{"chapterKey":"poland/cities","title":"Cities","regionSlug":"poland","status":"published","photos":[{"sha":"678934fec9a95ca1b6a1ea9eeee7c9fb71020ced35e637ffecd583fe7aa8623e","caption":"Warsaw's Old Town, or Stare Miasto, meticulously rebuilt after 1945 but so picturesque that it makes you feel like you're in a museum.","width":578,"height":889,"aspect":0.6502,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0adbf24f6be622d192127936808a4fd5","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0dfd9265dc25ea19d398ea39bf1e9132","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/56e927725d0a8e1275f4ecf16ec1b38a","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/56e927725d0a8e1275f4ecf16ec1b38a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/56e927725d0a8e1275f4ecf16ec1b38a","altText":"Warsaw's Old Town, or Stare Miasto, meticulously rebuilt after 1945 but so picturesque that it makes you feel like you're in a museum."},{"sha":"491db073dee7c7e3e0606761df49010424bacb4ed6b4e6942ea05eb0655a4844","caption":"Perhaps that's not so bad when the alternative is this glorious socialist city. Before you condemn the planners, however, notice that it isn't very different than height-controlled Washington, D.C., on a day without traffic.","width":1000,"height":666,"aspect":1.5015,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b6dd3b56bd858f393bce7866fa146c82","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2a0445f1118a375dbfce582d582560d0","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6e052719cb9f7b51d784a5816bacca6b","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b8351ecc7f2edaef412687d971331a8a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b8351ecc7f2edaef412687d971331a8a","altText":"Perhaps that's not so bad when the alternative is this glorious socialist city. Before you condemn the planners, however, notice that it isn"},{"sha":"6f7b128d7e6836a39808ba8ccfbc344cc8cd708635a27e06d59ab813a55b9937","caption":"Power station? Nope? Monumental subway entrance? Nope. What is it? A glorious socialist food palace, abandoned in the post-socialist economy.","width":1000,"height":664,"aspect":1.506,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bafa1ed815255461da47a59c4318ab32","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/49445b7d86ea60fb7022812859a5113a","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/891e2ef0ed4a121c48b20708d36637e7","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/33ca2a6af9f6c7ea866e9b7aac76ad9e","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/33ca2a6af9f6c7ea866e9b7aac76ad9e","altText":"Power station? Nope? Monumental subway entrance? Nope. What is it? A glorious socialist food palace, abandoned in the post-socialist economy"},{"sha":"8162abf4e5df4e6ea492f573e4614d2a3b0f7d72e9c8f12c0ea8e647706250f2","caption":"Inside: a security tower, a reminder that not everyone could be relied upon to take only according to their needs.","width":667,"height":1000,"aspect":0.667,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2c61a911e13c02cc0e9f1eb1a98a5dc8","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7a91a1c3b576a2afef7264a0eb003132","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0a9d2290108a926273bb8a5e24cf6457","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0a9d2290108a926273bb8a5e24cf6457","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0a9d2290108a926273bb8a5e24cf6457","altText":"Inside: a security tower, a reminder that not everyone could be relied upon to take only according to their needs."},{"sha":"68d915bbc5223f7ba1af759603cc1f2ff85c71a3fa934949864e6280a411a428","caption":"What killed those Food Palaces? Here's part of the answer: a spanking-new wholesale food market on the west side of Warsaw.","width":1000,"height":667,"aspect":1.4993,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d879f619e6be3eea37516e038eda7bd5","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7ed787bc78acdeadb50c7a2bfa3486ed","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ca9eefff42086c78696df8c4b1152afc","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ceb0c6837889ccd7c87bfa5c87e629eb","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ceb0c6837889ccd7c87bfa5c87e629eb","altText":"What killed those Food Palaces? Here's part of the answer: a spanking-new wholesale food market on the west side of Warsaw."},{"sha":"9bc361b0af46700b0d79c75f1a1d3fce43c19fa168177cdade52425ae1189906","caption":"The shoppers are shopowners themselves, buying in quantity.","width":880,"height":593,"aspect":1.484,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d33d16513ec37a955b7131a67f5efecf","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5bb9244cf0f70ee3be6c1a68846a2fa8","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1e96d548bfdc65310f90baf420e9661d","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7fae2a7536a193d7487f2cd20ab6c214","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7fae2a7536a193d7487f2cd20ab6c214","altText":"The shoppers are shopowners themselves, buying in quantity."