Mariensztat

Mariensztat

• Address: Bednarska, Warsaw (Śródmieście)
• ☎ Phone: +48 608 59 9999

Mariensztat is a quaint and quiet neighbourhood in Warsaw's borough of Śródmieście (city centre). It is located between the Vistula river and the Old Town. It is an example of Social Realist architecture in Warsaw. Built as a post-war housing development, it was touted by the Communist authorities as a showpiece of socialist architecture. The lovely buildings are inspired by 18th century Warsaw architecture, interspersed with gardens and an open plaza. The site was a marketplace before World War II and is named after an old street, which ran through the area before the war. Enjoy a the lovely walk through the neighborhood as you head up the stone stairs to St Anne's Church and the Castle Square.

 

 

The historical neighbourhood dates from the 18th century, when local nobleman Eustachy Potocki married Maria Kątska and received the parcel of land as part of Kątska's dowry. He established a jurydyka and named the town Maryenstadt after his wife, adding the German suffix stadt to please the Saxon king of Poland. After World War II, the spelling was changed to Mariensztat, but this did not change the pronunciation.

widok z dzwonnicy kościoła św. Anny na Mariensztat

The neighbourhood was razed to the ground during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Reconstruction work began in 1948, involving a complete redesign of the street plan and architectural appearance of the area. Mariensztat became a model housing project under Poland's new communist authorities, and was the first part of the city to be completed in their ongoing reconstruction of Warsaw. The neighbourhood was featured in a 1953 film Adventure in Marienstadt.