Warsaw Insider Old Town Guide 2019

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

OLD TOWN SURVIVAL GUIDE Skillfully rebuilt after its

wartime annihilation, it’s hard to fathom that there’s bits to the Old Town that are probably younger than yourself – looking around, you’d really never guess.

An unyielding statement of Warsaw’s indomitable spirit, the historic core is compelling, charismatic and a joy to behold… that is, at least, if you know where to head.

Old Town Guide

Royal Castle Completed in 1619 only to be later razed to the ground by the Nazis, the meticulous reconstruction of the zamek was only finished as recently as 1984. Magnificent and over-thetop, the interiors house numerous attractions, among them paintings

by Rembrandt and Canaletto. A thorough exploration is a must.

(Summer 2019)

St. John’s Cathedral Though lacking the outright splendor of Poland’s other great cathedrals, St. John’s isn’t short on stories. Built in the 14th century, it’s here that Europe’s first constitution was signed on May 3rd, 1791. Costing extra to enter, the crypt contains the tombs of Poland’s last monarch as well as numerous other premiers and dignitaries.

Barbican Acting as a bridge between Old and New Town, the red brick barbican was first erected in 1540 and was rebuilt after WWII using bricks shipped from Wrocław and Nysa.

Today, a small but engaging exhibition detailing its history is concealed within its guts.

THE ESSENTIALS

No-one likes ‘being a tourist’, but when in Warsaw’s Old Town it’s the best way to be. If time is precious, then unfurl your map and tick off the biggies. Of the must visits, none are more essential than the following fab four…

Rynek

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It’s in the main square that the sheer beauty of Warsaw’s Old Town truly strikes home. Framed by elaborately decorated tenements, highlights include the iconic mermaid statue in the center and the mind-blowing Museum of Warsaw. After, bite the bullet with an overpriced beer to soak in the atmosphere and the sounds of the buskers.

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Warsaw Insider | Summer Guide 2019

CANALETTO, WARSZAWA, MIODOWA STREET, 1777

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

Over 18s!

Marketed as an ‘interactive museum of fear’, the premise is simple: get people into a dark basement and then frighten the living daylights out of them. Disturbing and disorientating, it’s a high adrenaline experience that makes the hair stand on end: grope around a labyrinthine floorplan whilst being accosted by zombies, ghosts and masked nutters waving chainsaws. It’s not quite what one expects of Old Town, but it’s a welcome diversion that thrills all who visit.

Horror House ul. Wąski Dunaj 12/18, horrorhouse.pl

Ever noticed the fist-bumping, bananaclenching monkey sat on the corner of the roof of the Branicki Palace (Miodowa 6). With the palace originally built in the 18th century (at a time when monkeys were widely regarded to be simple, idiotic creatures), for years historians were baffled by the presence of the primate – who in their right mind would commission such a work? The answer is, well, no-one. Largely destroyed during WWII, the palace was faithfully reconstructed based on the paintings of Bernardo Bellotto (a.k.a Canaletto).

Though the specifics vary, it’s generally agreed that Bellotto secretly added the ape to his painting as a wily way of gaining revenge: there are those who say the owner of the Branicki Palace had reneged on a deal with Bellotto; others claim that the artist simply had a strong dislike of the lady whose statue actually appeared on this spot. Either way, the last laugh belonged to Bellotto.

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Under 18s!

Become a giant, enter a vortex, count infinite reflections or color your shadow. These treats and more await inside the World Of Illusion, a mad experience that isn’t unlike climbing into a Salvador Dali painting.

Contradicting the very laws of physics, expect a trippy hour of extreme optical illusions and mind-bending fun. Kids love it, but so too do all – the photo opportunities this place affords will look fab on your social media.

World Of Illusion Rynek Starego Miasto 17/21, museumworldofillusion.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP FACEBOOK, KEVIN DEMARIA, FACEBOOK

Monkey Tales!

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN! Having made it through the war with just token flesh wounds, St.

Anne’s Church came within a whisker of tumbling down entirely after the post-war construction of the W-Z tunnel rendered the surrounding ground unstable – only round-the-clock work by a team of 400 engineers saved the whole thing from crash downing.