},{"sha":"385f0020163a515e2ce9ac67316eed8c911827e7bc40f49919379351f31035e0","caption":"But not all are shopowners: faith has its privileges.","width":880,"height":593,"aspect":1.484,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/593472ddb31b098afe11d8cc39b6d2bf","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3dc6160db7df383e9a61ccf49e5f95dd","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4862542fe3bf4941756e58b9c9ae13a6","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ac5d0011b823e8d1f3dfc0cf061a1fdc","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ac5d0011b823e8d1f3dfc0cf061a1fdc","altText":"But not all are shopowners: faith has its privileges."},{"sha":"239e8a593d3709e43a6b1e82327e5800519a1cc308d6b9bdc3d281360cf6950c","caption":"Ikea shelves, next door to the Warsaw railway station.","width":886,"height":593,"aspect":1.4941,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/64b8fa1bc127087e23523da4d8f89a98","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5dd4f0543cc659ceb0564d75fa0bb965","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a7cace526e282fd5b33c2dc3a7a15ce0","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8b7958ee266358e6a04c169d26fcb933","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8b7958ee266358e6a04c169d26fcb933","altText":"Ikea shelves, next door to the Warsaw railway station."},{"sha":"3ef7867aa7b36190527bd3b0bc0eae5b004e2e1bc627a53a05c7115730566b97","caption":"The Vistula River at Torun, with St. John's Church standing tall. It contains Copernicus' baptismal font.","width":880,"height":593,"aspect":1.484,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1a217f53d8a811a1ed8d5b94dc877b62","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d05a3e488944a27d2b63f47cffa99373","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fde4f485b1f1386e930b658243a97d87","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fbd9beb6f0044b3c3dae9d446c17abd8","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fbd9beb6f0044b3c3dae9d446c17abd8","altText":"The Vistula River at Torun, with St. John's Church standing tall. It contains Copernicus' baptismal font."},{"sha":"0b737e26e203748ad8fe0afc6f2b3903d8c5a61b17e7b63259128ecefdff464f","caption":"A splendid example of brick-filled timber framing. It's in Bydgoszcz and unlikely to go away soon.","width":578,"height":889,"aspect":0.6502,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3b0254b6a8033f4cc650456cd058a0dd","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cfd439b8a34bdc4c92fb9571b1dafef3","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f862b65c2da9d1c3e134d847ddf98a3d","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f862b65c2da9d1c3e134d847ddf98a3d","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f862b65c2da9d1c3e134d847ddf98a3d","altText":"A splendid example of brick-filled timber framing. It's in Bydgoszcz and unlikely to go away soon."},{"sha":"7216f418475e02564bf16e9bede898bf93cd2fbb3f41d9b6a415a6485698afed","caption":"On the west side of Torun, foreign investment.","width":880,"height":593,"aspect":1.484,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/95dd6c46ce5420df8b0a4423857908a3","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/99ef4a735f173730fa9dfe6c83a472e0","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3c348793fb099f7686e5a12a2083002a","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/737ebe6fb6955a93691d1da76fc36a13","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/737ebe6fb6955a93691d1da76fc36a13","altText":"On the west side of Torun, foreign investment."},{"sha":"4e253ca2196afaa10ed39157e97a167f8137775366f9728ac2701cf8f1fb8e99","caption":"The Florian Gate, the only surviving medieval gate in Kracow. It opens into Florianska Street and terminates in the distance at St. Mary's Church. Notice the establishment on the left?","width":578,"height":889,"aspect":0.6502,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8999dba1a111b970a6810c07a47155ee","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c35cd8b0e1c20e818598905213452281","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/648c1c2bed34cd7e557ba3ebb8ee746b","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/648c1c2bed34cd7e557ba3ebb8ee746b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/648c1c2bed34cd7e557ba3ebb8ee746b","altText":"The Florian Gate, the only surviving medieval gate in Kracow. It opens into Florianska Street and terminates in the distance at St. Mary's C"},{"sha":"f37001c7a813c10cae5ea90742ad3501a0239d8dfcac68b2d99e8f035a4131f2","caption":"Yes, it's McDonald's, but very discretely done, as this rear courtyard suggests. Someday, somebody should write about how the company sometimes does things well.","width":578,"height":889,"aspect":0.6502,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a879870b2dd41408e8acae3a9377af3a","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7798931523e2de77e4b0375dfc0db93c","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4c4b3c57620c0941dffa8b413fce0ef7","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4c4b3c57620c0941dffa8b413fce0ef7","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4c4b3c57620c0941dffa8b413fce0ef7","altText":"Yes, it's