, rebuilt from top-to-bottom…and the triumphant end result is something that appears to be centuries old…but, in actual age, is barely past the four decade mark!
(3) ST. JOHN’S CATHEDRAL
Only the shell of this magnificent, Gothic brick masterpiece survived the war…but it didn’t stop the rebuilders from completing a stunning act of restoration, while maintaining as much of the original facade as they could manage.
(4) THE ROYAL ROUTE
The main road/promenade, leading from the castle to the centre of the city, used by the Royals of Poland for centuries. In the present day, it is composed of two streets: Krakowskie Przedmiescie & Nowy Swiat. Full of shops, restaurants, boutiques…and in between, you’ll find everything from the Wasa Column Monument, to the Presidential Palace, to the University of Warsaw, to the Nichoals Copernicus monument. THE place to see…and BE seen…in Warsaw.
(5) THE PALACE OF CULTURE
In 1955, it was a GIFT (cough…cough) of friendship from Poland’s then-Soviet Overlords. It’s the ultimate concrete-realist example of architecture as art…and somehow, it’s STILL a brilliant (and VERY tall) piece of the skyline, in spite of the conflicted views most Poles have about what it once stood for…
And now we’re home! God, I’m exhausted but SO ENERGIZED by the experience. Expect future posts following up on my Polish experiences…but for now, I’m going to have a well-deserved rest…and slowly catch up with all the GEEK news I’ve not yet showcased on this blog. :D