That’s good news for all for the glories of this church are copious: the Baroque, fresco-filled interior is magnificent, though it’s the adjoining bell tower that truly steals the show. For grandstand views of Pl. Zamkowy and beyond, pant your way up the 147 steps to enjoy the city’s most picturesque viewing platform.

St. Anne’s Church ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 68

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Best View 4

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Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

Blink And You’ll Miss It!

The skinny house at ul. Kanonia 18 is proof that the concept of micro living isn’t a modern fad. Only just slightly wider that its door frame, its narrow form was a cunning ploy by its 17th century owner to avoid paying a hefty property tax bill.

A Most Wanted Man

The privately run General Kukliński Museum dedicates itself to honoring the Polish double agent widely hailed as ‘the most important CIA spy of the 20th century’. Among other things, you’ll learn just how close the world came to outright nuclear apocalypse inside this small but lovingly run project.

Wishful Thinking

See that glued-up bell on ul. Kanonia?

Stitched up after crashing down from St. John’s Cathedral during the war, it’s now common practice to circle it three times with your finger on the top before making a wish – presto, your dreams will come true.

DON’T CALL ME SQUARE

Snap!

Beginning by the Royal Castle before opening up into a triangular ‘square’, ul. Kanonia is the cute, little street most pass without thought…

The ZPAF photo gallery on Kanonia (official address: Pl. Zamkowy 8) houses interchanging, free exhibitions featuring some of the world’s top talents. Further motivation to visit is provided by daily Chopin concerts at 6 p.m. and a secluded back garden that’s one of Warsaw’s prettiest, tiny secrets.

Safe Passage

2012

That’s the year that Kanonia 18 lost its title as the country’s skinniest house. But if you’re going to lose your crown, at least do it to a world-beater.

Measuring 71 centimeters at its narrowest, the Keret House on Warsaw’s ul. Chlodna 22 now holds the honor of being the world’s thinnest home.

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

The covered overhead walkway spanning Kanonia was built in 1620 to safeguard the King after a deranged nobleman by the name of Michał Piekarski tried to club him to death as he made the short stroll from the Castle to the Cathedral. King Zygmunt III survived, whilst Piekarski was tortured to death before having his remains blasted from a cannon.

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

Get Me Outta’ Here!

Of the ‘corrections’ that were made to the Old Town during its reconstruction, it was the addition of the W-Z highway running beneath Pl. Zamkowy that stood out the most. Lauded as one of the great engineering triumphs of PRL Poland, the building of a road connecting Western Warsaw to Praga was deemed such an event that the Wuzetka sponge cake – still eagerly devoured today – was named after it.

Mostly famously though, it was the 1949 opening of the country’s first escalator that really wowed the public. Leading from Pl. Zamkowy down to the mouth of the tunnel, ‘the moving stairs’ were deemed a major tourist attraction at the time; to this day, original signs have been saved warning children and those with heart defects against repeated use. Also preserved behind plexiglass are reliefs depicting brotherly Soviet-Polish friendship. If you’re leaving Old Town, there’s no better way to go!

PHOTOGRAPHS LEFT NAC, ABOVE SHUTTERSTOCK

Picture That!

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There’s no shortage of photo ops in Old Town, but for the best look no further than Dawna, a charming twitten bookended by two buildings that arch over the alley below. Five meters wide, and forty-three meters in length, its best-known embellishment – a powder blue annex positioned over the cobbles – was added in the 18th century to serve as a home for the parish priest. Going through the archway leads to a small alcove overlooking the river, an area commonly known as Gnojna Góra.

Functioning as the town’s rubbish heap until the mid-19th century (syphilitics were once buried here neck high in poop as a vaunted cure for their ills), today it’s become one of Warsaw’s most romantic viewpoints, something affirmed by the lovelocks clasped to its railings. Continue down the road to climb Kamienne Schodki to return to the Rynek. On this stone stairwell Napoleon is said to have walked in 1806, accompanied by Prince Poniatowski as the pair pondered Eastern conquests.

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Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

Reduced to ashes by the end of the war, the story of Warsaw’s Old Town could easily be portrayed as one of tragedy.

Instead, it is the reverse: the remarkable tale of an indomitable city that never gave up…

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“I

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Back From The Brink

have seen many cities destroyed, but nowhere have I been faced with such destruction.” So spoke General Eisenhower whilst touring the ruins of Warsaw at the end of the war. This was not an exaggeration. Already scarred by the terror bombings of 1939, further devastation was visited on Warsaw as a result of the bitter house-to-house combat that marked the 1944 Uprising. The catastrophe further compounded by Hitler’s order to physically erase Warsaw after the insurgency had been crushed.

