Constitution Square (Warsaw)
Encyclopedia
Constitution Square is a major square in the Śródmieście district of Warsaw
, Poland
.
The square was constructed in the initial post-war
years on the Marszałkowska street as a main element of socrealist
urban project. Together with the Palace of Culture and Science it was the main architectural socrealist investment of Warsaw in 1949-1956. Its name comes from Stalinist constitution
adopted in communist Poland in July 1952. Architects envisaged the square to be the final point of First of May parades.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
The square was constructed in the initial post-war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years on the Marszałkowska street as a main element of socrealist
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
urban project. Together with the Palace of Culture and Science it was the main architectural socrealist investment of Warsaw in 1949-1956. Its name comes from Stalinist constitution
Constitution of the People's Republic of Poland
The Constitution of the People's Republic of Poland was passed on 22 July 1952. Created by the Polish communists in the People's Republic of Poland, it was based on the 1936 Soviet Constitution , and it superseded the post-war provisional Small Constitution of 1947 which, at its turn, had declared...
adopted in communist Poland in July 1952. Architects envisaged the square to be the final point of First of May parades.
Further reading
- Krzysztof Mordyński: Bierut i kandelabry na placu Konstytucji w Warszawie, „Kronika Warszawy”, 2008, nr 1, ss. 60-67.
- Krzysztof Mordyński: Plac Konstytucji w Warszawie - eksperyment "wielkomiejskiego" socrealizmu, "Spotkania z Zabytkami", 2008, nr 2, ss. 3-7.
- Józef Sigalin: Warszawa 1944-1980. Z archiwum architekta, t. 2, Warszawa 1986, PIW, ISBN 83-06-01187-2 - a tam rodz. VII pt. 1950-1952 Marszałkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa