POLAND - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 445

1100-2000; www.chopin.museum/pl . Farther along the tour, the Łazienki
Krolewskie Park, originally the Gardens of the Royal Summer Residence, are
where Chopin played as a boy. The beautifully maintained gardens, ponds, and
historical buildings are impressive and well attended by the locals. Open daily
dawn to dusk. Historical buildings open 0900-1600, except Monday; www.lazienki-
krolewskie.pl . The tour passes several historic churches, which are generally open,
as long as services are not being conducted. The Church of The Holy Cross,
3 Krakowskie Przedmiesci Street, is where the urn containing Chopin's heart (his
body unable to be returned to Warsaw) is interned; www.swkrzyz.pl . Finally, you
will arrive at ultimate goal of the tour, The Fryderyk Chopin Museum. The mu-
seum was recently remodeled and is now customizable to the visitor. The ticket
you receive has a chip that guides you along one of several paths, each with vary-
ing levels of detail. This allows a music historian to have a much different experi-
ence than a young child. The museum, located at 1 Okólnik Street, is open Tues-
day-Sunday, 1100-2000; www.chopin.museum/pl . Admission is 22 zł, and as the
museum can only host a small number of visitors at once, advance purchased is
recommended.
Be sure to not miss the Old Town area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the
west bank of the Vistula river. The area was the original fortified town center of
Warsaw, dating from sometime in the 13th century. While it was bombed, and then
systematically destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, it was reconstructed as
completely as possible after the war, with significant use of the original materials.
The Old Town Market Place, once the center of town life, now has an excellent
collection of galleries, small restaurants, and shops. Part of Old Town is the Royal
Castle, originally built in the 15th century. In addition to the elaborate reconstruc-
ted chambers and halls, it now houses an impressive collection of artwork, includ-
ing portraits by Rembrandt. Castle tours are 22 zł, with a discounted family rate
available for those with children. The castle is open 1000-1800 Monday-Saturday
and 1100-1800 Sunday, with reduced winter hours. Also housed at the castle is an
impressive display of Polish coins, banknotes and medals, numbering over 15,000
pieces. Scattered around the Old Town area are numerous churches, statues, and
monuments. As you wander the area, consider lunch from a vendor in the market
and dinner at Bazyliszek, located on the Market Square. The excellent Polish food,
combined with the authentic old world atmosphere, makes for a wonderful close to
the day.
The Museum of Independence is a somber reminder of the turmoil and dev-
astation that Warsaw and the Polish people have been through within the past 200
years. The museum consists of the Pawiak Prison Museum, and the Mausoleum
of Struggle and Martyrdom. Together, they commemorate the unknown thousands