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Old Town walking tour

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A Walk Around the Old Town

Tales of Old Warsaw

Join us on a walk around the Old Town – an incredible journey full of picturesque sites and unique sensations. Our guide will share the turbulent history of the capital city, from the most beautiful places to the most tragic moments.

The heart of Warsaw has beat right here since at least the 13th century, when, at the initiative at one of the Prices of Mazovia, probably Boleslaw II, the city was established. At its center was a rectangular market square surrounded first by wooden and then brick buildings. From the late sixteenth century, this was not only the center of the city, but of the entire country. The rebirth of the Old Town from the rubble of World War II has remained a symbol of a common national rebirth to this day. Since 1980, the Old Town has been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites as a unique example of the total reconstruction of an almost completely destroyed historic area.

We encounter many of the true symbols of Warsaw along our path. We start, of course, at the Royal Castle and Sigismund’s Column. Moving on, we find St. John’s Cathedral and the most famous monuments in Warsaw – the Little Insurgent monument and the sculpture of the Warsaw Mermaid. The very center of the Old Town is just a few steps away with its picturesque streets, city walls and the Barbican. The last stop on our route is the family home of Maria Curie.

We are sure that you will be captivated by this magical journey into the past and intrigued by this exceptional city!

Walk lasts about one and a half hours (3 hours with tour of interior of Royal Castle)

Tour led by our professional, certified guides

Tour begins in Castle Square

A Walk Around the Old Town - Details of stops on the tour

START

Royal Castle (interior upon request)

Our walk starts in the center of Warsaw next to the Royal Castle – a place that reflects a turbulent history full of dramatic turns that defines this city. Originally, the castle was the home of the Princes of Mazovia but in the late 16th century, Sigismund III Vasa moved the capital of Poland from Krakow to Warsaw, making the castle not only the seat of the monarch and his court, but of the Parliament as well.

The baroque-classical style of the castle was primarily shaped during the reconstruction carried out during the reign of the Vasa and Saxon times. Due to its special significance, the Castle has always been one of the first objectives of any invaders entering Warsaw, resulting in it being repeatedly robbed and looted. Enormous devastation was brought by World War II. Photographs of the castle towers in flames became one of the symbols of September, 1939. In 1944, the Germans literally reduced it to rubble. The reconstruction was completed between 1971 and 1984. The Royal Castle in Warsaw is currently a cultural institution and is used as a place of exhibition for priceless museum collections.

Sigismund’s Column

Sigismund’s Column was the first secular monument in Warsaw. It was erected to commemorate the ruler who decided to move the capital and seat of government to Warsaw. The column was commissioned Władysław IV, son of Sigismund, and at the same time served to emphasize the splendor of the whole dynasty. The designers of this unique monument were the Italian masters Augustyn Locci and Constantino Tencalla. The statue of the king was made by the Bolognese artisan Clemente Molli. The original monument did not survive the destruction of the city during World War II (Germany destroyed this symbol of Warsaw in September, 1944). Today we see the faithful post-war reconstruction.

St. John’s Cathedral

The Cathedral dedicated to the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist is among the most important and oldest holy sites in Warsaw. It was also the site of the swearing of the oath to the Constitution of May 3 and Polish rulers Stanislaw Leszczynski and Stanislaw August Poniatowski were crowned here. The Cathedral has witnessed many important and dramatic moments in the history of country. The Parish Church of Warsaw has existed since the first half of the 14th century. St. John’s has been rebuilt several times thanks to the priority given to it by the leaders of the nation. In 1798 the building was assigned the rank of Bishop’s Palace. Unfortunately, during World War II, the Cathedral was totally destroyed. Post-war reconstruction was inspired by the original 14th century plans.

Old Town Main Square

The Old Town that was reconstructed after World War II maintains the urban layout that was established when it was originally designed at the turn of the 14th century. Records indicate that by the early part of the fifteenth century, the square was surrounded by brick buildings. This did not protect the heart of the city from serious damage during a fire that blazed through Warsaw at the beginning of the 17th century. During the Baroque period, buildings around the square gained newly fashionable sculptural decorations. Just as they are today, the buildings were covered in brightly colored plaster. The demolition of the town hall took place in 1855 and a fountain with a statue of the Warsaw Mermaid was placed in the middle of the square. For centuries, the main square was where markets and fairs were held, punishments were publicly administered and citizens of Warsaw met and socialised.

The Warsaw Mermaid

The Mermaid is one of the most recognised symbols of Warsaw. In 2000, after years of moving around the city, the statue returned to its original home in the Old Town Main Square (the 19th century original made by Konstantin Hegla is found in the Historical Museum of Warsaw and a reproduction is displayed in public). The Mermaid has been the heraldic symbol of the city since at least the beginning of the 15th century and appears on official seals from that era. She has two webbed feet, dragon wings and a tail. As a half-woman and half-fish, it has served as the symbol of the city since the 18th century. We stop at the foot of the monument to listen to the most beautiful legends and stories about the Warsaw Mermaid.

The Little Insurgent Monument

A number of very young people were involved in the Warsaw Uprising. This monument by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz commemorates their participation in this terrible chapter of history. The artist, then a student of sculpture at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, created the sculpture under the influence of his wartime memories and emotions associated with his work on the removal of rubble from the city, which he did as a volunteer after the war. Originally, the work was entitled “The Child-Hero”. The monument was erected in 1981 on the initiative of Warsaw scouts, to whom the author donated the work. This moving monument stands on the remains of one of the towers of the walls of the Old Town.

City Walls

The double defensive walls surrounding the Old Town of Warsaw were built between the 13th and 16th centuries but they very quickly lost their primary function. This was brought about by the advent of artillery and the growth of the city itself. More modern fortifications covering a much larger area began to emerge. The walls themselves were woven into the fabric of residential buildings. For practical reasons, the demolition of entire passages began in the 17th century, creating new entrances. After the war, they abandoned the original concept of reconstructing all of the walls (but rebuilt the Barbican and Powder Tower) and instead focused on the maintenance of the preserved fragments. Thanks to years of work, today we can see those remnants preserved in excellent condition. These old fortfications are a very picturesque part of the urban landscape of Warsaw’s Old Town.

The Barbican

The Barbican was built in the middle of the 16th century as the last element of the city walls and as a result of the expansion of the bridge over the moat. It was designed by Giovanni Battista of Venice. The Barbican only played a role in military operations once – during the Swedish invasion of the 17th century. The Barbican was partially demolished in the 18th century and its fragments were used in the construction of new residential buildings. Today we see it in its full glory, thanks to the reconstruction of parts that were completed in the 1950’s, based on Baroque styling.

The Home of Marie Curie

A world-renowned, distinguished scholar was born in the house at Freta 16. At the time, there was a school for girls at this address which was run by the mother of a future double Nobel Prize winner. The family’s apartment was on the first floor. Little Marie did not live there long, just a year, but this is currently the world’s only museum dedicated to her. Exactly 100 years after the birth of Marie Curie (Marie Sklodowska, when she lived here), the building became the seat of the Polish Chemical Society. It’s here, as we remember one of the most world famous natives of Warsaw, that we end our tour of the Old Town.