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Warsaw: History Meets A Thriving Music & Arts Scene

By Laura Blake

Posted: 6th October 2014 16:25

The capital of Poland has a melancholic history, having been left nearly completely destroyed in the aftermath of the Second World War.  However Warsaw is not proving to be a city that dwells on its past and is taking running steps towards a promising future; saying that, the effects of Nazi German occupation are far from forgotten.  The city is now home to educational and evocative museums which pay respect to the memory of those lost in WWII.

Warsaw is also home to a thriving music and arts scene, hosting vibrant street performances and Chopin inspired music festivals at every corner.  The architecture can be described as daunting and grey but for those who look closely there are plenty of treasures to be unveiled.  A small network of hidden bars entitled the ‘Pawilony Bars’, exist behind the one of the city’s most popular streets – Nowy Swiat, and are famed for their edginess and proximity to impressive street art.

Warsaw Uprising Museum

The Warsaw Uprising Museum opened in 2004 on the 60th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising as a tribute to all those who fought so hard to liberate Poland.  The museum is set up in a restored power station and accommodates nearly 1000 exhibits, 1500 photos and film archives and a number of first hand survival accounts.

The story of the Polish struggle to free themselves from the occupation of Nazi Germany is narrated over three levels and the museum’s historical and educational significance ensures that it is one of the most visited and respected museums in Warsaw. 

Additional features include: a 3D movie named City of Ruins, which is a simulation of a flight over devastated Warsaw, a museum tower and a memorial wall.  The museum’s memorial wall lists the names of over 10,000 brave soldiers who died during battle and is centred around a large bell which is dedicated to General Antoni Chruściel.  

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