Editing Warsaw (section)

==Culture==
===Music and theatre===
<!-- DO NOT ADD MORE PICTURES TO THIS SECTION -->
[[File:Warszawa, ul. Senatorska 21, 25 20170516 001.jpg|thumb|The edifice of the [[Grand Theatre, Warsaw|Grand Theatre]] in Warsaw. It is one of the largest theatres in Europe, featuring one of the biggest stages in the world.]]
Thanks to numerous musical venues, including the [[Great Theatre, Warsaw|''Teatr Wielki'', the Polish National Opera]], the [[Chamber opera|Chamber Opera]], the [[Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra|National Philharmonic Hall]] and the [[National Theatre, Warsaw|National Theatre]], as well as the Roma and Buffo music theatres and the [[Congress Hall (Warsaw)|Congress Hall]] in the [[Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw|Palace of Culture and Science]], Warsaw hosts many events and festivals. Among the events worth particular attention are: the [[International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition]], the International Contemporary Music Festival [[Warsaw Autumn]], the Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, the International [[Stanisław Moniuszko]] Vocal Competition, the Mozart Festival, and the Festival of Old Music.<ref name="salter"/>

Warsaw is also considered one of the European hubs of underground electronic music with a very attractive house and techno music scene.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/apr/03/new-europe-poland-clubs |title=New Europe: Poles dancing |work=The Guardian |date=3 April 2011 |access-date=12 February 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093844/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/apr/03/new-europe-poland-clubs |url-status=live }}</ref>

Warsaw is home to over 30 major theatres spread throughout the city, including the [[National Theatre, Warsaw|National Theatre]] (founded in 1765) and the [[Grand Theatre, Warsaw|Grand Theatre]] (established 1778).<ref name=teatrwielki1/>

Warsaw also attracts many young and off-stream directors and performers who add to the city's theatrical culture. Their productions may be viewed mostly in smaller theatres and ''Houses of Culture'' (''Domy Kultury''), mostly outside ''[[Śródmieście, Warsaw|Śródmieście]]'' (Central Warsaw). Warsaw hosts the International Theatrical Meetings.

From 1833 to the outbreak of World War II, Plac Teatralny ''([[Theatre Square (Warsaw)|Theatre Square]])'' was the country's cultural hub and home to the various theatres.<ref name="teatrwielki"/> Plac Teatralny and its environs was the venue for numerous parades, celebrations of state holidays, carnival balls and concerts.

The main building housed the [[Great Theatre, Warsaw|Great Theatre]] from 1833 to 1834, the Rozmaitości Theatre from 1836 to 1924 and then the National Theatre, the Reduta Theatre from 1919 to 1924, and from 1928 to 1939{{spaced ndash}}the Nowy Theatre, which staged productions of contemporary poetical drama, including those directed by [[Leon Schiller]].<ref name="teatrwielki"/>

Nearby, in Ogród Saski (the [[Saxon Garden]]), the Summer Theatre was in operation from 1870 to 1939,<ref name=Letni/> and in the [[interwar period|inter-war period]], the theatre complex also included Momus, Warsaw's first literary cabaret, and [[Leon Schiller]]'s musical theatre Melodram. The [[Wojciech Bogusławski]] Theatre (1922–26) was the best example of "Polish monumental theatre". From the mid-1930s, the Great Theatre building housed the Upati Institute of Dramatic Arts{{spaced ndash}}the first state-run academy of dramatic art, with an acting department and a stage directing department.<ref name="teatrwielki"/>

