Below: a tenement that's survived the war. It's still in use; behind it stands another modern development between ul. Puławska and Al. Niepodległości.
Below: the same building, seen from ul. Puławska. It stands in the shade of the tower blocks above. Both end-walls of this tenement are covered with huge murals. One (Syn Ulicy - szemrane piosenki) is featured in this post.
Below: looking across ul. Domaniewska (which was recently connected up to ul. Rolna, and thence across to Al. KEN and Kabaty). In the foreground, an out-building belonging to a pre-war dworek.
Below: further south along ul. Puławska, following the track of the old narrow-gauge railway line, a small pre-war apartment building on the corner of ul. Niedżwiedzia.
Below: what remains of the bazaar on Puławska, corner of Wałbrzyska. Much of this traditional Warsaw bazaar was demolished to make way for an office and retail development. A few stalls remain; the smell of rotting leeks and cabbage leaves pervades.
Essentially, we can categorise the built environment thus: a) Ruins. b) Dilapidation. c) Post-war unmodernised. d) Historic, refurbished. e) Modern, elegant. Warsaw's architectural charm lies in the fact that a), b), c), d) and e) can all be found cheek-by-jowl to one another.
This time last year:
In memory of me
This time two years ago:
Cleaning sensors on my Nikons
This time three years ago:
Changing seasons and one's samopoczucie
This time four years ago:
Stunning late-winter beauty
[these are among my most gorgeous winter photos ever]
This time five years ago:
Lenten fare - Jeziorki gumbo
This time six years ago:
Digging up Dawidowska
This time three years ago:
Changing seasons and one's samopoczucie
This time four years ago:
Stunning late-winter beauty
[these are among my most gorgeous winter photos ever]
This time five years ago:
Lenten fare - Jeziorki gumbo
This time six years ago:
Digging up Dawidowska
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2 comments:
I like such climates. As the Past and the Present, and big contrasts. Something like that says pretty more about a time lapsing. It shows to what extent and how much an urban space is resilient, artistic, tessellated, differentiated and unpredictable. And to what extent and how much every form may express itself. The variety of beings. (This should be a topic's title. Yes, "The variety of beings.") Buty and ugliness. Happiness and failure. And a constant struggle.
Przedwiosna = "Pre-spring", the time of year when Poland is at its very ugliest. Your photos show well the stark reality of how ugly Poland can be. But is it ugliness or, in some perverse way, the truest beauty?
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