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As you walk from the Old Town to the New Town, you will pass through the Barbican - a part of outer city wall that once encircled the Old Town. In the 14-18th centuries the historical center of Warsaw was protected by a double circle of defensive walls with several towers. There were two gates with drawbridges over the moat leading into the town: Krakowska (Cracow) Gate in the south, and Nowomiejska Gate in the north. In 1598, the northern gate was fortified with semicircular structure, called the Barbican. It was designed by Giovanni Batista, Italian architect who lived and worked in the Mazowsze region. The massive brick structure with Gothic towers and a terrace surrounded by a parapet was the most modern example of the fortification at that time.
The Barbican played a considerable role in Warsaw's history, for instance, in the war against Napoleon. But with the development of the weaponry the brick walls and the Barbican became out of date and were demolished bit by bit. By the second part of the 19th century they had practically completely disappeared from the cityscape. After the World War II, when Varsavians were restoring the leveled city from the ashes, they remembered about the historic city walls and decided to restore them too. By 1952-1954 both lines of the walls with towers and the Barbican were reconstructed. Although the city walls have not been completely restored (their place had been already occupied by other buildings), you still can clearly see where the borders of the Old Town were.
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Among the walls you'll find several monuments to famous Polish warriors. Among them there is a monument to Jan Kilinski, a national hero of the Kosciuszko Insurrection. A common shoemaker, he became a colonel in the army because of his bravery. After the Uprising he was arrested and imprisoned in St. Petersburg for several years. In 1936, a monument in his honor was erected. In 1942, the monument was removed and hidden by the Nazis in the vaults of the National Museum. Soon afterwards a graffiti with the words "People of Warsaw, I am in here, Jan Kilinski" appeared on one of the walls of the museum. Thus the monument became the symbol of the struggle of Polish nation against the invaders. It was one of the first monuments reconstructed and placed to its original site in Warsaw.
Hidden inside the Barbican walls there is quite an extraordinary Torture Museum, displaying medieval torture instruments from all parts of Europe. There the visitors are given burning torches to wander around with and examine the awesome tools of Holy Inquisition by the glinting light.
The adjacent area is a favorite walking place of Warsaw citizens and tourists. It is closed to traffic and one can wander around enjoying the charm of medieval architecture (although it is not original, it bears a strong resemblance).
In summer, the Barbican turns into a fashionable place where young people gather. They sit on the walls, talk, drink beer and listen to the street bands. In a fine weather there is also a small market, where you can buy anything from all kinds of trifles to professional works by local painters.
