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Warsaw Jewish Ghetto (Getto Zydowskie)

Mirów, Warsaw

The haunting monuments and memorials of Warsaw’s former Jewish Ghetto (Getto Zydowskie) tell the story of its tragic past—during World War II, it was the largest Jewish Ghetto in all of Nazi-occupied Europe.

Most Warsaw city tours and Old town walking tours make a stop at the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, visiting sites such as the remains of the Ghetto Wall, the Monument of the Killed and Murdered in the East, the Warsaw Uprising Monument, the Umschlagplatz Monument, and the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes. For a more comprehensive insight, opt for a Jewish history and heritage tour, or pay a visit to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

  • Most of the main sites of the Warsaw Ghetto are wheelchair accessible, but there are some narrow lanes and uneven streets to navigate

The Warsaw Ghetto is located at the border of the Old and New Towns and is easy to reach on foot from many of Warsaw’s central attractions. Alternatively, ride the train to Warsaw Central Station or take the tram (1, 22, or 27) to Cm. Zydowski stop.

If you’re exploring Warsaw in the busy summer months, aim for an early morning or late afternoon visit to avoid the tour groups. Alternatively, the most moving time to visit is on International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27) when an emotional ceremony is held in front of the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes.

Before World War II, there were over 400,000 Jews living in Warsaw, and by 1942, all members of the Jewish community were forced into the German-constructed ghetto, demarcated by a 10-foot (3-meter) high wall circling around a specified sector of the Jewish district. In addition to being the restrained living quarters of the Jewish community during the Nazi occupation, the Warsaw Ghetto was also the place from which thousands of men, women, and children were dispatched to the Treblinka Concentration camp in the summer of 1942, which, in turn, led to the Ghetto Uprising.

The Warsaw Jewish Ghetto is an area in Warsaw that was known for being one of the biggest Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It’s significant because of its role in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, where the Jewish resistance movement fought against oppression by the Nazi Party.

The best way to get to the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto area from central Warsaw is to use public transport, such as tram #4, #15, or #18 to Muranow 6, which is a 5-minute walk to the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes. Alternatively, buses #111 and #180 go to Nalewki - Muzeum 01 bus stop.

Yes, there are still visible remains of the Warsaw Ghetto walls. These can be found along Sienna, Zlota, and Walicow streets in Warsaw. The remnants of the wall are marked by commemorative plaques so that visitors can pay their respects and honor the resilience of those affected during this somber chapter in history.

The key historical sights to visit in the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto include the remnants of the Ghetto Wall, the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Nozyk Synagogue—Warsaw’s last surviving synagogue that dates back to before World War II.

One of the best museums to learn about the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto is the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Here, visitors can walk through interactive displays that tell the story of Jewish history in Poland, the tragedies of World War II, and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Visitors can find a memorial dedicated to the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto uprising—the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes—on Ludwika Zamenhofa, next to the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. There’s also the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Pomnik Powstania Warszawskiego, which is around a 13-minute walk from the first memorial.

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