Warsaw University Library

The University of Warsaw Library (BUW, pronounced "boov") in the riverside Powiśle district is one of the city's most striking modern buildings, and its rooftop garden is free, open to everyone and one of the largest roof gardens in Europe. From green terraces and walkways above glass skylights, you look out over the Vistula River, Świętokrzyski Bridge and the Praga district. It's one of the best free things to do in Warsaw: a calm walk, a viewpoint without a ticket and an easy stop between the Old Town and the Copernicus Science Centre.

A building about knowledge

The library was founded in 1816 together with the University of Warsaw. Its new home on Dobra Street was designed by Marek Budzyński and Zbigniew Badowski, winners of a 1993 competition, and opened to readers on December 15, 1999.

Take a look at the façade on Dobra Street: large panels carry texts in different scripts, including lines by the Renaissance poet Jan Kochanowski, Plato in Greek and the Book of Ezekiel in Hebrew along with mathematical formulas. On level 2 stands a chashitsu, a traditional Japanese tea pavilion donated in 2004 and the only original example of traditional Japanese architecture in Poland.

The rooftop garden

The garden was designed by landscape architect Irena Bajerska; the rooftop section covers about 1 hectare (2.5 acres). It has a lower and an upper garden, linked by paths, stairs, a stream and a cascade. The upper garden is split into four color zones: Golden (north), Silver (east), Crimson (south) and Green (west). Walkways and vine-covered pergolas cross the roof, and between the plantings you'll see the skylights that light the reading rooms below. The viewing terrace is a great spot for sunset over the Vistula and the National Stadium across the river. Allow 30–45 minutes.

Opening hours and admission

As of October 2026, according to the library's website:

• Admission: free; you explore on your own.
• Garden hours (daily, except during special events): April 8:00–18:00; May–September 8:00–20:00; October 8:00–18:00; November–March 8:00–15:00, lower garden only, with no access to the roof.
• Accessibility: stairs lead from the lower garden to the roof; wheelchair users can use the building's internal elevator after contacting security.
• Building tours: the interior can be visited only by booked groups led by a librarian, and the booking forms are in Polish.
• Address: ul. Dobra 56/66, Warsaw.

How to get there

BUW is a few minutes' walk from the Centrum Nauki Kopernik metro station on line M2. The garden entrance is on Dobra Street. Parking nearby is scarce, so public transport is the better choice. From Warsaw Chopin Airport, a taxi or train plus metro gets you to the city center in roughly half an hour.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially on a sunny day or at sunset. Combine it with the Copernicus Science Centre, a stroll along the Vistula boulevards, and a walk up to the Royal Route on Krakowskie Przedmieście.