Don’t dare miss a visit to the art nouveau Chopin Monument next to the Botanical Garden in Łazienki Park. One of Warsaw's most iconic sculptures, it depicts Chopin sitting in Łazienki next to a willow tree, while the sculpture itself stands in the midst of a rose garden. The work of acclaimed sculptor Wacław Szymankowski, it was erected in 1926 but dynamited by Nazi busybodies on May 31, 1940.



The following day an unknown patriot placed a placard on the smouldering ruin declaring: ‘I don’t know who destroyed me, but I know why; so I don’t play the funeral march for your leader.’ A plaster-cast of the original model allowed the statue to be rebuilt after the war and a reconstruction was unveiled in 1958. An identical replica can be found at Japan’s Hamamatsu Academy of Music.



In the summer, this spot is the heart of music in Warsaw, with regular piano concerts held by the statue in the park. Bring a blanket and post up -- you'll find hords of people come to enjoy the live music with some food and friends.