McDonald's, but very discretely done, as this rear courtyard suggests. Someday, somebody should write about how the company someti"},{"sha":"9fb3fdbc8a5c41b56b4e8122ff18352719305964603f721f341d1077c733e407","caption":"The Jewish Cemetery on the south side of Kracow. It's densely packed, with stones encroaching on walkways and piled on earlier stones until the ground is left in a state of upheaval. If you're here alone on a quiet day, you can imagine hands reaching up.","width":880,"height":593,"aspect":1.484,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/21a271bf6383897159e0555319754915","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c017f2bf671b038fb2e22a866d065a7e","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ca0190a3b95e2369c1e81649ed2aa807","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0f51c82e461a21646eb040de54b3e437","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0f51c82e461a21646eb040de54b3e437","altText":"The Jewish Cemetery on the south side of Kracow. It's densely packed, with stones encroaching on walkways and piled on earlier stones until"},{"sha":"1402dccc695bb72287a0a96381fa2b77446d88e9c62c47c91ed61833eebe58e9","caption":"On the west side of Cracow.","width":1000,"height":676,"aspect":1.4793,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7b3009eb5fa7d6c9ee3a344edb897e88","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8df9787814655abcead1194825372157","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/10ef04c25f0d7d1c65588cf0a6ab660b","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5dceeb492ab133f54bfd1ab32edb29dc","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5dceeb492ab133f54bfd1ab32edb29dc","altText":"On the west side of Cracow."},{"sha":"678c7dc081af0136015bdb2b4f25553e45f1e8f6a5325b7786dda6a99b8a9094","caption":"Another neighbor: Oswiecim, or Auschwitz. Here, outside the part of the camp that's preserved as a museum, and with its sinister lettering almost obscured in shade, the old office of the camp commandant survives as an apartment house for Polish military families.","width":669,"height":1000,"aspect":0.669,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/00b49add32df98de8afd82ce483905d0","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/74281de6587075cba899777360a209b4","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/406da07bee2f628db53ff38feab9b9c1","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/406da07bee2f628db53ff38feab9b9c1","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/406da07bee2f628db53ff38feab9b9c1","altText":"Another neighbor: Oswiecim, or Auschwitz. Here, outside the part of the camp that's preserved as a museum, and with its sinister lettering a"},{"sha":"c38c3df9167b138ea80ff50e5b53393b24812c3c239718639749b267689975c5","caption":"Central Lublin makes a dismal contrast with Cracow's Market Square and Warsaw's Old Town.","width":578,"height":889,"aspect":0.6502,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/86eb9a49dc51ca299072a570b869223a","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fe3f73baa3f1c74d57e9838b3ba92ce8","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b4290a1fe2fea59678a3a8be067c68ee","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b4290a1fe2fea59678a3a8be067c68ee","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b4290a1fe2fea59678a3a8be067c68ee","altText":"Central Lublin makes a dismal contrast with Cracow's Market Square and Warsaw's Old Town."},{"sha":"d95b8177b633ba3e98e747ea3b959e93f4bbfe77412e3152ec695f9a2f880fc8","caption":"A mile east of Lublin, the near-deserted grounds of the Nazi concentration camp Majdanek. A mountain of human ash is preserved, along with the heavy steel doors of gas chambers and thousands of pairs of shoes, carefully sorted by size.","width":662,"height":1000,"aspect":0.662,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1f509fb669cdd4a869b90f341185f534","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2818a533e7a4801e3e1b8647c75ce030","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/630a340e3b1328749094531bcf4fe3fa","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/630a340e3b1328749094531bcf4fe3fa","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/630a340e3b1328749094531bcf4fe3fa","altText":"A mile east of Lublin, the near-deserted grounds of the Nazi concentration camp Majdanek. A mountain of human ash is preserved, along with t"}],"createdAt":"2022-02-28T01:23:24.000Z","updatedAt":"2022-02-28T01:23:24.000Z","lead":"Glimpses from 1995 of Warsaw, Torun, Cracow, and laggard Lublin.","visitedDate":"2000","publishedDate":"2000-06-10T04:00:00.000Z","originalUrl":"https://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=357&chapterid=359&picturesize=medium","heroSha":"491db073dee7c7e3e0606761df49010424bacb4ed6b4e6942ea05eb0655a4844","authorLabel":"Bryan Wallach","_meta":{"sameAs":[]}}