The five day trip to Warsaw (Day 1 afternoon still) - The old town square and on the way back to Rondo Dmowskiego - The 24th of June 2015

(...)

I walked into the old town square I had been to some years ago, which due to the number of café esplanades and street vendors looked somehow different, particularly bearing in mind that at the time one's eyes immediately fell onto one of the best loved statues of Poland, Syrenka which also happens to be Warsaw's symbol - the mermaid, one could hardly find among the paintings, café umbrellas ... and such panafernelia, unless you headed towards the centre of the square.  

The richly decorated burgher houses could be seen almost everywhere as they lined the square ... and despite the fact that I had already seen them it was as if I was looking at them for the first time. I did appreciate some decorations more than others but had to recognise that every one of those was special in its own own.

 

I managed to see one of the old water pumps dating back to the 19th century, once a group of tourists moved away, though the truth was the square must be one of the most visited places in Warsaw and if one moment it looked calm, the following second it would be invariably invaded by another group of tourists ... and that seemed a never ending process ...

 

 

 

The legend of the mermaid dates to the time of Prince Kazimierz, who supposedly got lost during a hunting expedition, having been guided back safely by a mermaid. Her model is said to have been an actress, who was mortally injured on the first day of the uprising whilst working as a field nurse.

 

 

From there I turned into the ul.  Swietojanska where I came across the Jesuit church and St. John Baptist Cathedral, whose façades and entrance doors I photographed expecting to be back some time later during the week or into the weekend, as masses being carried out in both of them didn't allow me to thoroughly visit them then

 

 

 

I then headed back via the same way I had walked before in readiness to eat something on the way to the hotel either along Krakowskie Przedmiescie or Nowy Swiat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having been accommodated on the seventeenth floor despite my rather fearful attitude in regards to heights I risked looking out of the bedroom window so as to take a photograph of what I could see  from it ...

It had been a long day and although I didn't feel particularly tired  ... I had to get up fairly early the following day, so decided to soon turn off the light and try to (at least) relax ...

 

The five day trip to Warsaw (Day 1 afternoon cont.) - on the way to the Old Town - The 24th of June 2015

(...)

As I continued walking along ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie I came across the 1643 Presidential Palace guarded by stone lions and fierce looking soldiers. It is said to have passed into the hands of various aristocratic families and  become known for its extravagant banquets, of which the one held to commemorate the coronation of Stanislav II August Poniatowski in 1789 seems to be the most eccentric one. A statue of Poniatowski's brother was later added in 1965.

 

When Poland regained its independence in 1918 it was commandeered  to serve as a home for the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers, despite the fact that the actual President has chosen to reside at the Belvedere Palace instead.

 

The statue depicting Adam Mickiewicz erected in 1898 is according to written information was intended to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Poland's best-loved bard.

The Baroque Wessel Palace seen on the opposite side despite standing among various other buildings lining up the Krakowskie Przedmiescie street did stand out ...

 

 

  

... and a little farther on, the quite sober neo-classical looking façade of St. Anne's Church, one of the oldest churches in Warsaw and one I would thoroughly visit two days later and fall in love with.

Upon reaching the Zamkowy Pl. one couldn't help but looking at the imposing 1644 column depicting King Sigismund, holding a sword in his right hand symbolising bravery and a cross in the left showing readiness to fight evil.  

On one side of the Square the 15th century Royal Castle caught my attention. It is said to have served as residence of the Mazovian Princes and hold a priceless collection of paintings, not to mention the richness of the numerous rooms and chambers I would have the privilege of visiting the following Sunday.

I did go across and walked into the Piwna street out of curiosity after having sighted  what looked like the bellfry of a yellow church I soon found out to be the Church of St. Martin said to have been founded in 1356 by the Duke of Mazovia Ziemowit and his wife Euphemia and repeatedly reconstructed in Barroque style. I didn't manage to visit it that particular day nor any other day as everytime I went by it was closed.

(To be continued)