Saxon Axis - Mazovia Regional Studies

Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square – a permanent feature in Warsaw’s urban space. From the surrounding of the Cathedral to the end of World War II

Anna Wieczorek, Magnolia Gorzelak

DOI: 10.21858/msr.50.05

Vol. no: 50

There are many publications on Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square in Warsaw and the surrounding buildings covering the history of the capital, as well as the history of architecture and urban planning. There are also significant cartographic and conographic resources available in museums and archives. An analysis of source materials indicates a wide dispersion of information. There is a lack of a comprehensive resource on the origins of the Square, the changes in its appearance, and the related design concepts. These issues are the subject of a series of articles under the common title Marshall Józef Piłsudski Square – a permanent feature in Warsaw’s urban space. This article, the third in the series, presents how the appearance of the Square changed in the years 1918–1945, transitioning from the surroundings of the Cathedral to the ruins of World War II. It also introduces the figure of the Square’s patron – Józef Piłsudski.

MSR_50_05_Wieczorek_Gorzelak_Pobierz

Marshall Józef Piłsudski Square – a permanent feature in Warsaw’s urban space. From the palace courtyard to the surroundings of the Cathedral from the late 18th to the early 20th century

Anna Wieczorek, Magnolia Gorzelak

DOI: 10.21858/msr.49.05

Vol. no: 49

Return to issue

Return to editions list

There are many publications on Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square in Warsaw and the surrounding buildings covering the history of the capital, as well as the history of architecture and urban planning. There are also substantial cartographic and iconographic resources available in museums and archives. An analysis of the source materials indicates a significant dispersion of information. There is a lack of a compendium on the origins of the Square, changes in its appearance, and the associated design concepts. These issues are the subject of a series of articles under the common Marshall Józef Piłsudski Square – a permanent feature in Warsaw’s urban space. This article, the second in the series, presents how the appearance of the Square changed from the late 18th to the early 20th century, transforming from the courtyard of the Saxon Palace into the surroundings of the Cathedral.

MSR_49_05_Wieczorek_Gorzelak-1 Pobierz