Places to see in Warsaw: National Museum

The National Museum (Polish: Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie) in Warsaw, Poland, is a national institution of culture, one of the largest museums in Poland and the largest in Warsaw. It comprise a rich collection of ancient art (Egyptian, Greek, Roman), counting about 11.000 pieces, an extensive gallery of Polish painting since the 16th century and a collection of foreign painting (Italian, French, Dutch, German and Russian). The museum is also home to numismatic collections and a gallery of applied arts.

Unfortunately, the museum is closed to the public from 18 July 2011 until Spring 2012 for refurbishment. But you can visit its branches in Warsaw:

• Muzeum w Nieborowie i Arkadii
• Muzeum Plakatu w Wilanowie
• Muzeum Rzeźby im. X. Dunikowskiego w Królikarni
• Muzeum Wnętrz w Otwocku Wielkim

Places to see in Warsaw: Fryderyk Chopin Museum

Muzeum Fryderyka Chopina is a museum in Warsaw, Poland dedicated to the great composer Fryderyk Chopin. It was established in 1953. The museum covers the history and works of Chopin, including original manuscripts and documents written by the composer, photographs and sculptures of him, letters, as well as hosting piano recitals and competitions of Chopin's works.

Frédéric François Chopin (Polish: Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin) 22 February or 1 March 1810[2] – 17 October 1849) was a Polish composer, virtuoso pianist, and music teacher of French–Polish parentage. He was one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano".

Places to see in Warsaw: Warsaw Old Town

Warsaw's Old Town (Polish: Stare Miasto, colloquially: Starówka) is the oldest historic district of the city. It is bounded by Wybrzeże Gdańskie, along the bank of the Vistula, and by Grodzka, Mostowa and Podwale Streets. It is one of Warsaw's most prominent tourist attractions.

The heart of the area is the Old Town Market Place (Rynek Starego Miasta), with its restaurants, cafés and shops. Surrounding streets feature medieval architecture such as the city walls, the Barbican and St. John's Cathedral. Part of the Old Town are also the Castle Square (plac Zamkowy) with the Royal Castle as well the Canon Square (plac Kanonia), just behind the St. John's Cathedral (as seen on the right).

Warsaw's Old Town has been placed on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites as "an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century.

Places to see in Warsaw: Warsaw Uprising Museum

The Warsaw Uprising Museum (Polish: Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego), located in the district of Wola in Warsaw, Poland, is a museum dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The institution of the Museum was established in 1983, but no construction work took place for many years, and the museum finally opened on July 31, 2004, marking the 60th anniversary of the Uprising.

The Museum sponsors research into the history of the Uprising, and the history and possessions of the Polish Underground State. It collects and maintains hundreds of artifacts, ranging from weapons used by the insurgents to love letters, in order to present a full picture of the people involved. The Museum's stated goals include the creation of an archive of historical information on the Uprising and the recording of the stories and memories of the still living Uprising participants.

Places to see in Warsaw: Powązki Cemetery

Powązki Cemetery (Polish: Cmentarz Powązkowski), also known as the Stare Powązki (English: Old Powązki) is a historic cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. It is the most famous cemetery in the city, and one of the oldest. Found here are the graves of many illustrious individuals from Polish history, including those interred along the "Avenue of Notables" (Aleja Zasłużonych) established in 1925.

A few of the notables buried here are:

• Jan Kiliński (1760–1819), the leader of the 1794 Warsaw Insurrection,
• Wojciech Bogusławski (1757-1829), theater director and playwright,
• Stanisław Konarski (1700-1173), educational reformer,
• Hugo Kołłątaj (1750-1812), Enlightment era politician and publicist,
• Bolesław Prus (1847-1912), director and writer,
• Władysław Reymont (1867-1925), Noble Prize winning writer,
• Leopold Staff (1878-1957), poet,
• Maria Dąbrowska (1889-1965), writer

Places to see in Warsaw: Royal Castle

The Royal Castle in Warsaw (Polish: Zamek Królewski w Warszawie) is a castle residency and was the official residence of the Polish monarchs. It is located in the Castle Square, at the entrance to the Warsaw Old Town. The personal offices of the king and the administrative offices of the Royal Court of Poland were located there from the 16th century until the Partitions of Poland. In its long history the Royal Castle was repeatedly devastated and plundered by Swedish, Brandenburgian, German, and Russian armies.

The Constitution of 3 May 1791 (of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) was drafted here by the Four-Year Sejm. In the 19th century, after the collapse of the November Uprising, it was used as an administrative center by the Tsar. Between 1926 and World War II the palace was the seat of the Polish president, Ignacy Mościcki. After the devastation done by Nazis during the Warsaw Uprising, the Castle was rebuilt and reconstructed. In 1980, Royal Castle, together with the Old Town was registry in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is a historical and national monument, and is listed as a national museum

Places to see in Warsaw: Copernicus Science Centre

Copernicus Science Centre (Polish: Centrum Nauki Kopernik) is a science museum standing on the bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw. It contains over 450 interactive exhibits that enable visitors to single-handedly carry out experiments and discover the laws of science for themselves. The Centre is the largest institution of its type in Poland and one of the most advanced in Europe.

