Warsaw: A City Rebuilt

Warsaw is a city shaped by both destruction and renewal. Walking its streets, it’s impossible not to notice how much history has been lost, and how much has been rebuilt.

Nearly Destroyed

During World War II, Warsaw suffered one of the greatest devastations in Europe. After the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, German forces leveled about 85% of the city, murdering people while destroying centuries of architecture, archives, and homes. What was left was a landscape of ruins.

Rebuilding From the Ground Up

When the war ended, the people of Warsaw began to reconstruct their city. Using old paintings, photographs, and plans, they rebuilt the Old Town brick by brick. Today, it stands not only as a UNESCO World Heritage site but also as a symbol of determination. What looks centuries old is, in fact, a careful restoration from the mid-20th century.

A City of Layers

Warsaw today shows many eras at once. Rebuilt churches and palaces sit near Soviet-era landmarks like the Palace of Culture and Science. Modern glass towers rise around them, reflecting Warsaw’s role as a capital moving forward while still remembering its past.

Why Visit

Visiting Warsaw is a reminder of what resilience can look like — memorials and museums — but it’s also about a beautifully re-built city while incorporating walkability and green space.