It’s hard to fathom the sheer scale of the devastation.

Such was its severity plans were mooted to shift the capital permanently to Łódź; to leave Warsaw as a windblown heap of bricks – a permanent memorial to the horror of war. For the communists, though, the opportunity to rebuild Warsaw as a model socialist city was too good to refuse. The question was, how?

Much of Warsaw’s pre-war architecture was deemed by authorities as too ‘capitalistic’, too bourgeois. As such, the tall 19th century tenements that had lent Warsaw its romantic silhouette were replaced, instead, by blockish estates and concrete carbuncles. But not all of Warsaw was given the Everyman treatment. In spite of some arguing for Old Town to be turned into an anonymous housing district (other concepts included transforming it into a park ringed by war

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

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remained of the east side of the main market square was slated for demolition, allowing for unimpeded views of the river. On hearing this Zachwatowicz ordered workers to reconstruct the burgher houses, and pronto. His hunch that the decision makers wouldn’t want to offend the public by dismantling the finished article proved bang on. While visiting the Rynek, party leader Bołesław Bierut declared, “we cannot knock down what the working class have built.”

That was in 1949, the same year Phase 1 of the reconstruction was initiated. The plan involved the restoration of the Rynek, as well as connecting streets such as Piwna and Zapiecek. The work was meticulous and backbreaking: the removal of 500,000 cubic meters of rubble was conducted via hods and wheelbarrows, horse-drawn wagons, and a mini rail line. The eventual arrival of a crane constituted headline news. To meet the demands of the reconstruction, plaster was imported from the Soviet Union, and gold leaf from the Czechoslovakia; at one stage, one million bricks were arriving daily from Wrocław. Finally, on July 22nd, 1953, the first stage was complete.

The political ping pong that followed Stalin’s death threw the reconstruction into chaos – other projects were prioritized, and work on Stare Miasto continued intermittently (the Royal Castle, would you believe, was only reopened as recently as 1984). Nonetheless, the sweat and the tears paid off in 1980 when Old Town was inducted onto the World Heritage List, with UNESCO officials citing it as, “an exceptional example of the global reconstruction of a sequence of history running from the 13th to 20th centuries.”

Others have not been so generous in their praise, with historian Marta Leśniakowska dismissing it as a “pseudo historical nature reserve.” Yet while the area undoubtedly has a contrived, Euro Disney air, it’s impossible not to admire the sheer bloody mindedness that led to its (re)creation. Without it, Warsaw would not be Warsaw.

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ARCHIVAL PHOTO NAC

rubble), the communist party identified the value of rebuilding it from scratch. “The rebuilding of Warsaw was an act of national defiance,” wrote historian Norman Davies, and the reconstruction of Old Town “was shrewdly designed to establish the patriotic credentials of the post-war order.”

With the exception of the site of the former Jewish Ghetto, no other area suffered as much destruction as Old Town: of its 260 burgher houses, only the skeletons of six survived the war. The task in hand was not going to be simple, and was further complicated by interfering authorities. Indeed, it was because of busybodies that Old Town wasn’t restored as faithfully as it could have been. Pre-war photographs of the district were numerous, whilst during the occupation activists and architects maintained an exhaustive and extensive inventory of the city’s architecture lest carnage ensue. Even so, when it came to rebuilding Old Town these documents and photographs were largely overlooked by the planning committee in favor of twenty or so vedute authored

by Bernardo Bellotto.

However, the flaws in using Bellotto’s works as a blueprint were latent. While hugely talented and famed for his intricately detailed scenes, Bellotto’s paintings were was notorious for being prone to exaggeration and plagued by factual inconsistencies. If he didn’t like something, he didn’t paint it and would add things that weren’t even there: amazingly, these flights of fancy all made the final cut during the reconstruction process.

