1. The Royal Castle The Royal Castle The Column of Zygmunt III Waza The Barbican The Mermaid Warsaw – The old town Alicja Krasnowska i Monika Hawrylak kl. 6b

2. The Royal Castle The present building is a reconstruction of the complex bombed during combat in September 1939, and blown up by the Nazis in 1944. The reconstruction project was designed by Jan Bogusławski, on the basis of the prewar state (the project was put into life in the years 1971 - 1988). Next

3. The Early Baroque shape, as well as gothic elevation of the inner wing of the Yard, was reconstructed, together with a set of Baroque and classicistic interiors, making use of remaining fragments of old the old structure. The Castle is a monument of national history and culture. It provides the setting for permanent exhibitions as well as temporary exhibitions of old art, for official meetings, concerts, symposia and other cultural events. The construction of the Castle was began by king Zygmunt III Waza. The Old Castle was designed by Jan Batysta Trevano and Vincenzo Scamozzi. next

4. King Wladyslaw IV added a loggia over looking the garden and the so called “Władysławowska” tower (erected in 1637-1643, designed by Konstanty Tencall). During the reign of the Saxon kings, in the first half of the XVIII century, a New Castle (of August III Wettin) was build, with a rococo wing facing the Vistula river (constructed in 1737 - 1746, designed by Gaetano Chiaveri) and a northern wing of the Yard. The enlargement of the Castle that took part during the times of king Stanisław August Poniatowski consisted of the southern wing (constructed in 1765 -1771, designed by Jakub Fontana) as well as Late Baroque and classicistic interiors (designed by Domenico Merlini and Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer, with paintings by Marcello Bacciarelli). Stanisław August, a connoiseur and patron of arts created in it a workshop run by Marcello Bacciarelli. At this time the Royal Library (designed by Domenico Merlini) was build. Its rooms of 1814 designed by Wilhelm Henryk Minter are the only original interiors in The present Castle complex. Back To Menu

5. The site where the Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy) is situated used to belong to the king. The buildings around it were created at the time when the Castle was extended, during the reign of King Zygmunt III Waza. The Square was regulated a number of times. For example, in XVII century, when the Column of Zygmunt III Waza was built, then in the first half of the XIX century, when the viaduct of Feliks Pancer was under construction, later after the World War II when the Trasa W-Z tunnel was driven (at that time the shape of the Square was changed, and the Column of Zygmunt III Waza was moved by 6 meters), and finally after 1983, as a result of Castle reconstruction (the lower part of the gothic bridge were exposed then). The Column OF Zygmunt III Waza BACkBACk

6. The Barbican From its very foundation (around 1300) the Old Town was surrounded by an earthen rampart. In the XVI century the old walls made of mud and sand were replaced by defense walls made of bricks, on the stone foundations, with rectangular bastions and the Barbican (which is a gate, in front of the Nowomiejska Gate) designed by Giovanni Battista of Venice. From the second half of the XVIII the walls had been successfully pulled down. What we have today is a reconstruction done in 1946 - 1954, based on the state of the end of the XVI century. Relics of the old Gothic bridge can still be seen today. Within the walls the monuments were erected: to Jan Kiliński, the leader of the townsmen of Warsaw during the Kościuszko Insurrection in 1794 (the statue by St. Jackowski, made in 1935), and to the Young Insurgent in 1983 by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz. Back To Menu

7. The mermaid Image of a mermaid have been used on the crest of Warsaw as its symbol, since the mid of the 14th century. next

8. Legend – part I Legend tells that once upon a time two mermaid sisters swam to the shore of the Baltic Sea from their home in the depths. They were truly beautiful, even though they had fish tails instead of legs. One of them decided to swim further towards the Danish straits. Now she can be seen sitting on a rock at the entry to the port of Copenhagen. The second swam to the seaside town, Gdańsk. And then, up the Vistula River. Probably right at the foot of today's Old Town, there is a place where she came out of the water onto the sandy bank to rest. She liked it so much that she decided to stay. next

9. The fishermen, who used to live in this area, noticed that when they were fishing, someone was agitating the waves of the Vistula River, tangling their nets and freeing fish from their traps. Therefore, they decided to catch the culprit and get even with him once and for all. But when they heard the enchanting song of the mermaid, they gave up on their plans and frankly came to love the beautiful woman-fish. Since that time, on every evening, she entertained them with her marvelous singing. Legend – part II next

10. But one day, a rich merchant strolling on the banks of the Vistula River caught sight of the little mermaid. He decided to catch her and keep her as a prisoner, and then make money by showing her at the fairs. The merchant quickly put into practice his wicked scheme. He caught the mermaid by a trick and held her as a prisoner in a wooden shed, with no access to the water. Her cries were heard by a young farm-hand, the son of a fisherman, who with the help of a friend freed her one night. The mermaid, in recognition of the fact that the inhabitants had come to her aid, swore that if in turn they would be in danger, she would come to protect them. That is why the Warsaw mermaid is armed with a sword and a shield, for the protection of our city. Legend – part III Back To Menu