Koci Łeb Tower (Street Podmurna 74, Toruń) – those passing through this town will notice this fortified tower (which acted as a prison dungeon). Built during the Middle Ages along the town’s northern municipal wall, the tower was extended during the 16th century (adding cannons for improved fire power). It was partially destroyed during the […]
Kracow Gate (Lublin Square, Lublin) – located 2 ½ hours southeast of Warsaw, the Kracow Gate was built as part of this city’s fortification during the reign of King Casimir the Great (following a Tatar attack in 1341). It now acts as Lublin History Museum. The name of this gate comes from the royal road […]
Historical Museum of Warsaw (Street Rynek Starego Miasta 28/42, Warsaw) – this museum is currently housed within 11 tenement buildings in Warsaw’s Old Town section (a replacement from the original site, which was destroyed during World War II). The museum provides archaeological exhibits, paintings, graphics, iconography, sculpture, decorative arts, numismatics, plans and drawings. Some of […]
Fryderyk Chopin Museum (Street Okólnik 1, Warsaw) – this museum was launched in 1935 by classical music fans, under its original name (the Chopin Institute). The museum’s exhibits make up the world’s richest and most varied collection of memorabilia related to both Fryderyk Chopin (1810 – 1849) as an individual, and his work. The collection […]
Fort IV (Street Chrobrego 86, Toruń) – this fort was built in 1878-84 as one of the defenses of this town – built by the Prussians who occupied that part of Poland. Incredibly, a bed & breakfast hotel actually exists within this fort. The town of Toruń is located 2 ½ hours northwest of Warsaw […]
Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute Museum (Street Tłomackie 3/5, Warsaw) – this museum, located within the Main Judaic Library, is one of the few Jewish historical sites that are still located in the Warsaw Ghetto. Two major displays are housed here: one on the history of the Warsaw Ghetto (up until the Jewish community’s elimination […]
Copernicus Science Centre (Street Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, Warsaw) — this science museum is named after the famed 16th century Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus – who originally promoted his proven theory that the Sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe. This science center has over 450 interactive exhibits – which has become popular […]
Bedzin Castle (ul. Świerczewskiego 15 Bedzin) — located in the town of the same name, this castle goes back to the 14th century. A previous wooden fortification existed here, but was burned down by the Mongols in 1241. In 1358, Casimir the Great (1333-1370) replaced that structure with the current (still-standing) stone-based one. At the […]
Poland is best known for its place in history as being a country under constant occupation from one foreign force or another. A large Eastern European country that was wedged between two powerful countries during the 20th century (Germany and Russia), Poland was ruled by local monarchs (the Jagiellonian dynasty) for much of the Middle […]