Just why did authorities reject more authoritative sources and back Bellotto instead? The answer is perhaps best explained in Rafał Muranowski’s essay exploring the relationship between political ideology and Warsaw’s Old Town: “Bellotto’s paintings were thought to capture the spirit of an epoch instantiated by the artistic patronage of the King, a figurehead of the so-called Polish Enlightenment, an era with which the nascent PRL seemed to identify. Bellotto’s paintings, with their depictions of magnificent palaces rising from the midst of shabby wooden huts, were thought to encapsulate the optimistic spirit of a young and virile Warsaw, as yet un-ravaged by the excesses of untrammeled capitalism.”

While the decision to rebuild Old Town was only officially rubber stamped in 1949, the necessary mechanisms essential to its rebirth were already locked into place. On February 14th, 1945, the Warsaw Reconstruction Office came into being, with the Department of Architectural Heritage established within its framework. Bossed jointly by Piotr Biegański and Jan Zachwatowicz, the two undertook a hefty project to list, categorize and preserve masonry that had survived intact – as a result, about 15% of today’s Stare Miasto is comprised of original Gothic and Renaissance fabric.

The work of the pair was also substantially aided by the enthusiasm of private homeowners who, as yet, had not had their homes appropriated by the government. It was on private initiative that the dwelling at Nowomiejska 10 became, in 1947, the first old town property to be completely rebuilt. At this stage, Old Town’s resurrection was still the subject of heated debate. According to one anecdote, what

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

ON A PEDESTAL

In a city not short on monuments and memorials, the most famous can be found within the confines of Old Town…

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The Little Insurgent

Cold-shouldered by the communists who saw it as a rebellion fomented by the West, the 1944 Warsaw Uprising was erased from the history books for much of the PRL era. With people power growing under the Solidarity movement, the authorities ceded to popular demand and in 1983 allowed for the erection of a monument to ‘the Little Insurgent’. Modeled on Antek, a 13-year-old boy-soldier killed during the early stages of the battle, funds for the bronze memorial were raised by local boy scouts.

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Zygmunt’s Column

Should you shift the capital to Warsaw, then expect a 22-meter column to go up in your name.

At least, that’s what happened in the case of Zygmunt III Vasa.

Constructed on the orders of his son in 1644, the granite column was inspired by those the family had seen on an earlier trip to Italy. Symbolic of bravery, it’s said if the sword he wields falls then Warsaw will face trouble. Certainly, that’s what happened in 1944 when the column was felled by a single artillery round.

Rebuilt in 1949, the original lies to the side of the Royal Castle and is considered lucky to touch.

PHOTOGRAPHS SHUTTERSTOCK

The Mermaid

Displayed on the city’s coat of arms since 1390, the city’s mythological protector – the mermaid – has three statues in the city, the most famous being the one that stands in the center of the Rynek. Famed she might be, but Konstanty Hegel’s 1855 original has not had the happiest of histories. Destroyed and relocated countless times (hence her nickname: the walking statue), what you see in the center is a clone constructed in 2008 (find the Version 1.0 standing in the Historical Museum).

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

LEGENDS OF OLD TOWN From the wistful and sad to the silly and absurd, the historic center is wrapped in mystifying stories and baffling tales…

Bear Hug

Jan Kiliński

A masterful cobbler by profession, such was Jan Kiliński’s talent he rose to become one of the most prominent burghers in Warsaw (today, a largely unknown museum to him and his craft operates on Wąski Dunaj 10). He was a patriot, as well: raising a force of 20,000 men, he fought with distinction in the doomed 1794 Warsaw Uprising.

Raised in 1936, his statue was hidden by the Nazis inside the National Museum – once this became public knowledge, scouts painted the walls of the museum with the message: “People Of Warsaw, I Am Here!”

Moved back to his original home (on Pl. Krasińskich), the shoemaker was eventually relocated to his current position on Podwale in 1959.

The stone bear outside the Jesuit monastery next to St. John’s Cathedral is, in fact, a Mazovian prince! Nicknamed Prince Bear by people because of the extra weight he carried, the Prince became besotted with a young damsel; plucking up the courage to ask her on a date, he picked-up some flowers and then headed to the church he knew she frequented. To his shock, she appeared from it wearing a wedding dress. Dazed and heartbroken, he threw down the flowers and transformed into a bear. Shedding one final tear, he hung his head and then turned to stone. So it’s said, he’ll return to human form when he finds love again.