===Museums and art galleries===
<!-- DO NOT ADD MORE PICTURES TO THIS SECTION -->
{|style="float:left;"
|{{hidden
| headercss = width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;
| contentcss = 
| header = Museums in Warsaw
| content = 
* [[National Museum in Warsaw|National Museum]]
* [[Zachęta]] National Gallery of Art
* [[Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle]]
* [[Warsaw Uprising Museum]]
* [[Copernicus Science Centre]]
* [[Museum of Evolution of Polish Academy of Sciences]]
* [[Museum of the Earth of the Polish Academy of Sciences]]
* [[Ujazdów Castle#Centre for Contemporary Art|Centre for Contemporary Art]]
* [[Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw|Museum of Modern Art]]
* [[Polish Army Museum|Museum of the Polish Army]]
* [[Fryderyk Chopin Museum]]
* [[Museum of Warsaw]]
* [[Museum of Polish History]]
* [[Museum of Independence]]
* [[Museum of the History of the Polish Jews]]
* [[Museum of Sport and Tourism]]
* [[Legia Warsaw Museum]]
* [[Museum of Communism, Poland|Museum of Communism]]
* [[Museum of Caricature, Warsaw|Museum of Caricature]]
* [[Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum]]
<!-- DO NOT ADD MORE INSTITUTIONS HERE -->
}}
|}
[[File:Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego 2023.jpg|thumb|right|[[Warsaw Rising Museum]]]]
[[File:Zamek Ostrogskich w Warszawie 2022.jpg|thumb|right|The 17th-century [[Ostrogski Palace|Ostrogski Castle]] houses the [[Fryderyk Chopin Museum|Chopin Museum]]]]
[[File:Muzeum Kopernika - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|[[Copernicus Science Centre]], [[planetarium]]]]
There are over 60 museums and galleries in Warsaw which are accessible to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gracetour.waw.pl/przewodnik-po-warszawie/muzea-warszawy/#:~:text=I%20tak%20przy%20kolejnych%20wycieczkach,z%20nich%20nie%20zosta%C5%82o%20zaprezentowanych. |title=Muzea Warszawy |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206035105/https://www.gracetour.waw.pl/przewodnik-po-warszawie/muzea-warszawy/#:~:text=I%20tak%20przy%20kolejnych%20wycieczkach,z%20nich%20nie%20zosta%C5%82o%20zaprezentowanych. |url-status=live }}</ref> Among the positions are the world's first [[Poster Museum, Wilanów|Museum of Posters]] boasting one of the largest collections of art [[poster]]s in the world,<ref name=postermuseum/> and the [[POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews|Museum of the History of Polish Jews]]. Among the most prestigious ones are the [[National Museum in Warsaw|National Museum]] with a collection of works whose origin ranges in time from antiquity until the present epoch as well as one of the best collections of paintings in the country including some paintings from Adolf Hitler's private collection,<ref name=Schwarz/> and the [[Polish Army Museum|Museum of the Polish Army]] whose set portrays the history of arms.

The collections of [[Łazienki Palace|Łazienki]] and [[Wilanów Palace|Wilanów]] palaces focus on the paintings of the "old masters", as do those of the Royal Castle which displays the [[Palais Lanckoroński#Lanckoroński Collection|Lanckoroński Collection]] including two paintings by Rembrandt.<ref name=Wetering/> The Palace in [[Natolin Palace and Park Complex|Natolin]], a former rural residence of Duke [[Czartoryski family|Czartoryski]], is another venue with its interiors and park accessible to tourists.

The famous [[Copernicus Science Centre]] is an interactive science museum containing over 450 exhibits, enabling visitors to carry out experiments and discover the laws of science for themselves. Warsaw does not have a natural history museum. Yet, it hosts small museums of [[Museum of Evolution of Polish Academy of Sciences|Evolution]] and [[Museum of the Earth of the Polish Academy of Sciences|the Earth]], which play a similar role.

Holding Poland's largest private collection of art, the [[Museum of John Paul II Collection|Carroll Porczyński Collection Museum]]<ref>Official name: ''Museum of John Paul II Collection''</ref> displays works from such varied artists as [[Paris Bordone]], [[Cornelis van Haarlem]], [[José de Ribera]], [[William-Adolphe Bouguereau]], [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]], and [[Vincent van Gogh]]<ref name="muzeummalarstwa" /> along with some copies of masterpieces of European painting.

