Poland Not Poles Apart

In a country ravaged by the World Wars, the quest for beauty reveals a design culture that is not only striking but also heartening

- Manish Dikshit

Poland had been on my bucket list for a while and this Summer, I finally made it to this wonderful and elusive central European destination. Poland has had a tumultuous history and an immense tale to tell of its horrific past. Forever sandwiched between two powerful, aggressive neighbours, it has had to rise from the ashes several times in the past millennium. From being the largest country in Europe, it has now had its population devastated in two World Wars and after.

From an architect’s perspective, however, I was very amused by the variety of architectural styles appearing across the country and how they directly link to its history. Present day Poland has many works by the Dutch and several architects from other countries. It is, in fact, hard to find a building designed by a Polish architect.

My first city of call was the capital city of Warsaw. It was Spring in Poland, perfect for boat rides and picnics in one of the many lovely parks around the city. I stayed with a friend who is a local designer with her partner architect, which made the experience a lot more interesting!

Some of the most impressive buildings in Warsaw were a mix of old and new styles of architecture.