Barbican

Main data:

Year of construction: 1548
Year of reconstruction: 1954
Designer: Jan Baptysta
Location: Nowomiejska street, next to intersection with Podwale street

Barbican is the most characteristic and perhaps the most beautiful part of Old Town fortifications. Today it is one of the most popular places for walking and meeting points for Warsaw inhabitants and tourists. This place is always quite crowded, there are always a few stallholders and street musicians here. But actually why this building was constructed ?

Generally - barbican is a kind of medieval fortification, which stands a little bit in front of the line of walls. It is usually circle-shaped, with small windows that were used for shooting. The reason why such constructions were built was usually to defend main entrance to the city against invaders. Till today not many such buildings have survived. Besides Warsaw, they can be seen for example also in Cracow or in Carcassone in southern France.

Barbican of Warsaw was located in front of New Town Gate (Brama Nowomiejska), which was one of two main entrances to the Old Town (today not existing anymore). It was constructed in 1548, during the last phase of Town Walls' construction. Jan Baptist from Venice was its designer. The building represented gothic style, but the attic on its top was in Renaissance style. A drawbridge joined the Barbican with the town.

Warsaw Barbican was actually never used. During wars against Sweden in 17th century it occurred that this kind of constructions (as well as the whole town walls) are no longer of importance in defence, after artillery had been developed. That is why since 18th century the Barbican has been gradually disassembled and new buildings were constructed around it.

In 1930s, when the restoration of the whole Town Walls was started, also decision the reconstruction of the Barbican was begun. It was continued after Second World War, in years 1952-54. In last years the Barbican was again renovated. Thanks to that now it attracts even greater attention of tourists and Warsaw inhabitants.