The Birds Prior to the war, Kazimiera Majchrzak would buy 5kg of grain and feed the flocks of pigeons that gathered on Pl. Zamkowy. Even during the occupation, the so-called Pigeon Lady’s commitment didn’t waver even though she was forced to sell her valuables to buy the required grain. Said to have lost two sons during the war, she became one of the first exiles to return to the city following liberation and once again set about her task of feeling the birds. Two in particular appealed to her, with Majchrzak claiming she could see the souls of her lost sons in them. Living in the ruins of Piwna 6, she was forced to leave her home in 1947 but was remembered via a relief above the doorway depicting a tight scrum of birds.

Wars & Sawa

Dead north of the Rynek you find the monument most will forget: Wars & Sawa. Too many legends surround this couple to ever even come close to making sense, but suffice to say it’s to them we owe the creation this city!

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If there’s one thing horror films have taught us it’s for Pete’s sake, stay out of the cellar! That’s something you’d have done particularly well to remember back in the old days, when an ugly basilisk stalked the catacombs of Krzywe Koło.

To cut a long legend short, a group of children ignored warnings about the beast and decided to nip into the cellars to find the treasure it guarded. Alarmed by their disappearance, a tailor went after the kids armed with a mirror.

On hearing the monster approaching, our hero shined his chosen weapon in its face, and the basilisk – aghast at his own hideous form – was turned to stone. Now, you’ll find a few basilisks sprinkled round town – not least at one of his old hunting grounds: Bazyliszek restaurant at Rynek Starego Miasto 1/3.

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Monster In The Mirror!

Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

THE THINGS WE LOVE

Reopened in 2017 following a five-year hiatus, the Museum of Warsaw has struck back with a bang, blossoming from a dusty, old labyrinth into a treasure filled trove brimming with unexpected curiosities.

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Following a looping, rambling trail, the experience begins in an opening section devoted to bizarre data (e.g., Warsaw’s first kebab shop: 1994), before trailing through a total of eleven townhouses.

Scramble up narrow staircases, duck under low thresholds and squeeze through narrow corridors as you pass object-driven displays such as The Packaging Room, a nostalgia-fueled emporium of old coffee cans, medicine bottles and cigarette packages, or another filled with numerous city postcards recovered from the ages.

Views, maps, clocks, medals are all awarded their own sections, forming a fraction of a total of 21 thematic rooms that arguably hit a zenith in the Room of Relics – a place where each object is housed in a display case dressed in gold leaf, creating a hallowed, even religious effect: among them, a saucer from the Bristol Hotel autographed by Picasso; the cigarette case of Stefan Starzyński, the Mayor who rallied the city during the 1939 Siege of Warsaw; and Peemek, a lucky toy monkey once used to conceal valuables during the war. Climaxing with dizzying views of the Rynek, it’s an experience that leaves visitors bewildered by the depth of its scope.

Museum of Warsaw Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl Admission: zł. 20/15 (free Thurs) 11

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Old Town Guide (Summer 2019)

The generosity of the portions does nothing to disguise the mediocrity of the cooking, but despite the so-so nature of the quality there’s an intensely lovable quality to Podwale that’s underlined by its boisterous, beer hall atmosphere and lively inner courtyard.

Mazal Tov (1) ul. Podwale 29, mazaltov.pl Operated by the same group behind Momu and Aioli, their experience in pleasing the masses is mirrored by Mazal Tov, a restaurant whose menu is inspired by Ashkenazi cuisine. The tastes have an addictive street food style, while the courtyard garden is a shaded refuge from the Old Town hubbub.

Podwale Kompania Piwna (2) ul. Podwale 25, podwale25.pl

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Warszawski Sznyt (5) ul. Senatorska 2, warszawskisznyt.pl It’s a fact of life that Old Town’s restaurants are marketed at tourists, so it’s revealing that so many locals gravitate towards Szynt. The steak menu on ground level never fails to hit the spot, while the modernized Polish cuisine upstairs is made even better by the picture book view of the castle in front.

Stolica (3) ul. Szeroki Dunaj 1/3, restauracjastolica.com An enjoyably nostalgic ride through bygone times, the atmosphere of the inter-bellum is reflected by a menu that celebrates the tastes of classic Poland with no quarter given.

Formal service and white tablecloth D R I N K arrangements lend a typically Old Town ambiance.