A fine tribute to the fall of Warsaw and [[history of Poland]] can be found in the [[Warsaw Rising Museum|Warsaw Uprising Museum]] and in the [[Katyń Museum]] which preserves the memory of that crime.<ref name=Baker/> The Warsaw Uprising Museum also operates a rare preserved and operating historic stereoscopic theatre, the [[Warsaw Fotoplastikon]]. The [[Museum of Independence]] preserves patriotic and political objects connected with Poland's struggles for independence. Dating back to 1936 the [[Museum of Warsaw|Warsaw Historical Museum]] contains 60 rooms which host a permanent exhibition of the history of Warsaw from its origins until today.

The 17th century Royal [[Ujazdów Castle]] houses the Centre for Contemporary Art, with some permanent and temporary exhibitions, concerts, shows and creative workshops. The Centre realizes about 500 projects a year. The [[Zachęta]] National Gallery of Art, the oldest exhibition site in Warsaw, with a tradition stretching back to the mid-19th century organises exhibitions of [[modern art]] by Polish and [[International Artists]] and promotes art in many other ways. Since 2011, [[Warsaw Gallery Weekend]] is held on the last weekend of September.

28 September 2023 the opening of the new building of the [[Museum of Polish History]] located at the [[Warsaw Citadel]] took place.

The city also possesses some oddities such as the [[Neon Museum, Warsaw|Neon Museum]], the [[Museum of Caricature, Warsaw|Museum of Caricature]],<ref name=Exhibitions/> the [[Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński]], the [[Legia Warsaw Museum]], and a Motorisation Museum in [[Otrębusy]].<ref name=motoryzacji/>

===Cuisine and food===
Warsaw's culinary tradition was shaped by its once multicultural population; its cuisine is distinct from that of other cities and towns in Poland.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://metrowarszawa.gazeta.pl/metrowarszawa/56,141634,20718074,krolu-zloty-gdzie-na-cymesy-w-tych-knajpach-zjesz-prawdziwe.html |title=Królu złoty, gdzie na cymesy? W tych knajpach zjesz prawdziwe, warszawskie potrawy [PRZEWODNIK] |website=metro.waw |date=4 June 2017 |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206172424/https://metrowarszawa.gazeta.pl/metrowarszawa/56,141634,20718074,krolu-zloty-gdzie-na-cymesy-w-tych-knajpach-zjesz-prawdziwe.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |url=https://www.polskieskarby.pl/szlak-kulinarny/warszawa |title=Warszawa |website=Polskie Skarby Kulinarne |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207093606/https://www.polskieskarby.pl/szlak-kulinarny/warszawa |url-status=live }}</ref> Strong [[Jewish cuisine|Jewish]] and [[French cuisine|French]] influences were cultivated over the years, in particular [[herring]], [[consommé]], [[bagels]], [[aspic]] and French [[meringue]]-based pastries or cakes.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |url=https://warsawtour.pl/warszawskie-specjaly/ |title=Warszawskie specjały - oficjalny portal turystyczny stolicy Polski |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206130041/https://warsawtour.pl/warszawskie-specjaly/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Traditional Varsovian food is hearty and includes a [[tripe soup]] for entrée, a [[Pyzy (dish)|pyza]] dumpling for main and the iconic [[wuzetka]] (voo-zetka) chocolate cream pie for dessert.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/tradycyjne-warszawskie-potrawy-od-cynaderek-po-zygmuntowke/ar/c17-3710290 |title=Tradycyjne warszawskie potrawy. Od Cynaderek po Zygmuntówkę |date=19 April 2016 |website=Warszawa Nasze Miasto |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206140126/https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/tradycyjne-warszawskie-potrawy-od-cynaderek-po-zygmuntowke/ar/c17-3710290 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Crayfish]] and [[Aspic|fish in gelatin]] were the classical dishes in Warsaw's restaurants throughout the 1920s and the 1930s.<ref name="auto2"/>

