Down Płatnicza Street in Zdobycz Robotnicza estate

Route proposal and photos by: Paweł Cichocki

In Warsaw, there is no shortage of fairy-tale places for longer and shorter walks with family or friends. One of the points worth visiting is Zdobycz Robotnicza (Workers’ Capture) estate in Warsaw Bielany district. The estate, which was built in the years 1926-1932 far from urban areas, today attracts with the charm of low, manor-house buildings, and with gas lanterns in the evening. A person entering here for the first time from a tower block area or a crowded Warsaw street may feel like in the interwar period.

We start our tour from the Stare Bielany metro station, going towards Płatnicza Street. In a moment we will see a series of low, manor-style houses designed by Janusz Dzierżawski for the employees of the Ammunition Plant “Pocisk”. Historical gas lanterns can make a big impression on tourists, especially at night. They were moved from the center of Warsaw and installed at Płatnicza Street in the 1930s.

The heart of the estate is Plac Konfederacji (Confederation Square) – giving the impression of a provincial town square. Opposite a row of tenement houses from the 1920s, there is the Church of St. Zygmunt, however, it was erected in the years 1976-1980 and stylistically stands out from the rest of the square’s buildings.

Finally, it is worth mentioning famous people who once lived at Płatnicza Street – these are actress Krystyna Sienkiewicz and singer Kora Jackowska. Both ladies were commemorated with murals on the walls of buildings at nearby Żeromskiego Street.