Theatre Square (Warsaw)

Theatre Square (Polish: plac Teatralny) is a major square in the Śródmieście district of Warsaw, Poland. It spans from the Great Theatre building to the Senatorska Street.

Theatre Square, c. 1925. Jabłonowski Palace at left, Great Theater at right

Great Theater

Jabłonowski Palace after reconstruction in 1997

Blank Palace

The origins of the square date back to the beginning of the 19th century, when a small square was established in 1818. From 1825 to 1832 the Great Theatre building was constructed. When the city administration was relocated to the Jabłonowski Palace, the square became a centre of city life. Various patriotic demonstrations took place there, including at the time of the January Uprising and the Revolution of 1905. Both demonstrations were bloodily crushed by Russian authorities.[1]

In September 1939 the civilian defense of the city was located in the city hall. During the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 the square witnessed heavy fighting between the Nazi German soldiers and the Armia Krajowa partisans. Most of the surrounding buildings were heavily damaged or completely destroyed.[1] After the war several buildings were renovated, though the pre-war city hall was not. In the 1990s it was rebuilt according to the original architectural plans.