Warsaw Gate, Opatów

Above the archway of the Warsaw Gate in Opatów a dragon holds a shield bearing the Odrowąż coat of arms – the emblem of the Szydłowiecki family, under whom Opatów flourished as a merchant town at a crossroads of trade routes. The gate is the only survivor of the four that once closed off the town, and a good starting point for a walk round the historic centre.

History: the chancellor's gate

The gate was funded by Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, owner of Opatów from 1517 and Grand Chancellor of the Crown at the court of King Sigismund the Old. The square stone structure was built in 1520–1530 as part of the town fortifications, which went up between 1515 and 1530. Besides this one, the town had a Kraków Gate, a Lublin Gate and a Sandomierz Gate, but none of them survived. The Warsaw Gate was originally taller; today it has a single storey with a wooden ceiling and is crowned by a reconstructed Renaissance-style parapet.

What to look for

• The Odrowąż coat of arms above the arched passage, held up by a dragon.
• Two keyhole-shaped gunports in two of the walls – a reminder of the gate's defensive role.
• A painting of the Virgin Mary above the coat of arms, hung in 1922 by Father Szymon Pióro to commemorate the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, known in Poland as the "Miracle on the Vistula".

Tripto tip

The gate stands in the north-western part of the old town, on Kościuszki Street, and can be viewed from outside at any time, free of charge; 10–15 minutes is enough for the gate itself. Treat it as the start of a longer walk: a few minutes away is the Romanesque collegiate church of St Martin from the second half of the 12th century, where the Odrowąż arms appear again in the nave, as well as the town hall and the Underground Tourist Route through Opatów's old cellars. For the best photo, shoot from the street when the sun lights up the coat of arms over the passage.