Old Town Market Place (Rynek Starego Miasta), Warsaw

Old Town Market Place (Rynek Starego Miasta), Warsaw (must see)

In the very center of Old Town Warsaw, you'll find the Old Town Market Place. Since the city was founded in the 13th century, merchants would meet here to sell their goods. The square has been the center of Warsaw life since, with everything from festivals to executions occurring here.

The townhouses built around the Old Town Market Place were Gothic until a fire destroyed them in 1607. Renaissance-style buildings replaced them, only to be replaced by the current late-Baroque style that you see today. There was a large town hall building here, but the German Luftwaffe destroyed it and the rest of the square during World War II.

The square was rebuilt in the 1950s, and efforts were taken to mimic its appearance from the 17th century. Each side of the square is named to an 18th-century parliamentarian. Dekert's Side on the north is named for Jan Dekert, a merchant and political activist. Barss' Side contains the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, honoring its namesake's poetry. Kollataj's Side honors Hugo Stumberg Kołłataj’s, a constitutional reformer and educationalist, while Zakrzewski's Side is named for mayor of Warsaw, nobleman, and art collector Ignacy Wyssogota Zakrzewski.

Several of the buildings on the square house the Warsaw Museum. Here, you can see collections of historical artifacts from the city that depict daily life. Their collection includes more than 300,000 objects spread over 21 themed rooms. The main entrance is in house No. 42 on Dekert's Side.

In the square, you will also see a statue of Syrenka, the "little mermaid" of Warsaw. She has appeared on the city's official coat of arms since at least the 14th century. The statue has stood here since 1855.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Warsaw. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Old Town Market Place (Rynek Starego Miasta) on Map

Sight Name: Old Town Market Place (Rynek Starego Miasta)
Sight Location: Warsaw, Poland (See walking tours in Warsaw)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Warsaw, Poland

Create Your Own Walk in Warsaw

Create Your Own Walk in Warsaw

Creating your own self-guided walk in Warsaw is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Warsaw's Historical Churches

Warsaw's Historical Churches

Given that Poland is one of the most religious countries in Europe – with Roman Catholicism being the dominant faith here since the Baptism of Poland in 966, – it is not at all surprising that Warsaw is home to many centuries-old churches and cathedrals. While reflecting the city's deep-rooted religious and cultural heritage, some of these historical temples are also magnificent...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Monuments and Statues

Monuments and Statues

The capital city of a proud nation such as Poland, Warsaw is abundant with monuments of various sorts, dedicated to celebrated personalities and those who made a mark in the history of the country.

Some of these landmarks serve as reminders of the city's resilience and the enduring spirit of its people. Among them are the Jan Kiliński Monument commemorating a hero of the 1794 Kosciuszko...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Warsaw Introduction Walking Tour

Warsaw Introduction Walking Tour

Warsaw rose to prominence when King Sigismund III moved the nation’s capital from Krakow in the 16th century. The city was widely known as the “Paris of the North” thanks to the beautiful boulevards lined with grand architecture. The center of the city is called Old Town, and it has many historic buildings like the Royal Castle on Castle Square and the Presidential Palace. Old Town is a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Jewish Warsaw Walking Tour

Jewish Warsaw Walking Tour

Once abundant, the Jewish population of Warsaw has left a profound mark on the city. Nowadays, walking along the peaceful streets of Poland's capital it is hard to imagine that thousands of Jews were once herded here and forced into cattle cars to meet their end in the Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

At the heart of this tragic chapter in Warsaw's Jewish history lies the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
Praga District Walking Tour

Praga District Walking Tour

Praga – not to be confused with the neighboring Czech Republic's capital city – is an old, yet vibrant district on the eastern bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw. For many years overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, Warsaw's Old Town, the area used to be off-limits for Western travelers due to its high crime rate. Recently, however, thanks to the lavish influx of investment,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


15 Distinctively Polish Things to Buy in Warsaw

15 Distinctively Polish Things to Buy in Warsaw

A country with a great deal of taste and turbulent history, Poland has a lot to offer those with the eyes to see and mouth to savor. And Warsaw is, perhaps, the best place to find all things Polish brought together. Here's the list of the most distinctive Polish goods, caringly drawn by a...