The Copernicus Science Centre building has been erected on the bank of the Vistula River in the very heart of Warsaw (the corner of Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie and Zajęcza streets, above the Wisłostrada tunnel). The building design was developed by young Polish architects from the firm RAr-2 in Ruda Śląska, who won an architectural competition for the Copernicus Science Centre facility in December 2005

The permanent exhibition in the Copernicus Science Centre consists of over 400 interactive exhibits. The exhibition is divided into six sections concerning various fields of knowledge:

• On the Move
• Humans and the Environment
• Buzzz! - gallery for preschool children
• Lightzone
• Roots of Civilization
• RE: Generation - gallery for young adults

Places to see in Warsaw: University Library Garden

The Warsaw University Library garden, designed by Irena Bajerska, was opened on June 12, 2002. It is one of the largest and most beautiful roof gardens in Europe with an area of more than 10,000 m2, and plants covering 5,111 m2. The garden consists of two parts: an upper garden (2,000 m2) and a lower one (15,000 m2). Both are connected by a stream and cascade of water.

In the lower garden, next to the Library are planted covering and flowering shrubs as well as climbers. The two greatest attractions of the open space - the fish pond and the artificial stone with a small fountain - are connected by the stream. The visitors may often see ducks swimming in, or walking around the pond. Trees, shrubs, and perennials are found in shades of blue and pinkish-white. In the lower garden you can find granite sculptures by Ryszard Stryjecki. His series "Szkic sytuacyjny" ("Situational Sketch") refers to cosmological motifs.

The upper garden consists of plants in a layer of soil (30 cm. deep) on the Library roof. It is divided into four parts, differentiated according to form, color, and character. All segments of the garden are interconnected with paths, bridges, and pergolas. From the bridges and the view terrace on the roof one may see a panorama of Warsaw and the Vistula river. Visitors may also look into the Library through both the special windows and glass roof.

Places to see in Warsaw: Wilanów Palace

Wilanów Palace (Polish: Pałac w Wilanowie) is a royal palace located in the Wilanów district and is one of the most important monuments of Polish culture.

The palace and park in Wilanów is not only a priceless testimony to the splendor of Poland in the past, but also a place for cultural events and concerts, including Summer Royal Concerts in the Rose Garden and the International Summer Old Music Academy. Wilanów Palace was built for the Polish king John III Sobieski in the last quarter of the 17th century and later was enlarged by other owners. It represents the characteristic type of baroque suburban residence built entre cour et jardin (between the entrance court and the garden). Its architecture is original - a merger of European art with old Polish building traditions.

In the year 1805 the owner Stanisław Kostka Potocki made a museum in a part of the palace, one of the first public museums in Poland. Besides European and Oriental art, the central part of the palace displayed a commemoration of king John III Sobieski and the glorious national past. The palace was damaged by Germans forces in World War II, but it was not demolished after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. After the war, the palace was renovated, and most of the collection stolen by Germany was repatriated. In 1962 it was reopened to the public.

Places to see in Warsaw: Ujazdów Castle

Ujazdów Castle (Polish: Zamek Ujazdowski) is a castle in the historic Ujazdów district, between Ujazdów Park (ark Ujazdowski) and the Royal Baths Park (Łazienki Królewskie).

The first castle on the spot was erected by the Dukes of Masovia as early as the 13th century. Since then it had a very volatile history. After World War II the building was to be rebuilt as the Central Military House. However, the works did not start as the walls of the castle were demolished by the Communist authorities of Poland. In 1975 however, the works on reconstruction of the castle to its 18th century design started.

The castle currently houses Centre for Contemporary Art (since 1981), with some permanent and temporary exhibitions, concerts, shows and creative workshops. The centre also develops unique art programs that correlated with the reconstruction and organization of the Ujazdów Castle architectural spaces. The Centre of Contemporary Art currently realizes about 500 projects a year.

Places to see in Warsaw: Palace on the Water

The Palace on the Water (Polish: Pałac na Wodzie), also called the Łazienki Palace (Pałac Łazienkowski) is a Neoclassical palace in Warsaw's Royal Baths Park. Itwas built in the 17th century by Tylman van Gameren for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski. Between 1772 and 1793 it was remodeled by Domenico Merlini for King Stanisław August Poniatowski, who made it his residence.

The palace's furniture and paintings belong to the Classicist style. The building is dominated by an attika supported by columns, and featuring statues of mythological figures.

The palace stands on an artificial island in Łazienki Lake, and is connected to the rest of the park by two arcaded bridges. The long Łazienki Lake is divided by the palace into two parts, a smaller northern lake and a larger southern one.

Places to see in Warsaw: Palace of Culture and Science

The Palace of Culture and Science (Polish: Pałac Kultury i Nauki) in Warsaw is the tallest building in Poland. The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki imienia Józefa Stalina), but in the wake of destalinization the dedication to Stalin was revoked.

As the city's most visible landmark, the building was controversial from its inception. Many Poles initially hated the building because they considered it to be a symbol of Soviet domination, and at least some of that negative feeling persists until today. Some have also argued that, regardless of its political connotations, the building destroyed the aesthetic balance of the old city and imposed dissonance with other buildings.

However, over time, and especially in recent years, Warsaw has acquired a number of other skyscrapers of comparable height, so that the Palace now fits somewhat more harmoniously into the city skyline. Furthermore, since Soviet domination over Poland ended in 1989, the negative symbolism of the building has much diminished. Four 6.3-meter clock faces were added to the top of the building in 2000, making it briefly the tallest, and now the world's second-tallest, clock tower.