Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw (Grób Nieznanego Żołnierza) is Poland's most important national memorial: a symbolic grave for all soldiers who died for the country, set beneath the surviving arcade of the Saxon Palace on Piłsudski Square. An honor guard stands by the eternal flame around the clock, and the changing of the guard is one of the most moving sights in the capital. It is an easy and essential stop between the Royal Route and the Saxon Garden.

Where it is

The tomb stands on Piłsudski Square (plac Piłsudskiego) in central Warsaw, a short walk from the Old Town and about 10 km from Warsaw Chopin Airport. It is a working state memorial rather than a museum, so expect ceremonies, soldiers on duty and a solemn atmosphere.

History

The tomb was unveiled on November 2, 1925, in the central arches of the Saxon Palace colonnade. The battlefield from which the remains would come was drawn by lot from 15 candidates, and the choice fell on Lwów (today Lviv in Ukraine), where Polish volunteers, many of them teenagers, fought in 1918–1920. On October 29, 1925, coffins were exhumed at the city's Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów, and Jadwiga Zarugiewiczowa, a mother whose own son had fallen at the Battle of Zadwórze, picked one of them. The chosen soldier had no rank and was most likely a young volunteer. The sculptor Stanisław Kazimierz Ostrowski designed the tomb.

On December 28, 1944, German troops blew up the Saxon Palace as part of the deliberate destruction of Warsaw. Only the fragment with the tomb survived, although the collapsing vault buried it under rubble. Architect Zygmunt Stępiński rebuilt the three central arches, and the tomb was rededicated on May 8, 1946, when soil from 24 battlefields of World War II was placed in the urns. The plaques listing battles have been revised several times, notably in 1990–1991 after the fall of communism. The tomb's centenary was marked in November 2025.

What to see

• The tombstone and eternal flame under the central arch.
• Plaques naming battlefields, from the fight for independence and the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1920 to World War II.
• Urns of soil from battlefields, standing in the arcade.
• The honor guard, provided by the Representative Regiment of the Polish Armed Forces.
• A view through the arches into the Saxon Garden, Warsaw's oldest public park.

Changing of the guard

The round-the-clock guard has been in place since May 8, 1946. Sentries change every hour, and on Sundays at 12:00 noon there is a ceremonial change with a full detachment. Several times a year other uniformed services, such as the Border Guard, take over the post, and their units then lead the Sunday noon ceremony. On national holidays, especially November 11 (Independence Day), May 3 and August 15, official ceremonies are held here and parts of the square may be closed.

Please be respectful: don't sit on the steps, stay behind the marked lines and don't try to distract the soldiers.

The Saxon Palace rebuild

Behind the arcade, preparations are under way to rebuild the Saxon Palace, the Brühl Palace and neighboring townhouses on the west side of the square. In 2026 archaeologists worked on the fenced site, followed by geological surveys from August. The tomb is to be preserved and incorporated into the rebuilt structure. A viewing frame on the square, "Kadr Saski," shows the outlines of the lost buildings etched on glass. No firm completion date has been confirmed.

Practical information (as of October 2026)

• Location: Piłsudski Square (plac Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego), Warsaw.
• Admission: free, open 24 hours a day.
• Time needed: 15–30 minutes; about an hour with the Sunday ceremony and a walk in the Saxon Garden.
• Accessibility: flat paved square, easy for wheelchairs and strollers.
• Winter: the square is wide and windy, but the floodlit tomb with its flame is especially striking after dark (around 3:30 pm in December).

How to get there

The nearest metro stations are Świętokrzyska (lines M1 and M2) and Nowy Świat-Uniwersytet (M2), each about 10 minutes on foot. From the Old Town Market Square, it is a 15–20 minute walk along Krakowskie Przedmieście. Central Warsaw is a paid parking zone, and streets close on state holidays.

Is it worth visiting?

Absolutely, and it takes very little time. Combine it with the Saxon Garden and the Zachęta gallery, or time your Old Town walk to catch the Sunday noon ceremony.

Nearby

• Saxon Garden, right behind the arcade.
• Zachęta National Gallery of Art, about 300 m away.
• Grand Theatre – Polish National Opera on Theatre Square.
• Krakowskie Przedmieście and the Presidential Palace.