Before World War II, Warsaw was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe—over 350,000 people, nearly one-third of the city’s population. Walking the streets today, it can be hard to imagine, because so much was destroyed. Yet, traces remain.

This walking route takes you through some of the most important places tied to Warsaw’s Jewish history, memory, and resilience.

1. All Saints’ Church (Kościół Wszystkich Świętych)

📍 Plac Grzybowski

Start here, in a place that might surprise you. During the war, this church stood inside the Warsaw Ghetto. It became a site of aid for Jewish residents and a symbol of shared struggle. Today, it’s also part of Warsaw’s Jewish remembrance.

2. Nożyk Synagogue

📍 ul. Twarda 6

Just a short walk away is the Nożyk Synagogue, the only pre-war synagogue in Warsaw still standing. Built in the early 1900s, it survived the war, though damaged, and has since been restored. It remains an active synagogue and community center.

Slow travel moment: Take a guided tour if possible, or simply stand outside and reflect on the resilience of a space that outlasted destruction.

3. Fragment of the Ghetto Wall

📍 ul. Sienna 55 / ul. Złota 62

From the synagogue, walk about 10 minutes to see a surviving fragment of the Warsaw Ghetto Wall. Today it’s tucked between apartment buildings, marked with plaques. Standing here, you feel the weight of what once was—a boundary that enclosed over 400,000 Jews in inhumane conditions.

Slow travel moment: Touch the bricks. They are among the few physical remnants of the Ghetto.

4. Monument to the Ghetto Heroes & POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

📍 ul. Anielewicza 6

Walk northeast (20–25 minutes or take a short tram) to the site of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. The Monument to the Ghetto Heroes stands here, honoring those who resisted.

Facing it is the POLIN Museum, a striking modern building that tells the 1,000-year history of Jews in Poland. The exhibits cover everyday life, faith, and culture, alongside the devastation of the Holocaust.

Slow travel moment: Allow several hours for the museum. End your visit by sitting on the benches outside in the open air.

5. Umschlagplatz Memorial

📍 ul. Stawki

Continue about 15 minutes north to the Umschlagplatz Memorial, where Jews from the Ghetto were gathered before being deported to Treblinka. The white stone monument lists hundreds of common Jewish first names, symbolizing the lives lost.

Final Thoughts

This walk through Warsaw’s Jewish history is not light, but it’s important. From the Ghetto Wall to the POLIN Museum, each stop tells part of a story that should never be forgotten. The key is not to rush. Spend time in each place. Read the plaques. Sit quietly. Notice how Warsaw today remembers what once was.

Walking Through Jewish History in Warsaw