Sigismund's Column

Why visit?

Sigismund's Column is the oldest secular monument in Warsaw and one of the city's most recognisable symbols. Erected in 1643–1644 at the behest of King Władysław IV, it commemorates his father, Sigismund III Vasa — the ruler who moved the country's capital from Kraków to Warsaw. The bronze statue of the armoured king, with a crown, a sword and a broken cross, towers 22 metres above Castle Square and for centuries has marked the spot where a visit to the city begins. The monument's history reads like a novel. The figure was cast in the workshop of Daniel Tym after a model by Clemente Molli, brought over from Bologna. In September 1944 the Germans toppled the column, yet the statue survived the fall — today it stands on a new granite shaft from Strzegom, placed in 1949 a few metres from the original spot and turned to face Krakowskie Przedmieście. The original, fractured shafts can still be seen at the Royal Castle. It is also worth knowing the local superstition: when danger threatens the city, the king lowers his sword, and at moments of happy change he raises it. The monument stands in an open square and is free to visit around the clock. It looks its best at sunrise and after dark, when it is floodlit and the crowds thin out — at midday Castle Square is one of the busiest corners of the capital. A visit takes just a few minutes and pairs naturally with a stroll through the Old Town and a tour of the Royal Castle.

What you’ll see

• Najstarszy świecki pomnik Warszawy (1644)
• Brązowy posąg Zygmunta III Wazy o wys. 275 cm
• Oryginalne trzony kolumny do zobaczenia przy Zamku Królewskim
• Klasyczny punkt startowy zwiedzania Starego Miasta
• Dostępny bezpłatnie całą dobę

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