The Warsaw Rising Museum was next on our tour of the Polish capital on May 10, 2012. Located outside of the historic downtown, this museum is housed in a former power station and is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising which lasted from August 1 to October 2, 1944. It was opened in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of this historic event. The museum holds a wide range of exhibits: a replica of a B-24 Liberator bomber of the Royal Air Force, a replica of an armoured car, interactive displays with historical photos and film footage, a scale model of the Warsaw sewer system used by the Polish resistance fighters, as well as actual uniforms, guns and equipment. The museum features about 750 exhibits, including 1000 photos and 225 informational displays. Next on our May 10 tour of Warsaw was a stop on Plac Grzybowski, which was the center of Warsaw's Old Jewish Quarter. Although virtually the entire Jewish Ghetto was completely razed, there are a few original buildings left that are now used as part of the Warsaw's Festival of Jewish Culture. One of the buildings displays photos of original Jewish inhabitants under the motto "We still remember their faces". Across the street from these houses is the largest church in Warsaw, All Saint's Church which can accommodate up to 3,500 people. During WWII this church served Christians of Jewish origin. Then we strolled across the street and down a laneway to visit Nożyk Synagogue, the only pre-war synagogue still standing in Warsaw. It was used by the Nazis as stables during the war. The Palace of Culture and Science is one of Warsaw's most controversial buildings. It is the city's largest building and was a gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland. Its original name was Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science and it was built between 1952 and 1955 in the Socialist Realist style. Many Polish still harbour negative feelings towards this building because it was a symbol of Soviet domination, some even demanded its demolition. Today, the Palace of Culture and Science is a designated historical building and can no longer be demolished. Agnieszka and I went inside the building, took the elevator and explored several floors. The building is gigantic and contains 3288 rooms on 42 floors. The areas that we saw still featured the 1950s decorations, ceilings and wooden floors. The viewing terrace on the 30th floor is a popular tourist attraction in Warsaw. In the evening of May 10, 2012, I took a walk in Old Town Warsaw. First, I enjoyed a nice dinner featuring sweet crepes on the Castle Square and then I walked through the atmospheric narrow streets of Old Town and New Town. I sat down on the Old Town Market Square and listened to some live music that was wafting out of one of the restaurants. The street cafes and restaurants were packed with people, and locals and tourists alike were walking around, looking at shop windows and enjoying ice creams. The historic downtown of Warsaw is simply beautiful, and a true testimony to the resilience of mankind. It perfectly illustrates why Warsaw is often called the "phoenix city" because it has survived many wars throughout history.

• published: 07 Sep 2012
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