Bar & Books (6) ul. Wąski Dunaj 20, barandbooks.pl Świętoszek Tartuffe (4) Even regulars admit the prices are ul. Jezuicka 6/8, swietoszek.pl steep, but that’s the trade-off for Designed by a pair of successful drinking inside an elegant coach stage designers, this vaulted brick house tucked behind the Old Town cellar has an elegant chic look that’s walls. The wood-paneled interiors are as classy as the cocktails and come served by smooth bartenders that could easily play extras in the Bond films that spool endlessly by the bar.

E AT

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rare for the area. The menu refines traditional Polish tastes to present good-looking dishes made from regional ingredients.

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Celi Bar (7) ul. Świętojańska 27/29, celibar.com.pl If the ground level looks like a mundane, tacky tourist joint, then that’s because it is. But persevere and head to the sweaty downstairs dungeon level for a fridge that surpasses all expectations with its impressive collection of Polish craft and regional beers.

Lapidarium (8) Rynek Starego Miasto 40, lapidariumcafe.com Not everywhere in the Rynek is an unmitigated catastrophe. At Lapidarium, sip regional beers whilst grappling with their signature half-meter sausage (!), homemade apple pie or gargantuan cheese boards. Adding to the enjoyment are friendly servers that aren’t there to fleece you.

Maryensztadt (9) ul. Szeroki Dunaj 11, restauracjamaryensztadt.pl Maryensztadt’s portfolio of beers gets better by the week. Increasingly experimental, find sour pineapple

IPAs sharing space alongside barrel aged coconut and vanilla stouts. There’s much to like, including a patio on one of the area’s quieter little squares.

Partner Check-in

Same Krafty (10) ul. Nowomiejska 10 With the lion’s share of Old Town’s bars content to serve second-rate lager from the big corpo breweries, Same Krafty win blanket praise for their hardcore commitment to artisanal beer. The primitive interior does nothing to stop locals and tourists alike from cramming it to the gunnels.

When critical mass is reached, head opposite to their sister pub Same Krafty Vis A Vis. STORES Bursztynek (11) Rynek Starego Miasta 4/6, bursztynek.co The largest amber jewelry store in Warsaw features an abundance of unique amber-related souvenirs as well as a permanent exhibition exploring the history of amber, its creation and its uses throughout history.

Lamus (12) ul. Nowomiejska 7, lamus.pl A magical world awaits of musty smells and leather-bound tomes. Complimenting the assortment of antiquarian books are a series of framed photos, antique maps, old coins and rare prints.

Lapidarium (13) ul. Nowomiejska 15/17, lapidarium.pl Cascading with trinkets, treasure, junk and bunkum, this antique store presents the opportunity for an afternoon spent endlessly rummaging.

Cavalry swords, pre-war Judaica, Orthodox icons, books, scrolls, helmets, cameras, chess sets, jewelry…

Museum Of Warsaw (14) Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl There’s a few thousand reasons to visit this museum, and its bookstore is one. The collection of Warsaw-related books isn’t easily surpassed, and the offer complimented by a healthy stock of tasteful gifts and souvenirs that you’re not ashamed to buy.

Polish Poster Gallery (15) ul. Piwna 28/30 Jazz up your living space with quirky art from the so-called Polish School of Poster. Though claustrophobic in size, contained within here is a fab horde of posters dating from the PRL heyday of this art form, right the way up to modern efforts from the recently deceased Ryszard Kaja.

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The Return Of Świętoszek Tartuffe!

First established in 1986 by the Theater Guild as a place for performers to mingle, the freshly reopened Świętoszek Tartuffe has retained its artsy heritage under its new owners, and been fully renovated by the renowned stage designers Marcin and Mateusz Stajewski. Returning to the top of Warsaw's culinary ladder, chef Stanisław Nowogródzki brings 30-years of experience to the kitchen: known for his extensive stint at the Marriott, this much awarded chef has blended his enthusiasm for Polish cuisine with his own carefully honed sense of flavor and aesthetics.

Of his signatures, look out for pork chop with boletus mushroom and thyme sauce, as well as the restaurant's original-recipe Kajmak cake. Enjoy them in either our vaulted interiors, or outside on our ravishing summer terrace with views of the Wisła! Świętoszek Tartuffe ul. Jezuicka 6/8 Reservations: tel. 730 013 312 swietoszek.pl