Disappearing Warsaw - Part 1

Grzegorz Makarewicz (last update 2025.07.29)

Warsaw, where I was born and where I have lived continuously, is constantly changing. These changes used to be slow. Now they are rapid. Some places change literally from day to day. I decided to take photographs during my walks around the city. I regret that I am only doing it now, in 2025. Oh well.

Below is the first report. It concerns the Warsaw Pharmaceutical Plants "Polfa".

"Zakłady Polfa Warszawa" S.A. not long ago

And here is what was left of "Zakłady Polfa" S.A. on June 19, 2025

On Prosta Street, a tenement house has been uninhabited for years. For "protective" purposes, the windows are bricked up, boarded up, or covered with plywood. Here, this tenement house is surrounded by modern buildings.

Ruin at Prosta Street (July 2025)

On the ground floor, someone painted some pretty cool graffiti on the wooden plywood. I took photos of three of them, which I present below. I would like to point out that this tenement house is in the very center of Warsaw.

Continuing along Prosta Street towards Kasprzaka Street, we reach Karolkowa Street. And here we have this magnificent, crumbling building. I'm including a few photos taken on a rainy day. Hence, they're probably not very clear.

Look at that drawing of a multi-legged black cat on the wall. It's really cool.

Look at the photo below. A real curiosity from Chełmska Street. This building has been standing in this condition for many, many years. Just wait until it disappears in time and a small apartment building grows in its place. Although who knows, maybe some lover of old architecture will simply renovate it. The wooden roof over the sidewalk is impressive. It's nice to walk under it, especially in the rain.

And now a photo a bit off the topic of disappearing places in Warsaw. However, I couldn't resist taking a photo from the window of the tram, which I ride past this building every day. And it is the Centrum Weterana Działań Poza Granicami Państwa (Veteran of Actions Outside the Borders of the State Center) on Puławska Street. It is a beautifully restored brick building - my favorite building element. The question arises why I am posting a photo of this building here (not very good quality, by the way, because, as I mentioned, the photo was taken through the window of a moving tram). There is one reason. Look at the "annex" stuck to the right side of the building. This is the equipment of the building, fulfilling an important utility function. What architect designed the appearance of this "annex"? It looks terrible!!! It does not fit the building at all. In my opinion, it is simply a design botch. There is another such example in the very center of Warsaw. For now, I simply do not have the strength to take a photo of this second "miracle of some design office".

Veteran's Center with "space annex" on the right side of the building

And here is probably the most famous example of a building that the architects responsible for the image of the capital do not know and probably cannot do anything about for various reasons. It is a scary ruin by day and night at Rondo ONZ in the very center. I have to admit that it is one of the few old buildings that does not arouse sentimental feelings in me. A careful observer will notice that from time to time something happens to it. Unfortunately, these are not the effects of renovation works, but rather attempts to prevent elements of the building from falling on the heads of people passing by. Hence the visible scaffolding and supports.

"Decoration" of the Rondo ONZ in the Center of Warsaw

And a few more photos of this marvel at Rondo ONZ. From the front, anyone passing by can see a bat hanging. I wonder who drew it. It must have had some mountain-climbing skills.

(added 29/07/2025)

Of course, since there are walls, you can paint something on them.

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(added 29/07/2025)

Now, two photos of the ruin, taken from the rear. You can see that the area has been neatly fenced. The grass is growing, allowing tourists to admire this monument of questionable quality. As a reminder, this is the very center of the capital.

(added 29/07/2025)

(added 29/07/2025)

And here is a nice black and white cat on the wall of a tenement house. On what street in Warsaw? - everyone can read the nameplate on the building. I have been looking at it for a long time now, passing by or riding my bike. I observe two disturbing changes. The drawing is getting paler every year and more and more hopeless scribbles appear on the wall in its vicinity. I hope that there will be no homegrown "artist" who decides to improve this nice image of the cat. For now, the scribbles are made outside the drawing of the cat. In any case, I managed to capture its image before something terrible happens to it.

Mysterious Cat in Ugly Scribble Surroundings (June 2025)

One of the last buildings waiting for renovation on Emilii Plater Street. I don't think it will be demolished. The neighboring buildings have already been practically renovated or rebuilt. There is one "miracle" left, visible in the photo below. Even in its current state, it looks quite nice and does not disturb the cityscapes, at which customers of numerous eateries glance under umbrellas.

Building at Emilii Plater Street (July 2, 2025)

Continuing our walk along Emilii Plater Street towards the center of Warsaw, we reach a nicely "decorated" building, the colorful wall of which is shown in the photo below.

Nothing to add, nothing to subtract - Girls, take up technical sciences!!!

Well, since I'm walking like this, I come to the Church on the corner of Emilii Plater and Wspólna. For some time now, something has been happening in the fenced area. Passers-by can also feel it, because the work is going on not only behind the parish walls but also on the street. Look at the photo.

View of the sacral building and around the corner on the premises some mysterious construction investment separated only by a fibreboard (2025.07)

I would like to emphasize that the construction is taking place on parish property. I have not found any information about the investment. On the other side of the construction site, it is fenced off from the parking lot and there is no information board, as is the case with construction areas. Of course, it does not bother me. I wanted to find such a board so that my report would be more complete. But there is nothing wrong with that. The visit to the parking lot ended with the discovery of wonderful graphics on the construction fence. I show them in the photos below.

First part of the construction site fence (2025.07)

The second part of the construction site fence (2025.07)

I regret that I was not able to take a picture of the entire fence. It was prevented by parked cars, which partially covered the fence. The second photo shows a part of the building. It looks like some kind of apartment building is being built here.

Grzegorz Makarewicz (last update 2025.07.29)