[[File:Wuzetka edit.JPG|thumb|right|The [[wuzetka]] chocolate sponge cake is a Warsaw classic]]
[[File:Staroświecki Sklep Wedla Szpitalna 8 Warszawa.JPG|thumb|right|Interior of the [[E. Wedel|Wedel]] Chocolate Lounge on Szpitalna Street]]

Much like [[Paris]] or [[Vienna]], Warsaw once possessed a prominent [[Parisian café|café culture]] which dated back to the early 18th century, and the city's cafeterias were a place for socializing.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kawiarnie.warszawa.pl/historia-kawiarni-w-polsce |title=Historia kawiarni w Polsce. |website=www.kawiarnie.warszawa.pl |date=13 August 2015 |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206172053/http://www.kawiarnie.warszawa.pl/historia-kawiarni-w-polsce |url-status=live }}</ref> The historic [[E. Wedel|Wedel]] Chocolate Lounge on Szpitalna Street remains one of the most renowned spots for social gatherings. Cafeterias, confectioneries and patisseries such as [[Caffè Nero]], [[Costa Coffee]] and [[Starbucks]] are predominantly found along the Royal Route on [[New World Street]]. Thousands of Warsaw's residents also flock annually to the pastry workshops (''pączkarnia'') to buy [[pączki]] doughnuts on [[Fat Thursday]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wiadomosci.radiozet.pl/Polska/Warszawa/Tlusty-czwartek-Warszawska-cukiernia-Zagozdzinski-wprowadza-limity-na-kupno-paczkow |title=Tłusty czwartek: Warszawska cukiernia Zagoździński wprowadza limity na kupno pączków - Wiadomości |date=18 February 2020 |website=wiadomosci.radiozet.pl |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207103300/https://wiadomosci.radiozet.pl/Polska/Warszawa/Tlusty-czwartek-Warszawska-cukiernia-Zagozdzinski-wprowadza-limity-na-kupno-paczkow |url-status=live }}</ref>

Restaurants offering authentic [[Polish cuisine]] are concentrated around the Old Town district. Various [[spit cake]]s of [[Czech Republic|Czech]] or [[Hungary|Hungarian]] origin ([[kürtőskalács]] and [[trdelník]]) are also sold primarily in the Old Town.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,22031343,starowka-tylko-dla-turystow-sprawdzamy-kto-ja-odwiedza.html?disableRedirects=true |title=Wyborcza.pl |website=warszawa.wyborcza.pl |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510014437/https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,22031343,starowka-tylko-dla-turystow-sprawdzamy-kto-ja-odwiedza.html?disableRedirects=true |url-status=live }}</ref> Hala Koszyki is a popular meeting place in Warsaw noted for its food hall.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/warsaw-best-restaurants-bars-things-to-do-hotels-city-break-guide-poland-a8430631.html |work=The Independent |title=WARSAW CITY GUIDE: WHERE TO EAT, DRINK, SHOP AND STAY IN POLAND'S CAPITAL |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=16 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116193623/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/warsaw-best-restaurants-bars-things-to-do-hotels-city-break-guide-poland-a8430631.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 20th century, Warsaw was famed for its state-owned [[milk bar]]s (''[[bar mleczny]]'') which offered cheap [[fast food]] in the form of home dinners. Examples of dishes popularized by these canteens include [[tomato soup]], [[schnitzel]]s, [[frikadeller]], [[mizeria|mizeria salad]] and many others. Contemporary fast food giants like [[McDonald's]], [[KFC]], [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] and [[Burger King]] are the successors to milk bars, though some reemerged in recent years due to widespread [[nostalgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wawalove.wp.pl/wraca-moda-na-bary-mleczne-reaktywacja-baru-gdanskiego-6178764019673217a |title=Wraca moda na bary mleczne. Reaktywacja Baru Gdańskiego |first=Katarzyna |last=Zając-Malarowska |date=11 April 2017 |website=wawalove.wp.pl |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207164347/https://wawalove.wp.pl/wraca-moda-na-bary-mleczne-reaktywacja-baru-gdanskiego-6178764019673217a |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gourmet and [[haute cuisine]] establishments are situated in the vicinity of the downtown area or in the [[Frascati, Warsaw|Frascati]] neighbourhood. Thirteen Varsovian restaurants were appreciated by the [[Michelin Guide]], with two receiving a michelin star in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://haveabite.in/article/wyroznienia-michelin-2018-zobaczcie-zmiany-krakowie-pelna-lista-restauracji/ |title=Wyróżnienia MICHELIN 2019! Pełna lista restauracji - Kraków i Warszawa |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207051119/http://haveabite.in/article/wyroznienia-michelin-2018-zobaczcie-zmiany-krakowie-pelna-lista-restauracji/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://guide.michelin.com/pl/en/restaurants/the-plate-michelin |title=The MICHELIN Plate: Good cooking – the MICHELIN Guide Poland |website=MICHELIN Guide |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127202719/https://guide.michelin.com/pl/en/restaurants/the-plate-michelin |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2021, [[National Geographic]] named Warsaw one of the top cities for [[Veganism|vegans]] in Europe. Śródmieście Południowe (Southern Downtown) and its "hipster food culture" was singled out as the epicenter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dodd |first=Liz |date=6 February 2021 |title=The eight best cities for vegans |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2021/02/the-eight-best-cities-for-vegans |url-status=live |access-date=19 June 2021 |website=National Geographic |language=en-gb |archive-date=28 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628142621/https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2021/02/the-eight-best-cities-for-vegans }}</ref>

