The Old Town Market Place in Warsaw, known locally as Rynek Starego Miasta, is one of the city’s most striking areas renowned for its beautiful buildings and bustling cafés and restaurants. It is one of Warsaw’s busiest centres where both locals and visitors come to enjoy the atmosphere and relax with a drink while people watching. The square has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its important place in the history of not only Warsaw but Poland as a whole, stretching back to the 13th century.
There are a wealth of things to see and do in the Old Town Market Place for people of all ages and tastes. Lovers of architecture will delight in seeing the colourful old buildings that surround the square, while the Monument of the Warsaw Mermaid in the centre of the square tells the story of an ancient legend that the kids will love to hear. Those looking to explore the history of the city in greater detail can visit the Historic Museum of the Capital City of Warsaw on the northern edge of the market place. Within the square itself, there are also many cafés and restaurants to enjoy some refreshments and take in the atmosphere.
Warsaw has two different airports, Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport and Warsaw Modlin International Airport, and Lodz Airport is also within reasonable travelling distance. Chopin Airport predominantly serves most of the major airlines, while Modlin Airport is dedicated to budget airlines. Both of the airports are connected to central Warsaw by train, and there are also numerous bus routes going to and from each airport. Taxis are a convenient way to get to Old Town Market Place from other areas of Warsaw, although many bus routes go all around the Warsaw area. The city also benefits from a tram line system as well as a recently-introduced underground line called the Rapid Urban Railway.
The origins of the Old Town Market Place in Warsaw go all the way back to the 13th century where it stood as the epicentre of Warsaw all the way up to the end of the 18th century. The square suffered severe damage during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising but benefited from extensive reconstruction work to restore it to its former glory.