Nonetheless, we arrived in Warsaw before sundown and were delighted to check into the elegant Hotel Bristol which was perfectly located on the main street of Warsaw’s historic town.
As usual, we started our stay with a walking tour of
Warsaw. Our tour met at Sigismund’s Column
in the heart of the historic town. This
was a fitting starting point as it was King Sigismund who decided to move the
country’s capital from Krakow to Warsaw in 1596 and helped Warsaw truly emerge into a world-class city.
Like many European cities, Poland has endured a turbulent
existence, surviving multiple wars and domination by a variety of
countries including Prussia, Austria, France, and most recently the USSR. 
Through all the upheaval, Poland’s capital city has earned
the reputation as a “phoenix city”, in large part because of its ability to
resurrect itself on numerous occasions, including after its almost entire
destruction in WWII.
Although many cities in Europe suffered damage in the war,
Warsaw suffered a worse fate than most.
It is estimated that 80% of the city was destroyed, including nearly the
entire city centre and its most historic and significant buildings.
Warsaw was a key target of the Germans during the War, primarily
because the city was home to the largest number of Jews in Europe at that
time. In addition, when the Polish organized
the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, the Germans - on the verge of losing the war - were thought to be so angered by the
rebellion that they sought to destroy every
aspect of the city before their defeat.
But the Polish were determined to rebuild their city and their spirit and drive is felt throughout Warsaw.
The completely gutted Historic Main Square was rebuilt in just 7 years with the majority of the city, including the city walls, rebuilt not much later. Using photos and artist sketches from the 18th Century (a prettier version preferred by the architects versus the 19th Century version), the rebuilding was almost entirely identical with a few unexpected updates – a monkey statue, for example, perches on the corner of a building which was originally incorporated into a sketch as an insult to a feuding family.
The completely gutted Historic Main Square was rebuilt in just 7 years with the majority of the city, including the city walls, rebuilt not much later. Using photos and artist sketches from the 18th Century (a prettier version preferred by the architects versus the 19th Century version), the rebuilding was almost entirely identical with a few unexpected updates – a monkey statue, for example, perches on the corner of a building which was originally incorporated into a sketch as an insult to a feuding family.
Although not the biggest or most dramatic,
the people’s passion shines through and
this UNESCO recognized site now welcomes guests with jazz concerts, buskers/balloon
sellers, outdoor restaurants and of course the famous Mermaid of
Warsaw, who is fabled to be the sister of the Copenhagen mermaid and is meant protect the city from war (she was napping during WWII).
Architecture aside, however, Warsaw’s human tragedy during WWII
can never be undone. Of Warsaw’s almost
1.4 million residents before the War, half died during the War and only about
10% remained in the city by the time the War ended. This
tragedy is commemorated and reflected throughout the city and will be explored
more fully in a separate post.
Although the city has re-emerged and its 1.7 million
population is growing at a pace much faster than the rest of Poland, the city
still felt quiet somehow. Perhaps because
people were on vacation or because it is just now back to pre-war levels
(versus the growth beyond that from other cities), but the city never felt crowded. There was never any traffic, no waiting lines
and never any trouble getting reservations somewhere. A
quiet calm for the phoenix city.
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