Ratusz Arsenał
A station right in the heart of Warsaw
#Warsaw tour guide #Warsaw city guide # guided tour in warsaw #Warszawa tour guide #Warszawa city guide #guided tour in Warszawa
Close up
The station is situated at the Bank Square (Plac Bankowy), and the neighbourhood is filled up with important buildings and national symbols.
A walk around the bank square is a mandatory part of a visit to Warsaw. The square was founded in 1825 and includes (among many other buildings) the first stock exchange, which was ready for use in 1828. An impressive building with an enormous dome (destroyed during WWII, later rebuilt).
The first stock exchange in Warsaw
The buildings next to the stock exchange resemble a palace complex, and this is where the regional administration as well as the city hall is located. In front of the city hall we find a statue of the romantic poet, Juliusz Słowacki (1809-1849). At the other side of the road we find the Blue Skyscraper from 1991 – started 1960’s but not finished until decades later. In front of the skyscraper a statue of Stefan Starzyński is gazing at the city hall, where he was mayor when WWII broke out, and he is still remembered as the heroic leader of the civilian defence. He was killed by the Germans by the end of 1939, and after the war he has won fame from all the poems and stories Polish school children learned at school. .
In the outskirts of the square we find a couple of good quality restaurants (Der Elefant and Si Ristorante).
Trip number 1 – Mainly includes Jewish memorials. You can read more in “Jewish Warsaw” (click here).
POLIN museum of the history of Polish Jews, address ul. Anielewicza 6. Around 400 metres from the Metro. If I should personally choose one museum in Warsaw, this one would be the one, I would recommend. Even if You are not entering the actual museum, you can take a look at the building and the monument in front of it.
To get in You need to pass through a metal detector, but it is possible to walk in to the front hall, shop and restaurant area without buying a ticket. The restaurant offers original and delicious kosher food (self service).
The Monument to the Ghetto Heroes (Pomnik Bohaterów Getta). Zamenhof street – right in front of the main entrance to POLIN.
On your way to the museum (Andersa street), you may pass through the Krasiński garden at the right side, which is finished with an old nobleman’s palace. At the right side you will notice the Muranów cinema – a well known cinema from right after WWII, which is known for a comprehensive and high end repertoire. At the left side of the street You can also find an old palace, which is today the headquarters of Warsaw’s police force.
The Anielewicza-bunker or Miła 18 and the Jewies grave yard on Muranów. Miła street, right on the corner from Dubois-street. A few hundred metres from the POLIN-museum.
Umschlagplatz Monument Address Stawki 10. 4-5 minutes from POLIN.
Trip number 2 From the Bank Square You may walk down Senatorska street, and then to the right to enter the Saski park, which is mentioned under “Parks and forests in Warsaw (click here to see)”. If You want to make it a long trip, You can walk through the park, then across the Pilsudski Square and end up in Old Town. Just before the entrance to the park You pass the Jewish Theatre (You can read more in “Jewish Warsaw”), and right after the entrance You may take a walk around the Franciscan Convent and the St. Padewski church next to the convent.
The cloister around St. Padewski church
Teatr Wielki
Trip number 3 The Big Theatre (Teatr Wielki) – The National Scene. Continue through Senatorska street, but instead of walking into the Saski park, You continue for a few hundred metres to the National Theatre and Opera. The actual walk to the theatre is a beautiful experience with fairy tale palaces.
Please send an email to m@hardenfelt.pl if you would like an English-speaking tour guide to show you the most important places in Warsaw.