The Old Town of Warsaw is the only reconstructed location on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was completely destroyed during World War II and the people of Poland saved and worked to reconstruct the medieval buildings in the decades after the war.
Castle Square marks one of the entrances to the Old Town. Warsaw is one of the youngest European capital cities. It became the capital of Warsaw in 1596 when King Sigismund III Vasa moved his residence from Krakow.
The Statue of King Sigismund is from the 17th century and is the oldest secular monument in Warsaw. There is a local legend that the statue raises his saber before battles to inspire bravery among the citizens of Warsaw. Some claim that they saw the saber raise in 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland and Warsaw tried to stop the German army. The marble column was destroyed by the Nazis and it was replaced after the war.
Castle Square at the base of the King Sigismund column is a common meeting point for young Varsaovians (Polish) for rallies and protests. In fact, when we were walking around Old Town one evening, we could see and hear a small group protest.
A portion of the original medieval wall was left partially standing and marks the entrance to Castle Square.
When the Nazis retreated from the city, they expressed their anger and frustration with the people of Warsaw for their attempts to rise against their occupation. As they were preparing to abandon the city, they wanted to level it completely. In addition to mines placed throughout the city, the Nazis drilled holes into walls and filled them with explosives. Nearly every building in the Old Town was destroyed. However, the foundations and facades of many survived and were used to reconstruct the city from their footprint.
Among the building that were specifically targeted for destruction was the Royal Castle. It was the residence of the Polish kings and the seat of parliament. After World War I, it became the residence of the Polish president.
Original fragments of the Royal Castle including stucco walls, carvings, and wall paintings were used in its reconstruction. In addition, art saved from the building before the occupation and artwork that survived Nazi vandalism were returned when construction was completed in 1984.
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