===Events===
Several commemorative events take place every year, notably the [[Orange Warsaw Festival]] featuring music concerts. One of the more popular events is the [[procession]] of the [[Biblical Magi|Three Wise Men]] (in Polish known as the Three Kings) on [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]], shortly after the [[New Year]]. Paper crowns are usually worn by spectators throughout the day. The event, which runs along the Royal Route, is attended by Warsaw's highest officials and by the Polish president who resides nearby.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://niedziela.pl/artykul/26573 |title=Orszaki Trzech Króli na ulicach 515 polskich miast |website=niedziela.pl |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108031309/https://www.niedziela.pl/artykul/26573 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://orszak.org/historia-orszaku-trzech-kroli |title=Orszak Trzech Króli / Historia Orszaku Trzech Króli |website=orszak.org |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=3 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103093025/http://orszak.org/historia-orszaku-trzech-kroli |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gatherings of thousands of people on the banks of the Vistula on Midsummer's Night for a festival called [[Wianki]] (Polish for ''Wreaths'') have also become a tradition and a yearly event in the programme of cultural events in Warsaw.<ref name="sobotka">{{cite web |author=Staś Kmieć |url=http://www.polamjournal.com/Library/Holidays/Sobotka/sobotka.html |title=Midsummer's Eve |work=polamjournal.com |access-date=2 February 2009 |archive-date=28 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928111507/http://polamjournal.com/Library/Holidays/Sobotka/sobotka.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="wreath">{{cite web |author=Staś Kmieć |url=http://www.aktivist.pl/wydarzenie/eventId,393787,wianki-2008-wydarzenie.html |title=Wianki 2008 |work=aktivist.pl |access-date=2 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417070237/http://www.aktivist.pl/wydarzenie/eventId%2C393787%2Cwianki-2008-wydarzenie.html |archive-date=17 April 2009 |language=pl |url-status=dead}}</ref> The festival traces its roots to a peaceful [[paganism|pagan]] ritual where maidens would float their [[wreath]]s of herbs on the water to predict when they would be married, and to whom.<ref name="sobotka"/> By the 19th century this tradition had become a festive event, and it continues today.<ref name="sobotka"/> The city council organize concerts and other events.<ref name="wreath"/> Each Midsummer's Eve, apart from the official floating of wreaths, jumping over fires, and looking for the [[fern flower]], there are musical performances, dignitaries' speeches, fairs and fireworks by the river bank.<ref name="wreath"/>

Warsaw Multimedia Fountain Park is located in an enchanting place, near the Old Town and the Vistula. The 'Water – Light – Sound' multimedia shows take place each Friday and Saturday from May until September at 9.30&nbsp;pm (May and – 9 October pm). On other weekdays, the shows do not include lasers and sound.

