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History and Present of Plac Grzybowski and Ulica Twarda, Warsaw

1. Beginnings: 17th Century - Late 18th Century
The area of today’s Plac Grzybowski began in the 17th century as part of Jan Grzybowski's jurydyka, named Grzybów. A triangular market square formed at the junction of three roads, with modest wooden homes, small mansions, and the Gutakowski palace. Ulica Twarda, one key road from the square, was named for its firm embankment amid marshy lands. By the late 18th century, Twarda featured mansions, houses, factories, and homes. In 1770, Ulica Twarda was officially named.

2. 19th Century to Early 20th Century: 1800s - 1914
In the early 19th century, Grzybów and its square joined Warsaw proper. The central ratusz became a prison (1815–1830), inspiring the phrase “iść na Grzybów” for imprisonment. Demolished around 1830, the square turned into a marketplace. From 1820, classical tenements redeveloped the area. The neo-Renaissance All Saints Church was built (1861–1879), with towers added (1892–1895), reshaping the square. Horse trams arrived in 1866; electric ones in the early 1900s. In 1904, a workers’ demonstration against tsarist drafts led to clashes and casualties.

3. Interwar, WWII, and Wartime: 1918 - 1945
During the interwar years, the area was a dense Jewish quarter with shops, workshops, and stalls. In November 1940, under German occupation, part of Ulica Twarda (from Złota to Plac Grzybowski) entered the Warsaw Ghetto, with a gate at Twarda and Złota. WWII, especially the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, caused heavy damage: the church was ruined, tenements and synagogues destroyed. Post-uprising, Germans burned remaining structures.

4. Postwar and Socialist Era: 1945 -1989
Postwar rebuilding plans were incomplete. From 1960, reconstruction advanced. The Grzybów I estate was built in 1962. In 1969, the Jewish Theatre opened at 12/16 Plac Grzybowski. 1960s demolitions cleared older buildings for modern blocks, splitting Ulica Twarda. The northern segment renamed Twarda in 1970; southern in 1990.

5. Revitalization and Modern Transformations: 1990s - 2010s
Post-socialist changes brought investments, offices, and commerce. Spektrum Tower (2003) at Twarda 18 housed Telekomunikacja Polska offices. The Leib Osnos Tenement at Twarda 28, preserved, became a historic monument in 2019. In 2007, Joanna Rajkowska’s Dotleniacz installation added a pool, mist fountains, and trees, enhancing greenery and public spaces. The Jewish Theatre was demolished in 2017.

6. Today
Plac Grzybowski is a modern square with trees, water features, paths, and pedestrian-traffic flows. Dotleniacz attracts visitors. Ulica Twarda blends old tenements, modern towers, and commerce, with non-continuous segments from reconfigurations. Spektrum Tower and Leib Osnos Tenement highlight its history. The area embodies Warsaw’s memory, renewal, and development.

7. Recognition, Location, and How to Visit
Plac Grzybowski, triangular in Śródmieście district, connects to Ulica Twarda, extending toward Wola across districts. Accessible by public transport, it features plaques, memorials, and Ghetto markers. Walking Twarda reveals architectural layers from various eras.