The [[Warsaw Film Festival|Warsaw Film festival]], an annual festival that takes place every October.<ref name="wff">{{cite web |url=http://www.wff.pl/en/o-festiwalu/ |title=Warsaw Film Festival |work=wff.pl |access-date=16 February 2009 |archive-date=24 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924191121/http://www.wff.pl/en/o-festiwalu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Films are usually screened in their original language with Polish subtitles and participating cinemas include Kinoteka (Palace of Science and Culture), [[Multikino]] at [[Złote Tarasy|Golden Terraces]] and Kultura. Over 100 films are shown throughout the festival, and awards are given to the best and most popular films.<ref name="wff"/>

===Warsaw Mermaid===
<!-- DO NOT ADD MORE PICTURES TO THIS SECTION -->
{{Main|Coat of arms of Warsaw}}
[[File:Warsaw Sirene 1659.PNG|thumb|upright|The 1659 [[Coat of arms of Warsaw|coat of arms of Old Warsaw]] on the cover of one of Warsaw's accounting books]]

The mermaid (''syrenka'') is Warsaw's symbol<ref name=ucl/> and can be found on statues throughout the city and on [[Coat of arms of Warsaw|the city's coat of arms]]. This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century.<ref name=Mermaid/> The oldest existing armed seal of Warsaw is from the year 1390, consisting of a round seal bordered with the Latin inscription ''Sigilium Civitatis Varsoviensis'' (Seal of the city of Warsaw).<ref name="herb"/> City records as far back as 1609 document the use of a crude form of a [[sea monster]] with a female upper body and holding a sword in its claws.<ref name=Bratosiewicz/> In 1653 the poet Zygmunt Laukowski asks the question:

{{Rquote|center|Warsaw of strong walls; why was the emblem Mermaid with sharp sword, given you by the kings?|Zygmunt Laukowski<ref>{{cite web |url=http://biega.com/syrena.html |title=Warsaw Mermaid&nbsp;– Syrena |access-date=10 July 2008 |archive-date=25 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625041430/http://biega.com/syrena.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref>}}

The Mermaid Statue stands in the very centre of Old Town Square, surrounded by a fountain. Due to vandalism, the original statue had been moved to the grounds of the Museum of Warsaw – the statue in the square is a copy.
This is not the only mermaid in Warsaw. Another is located on the bank of the Vistula River near Świętokrzyski Bridge and another on Karowa Street.

The origin of the legendary figure is not fully known. The best-known legend, by Artur Oppman, is that long ago two of [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]]'s daughters set out on a journey through the depths of the oceans and seas. One of them decided to stay on the coast of Denmark and can be seen sitting at the entrance to the port of [[Copenhagen]]. The second mermaid reached the mouth of the [[Vistula]] River and plunged into its waters. She stopped to rest on a sandy beach by the village of Warszowa, where fishermen came to admire her beauty and listen to her beautiful voice. A greedy merchant also heard her songs; he followed the fishermen and captured the mermaid.<ref name="legend"/>

Another legend says that a mermaid once swam to Warsaw from the [[Baltic Sea]] for the love of the Griffin, the ancient defender of the city, who was killed in a struggle against the [[Deluge (history)|Swedish invasions]] of the 17th century. The mermaid, wishing to avenge his death, took the position of defender of Warsaw, becoming the symbol of the city.<ref name="legend"/>

Every member of the [[Queen's Royal Hussars]] of the UK's light [[cavalry]] wears the ''Maid of Warsaw'', the crest of the City of Warsaw, on the left sleeve of his No. 2 (Service) Dress.<ref name=qohmuseum/> Members of [[No. 651 Squadron RAF|651 Squadron Army Air Corps]] of the United Kingdom also wear the ''Maid of Warsaw'' on the left sleeve of their No. 2 (Service) Dress.<ref name=RAF/>