The tower of the over-century-old Poniatowski Viaduct, standing on the southern side of Aleje Jerozolimskie and adjacent to the National Museum, looks nothing short of tragic. Its elegant arcades, balustrades, niches, façades and stone ornamentation are being obscured by hundreds of graffiti marks. This is perhaps the most striking and sad example of how the capital’s authorities’ fight against vandalism is yielding meagre results.
The Warsaw Crossing designed by Szyller
The viaduct and the Poniatowski Bridge were built between 1907 and 1913 as an extension of Aleje Jerozolimskie, leading towards the Vistula and to the opposite bank of the river. The grand opening of the entire crossing took place in 1914. Stefan Szyller was responsible for its architectural design, drawing inspiration from the Polish Renaissance. The towers emphasised the high status of the approach road to the centre of Warsaw, and stairways leading down to the streets below were designed within them. The stairs in the tower near the National Museum lead towards Na Książęcem Park and Solec, and allow pedestrians to cross under Aleje Jerozolimskie to the other side. Both world wars and subsequent modernisations have shaped the structure’s current appearance, which differs from Schiller’s original design. In 1915, the bridge was blown up by the Russians, and in 1944 by the Germans. The structure was restored to use in 1946, and between 1985 and 1990 the viaduct underwent a major refurbishment. Further restoration work is currently underway on the monument.
The vandalised tower of the Poniatowski Viaduct
It is difficult to admire the beauty of the viaduct today without feeling anger and helplessness. Multicoloured graffiti covers almost every surface or feature within the vandals’ reach. The graffiti – which we have blurred in our photographs so as not to give its creators any satisfaction – stretches from the lower entrance in Na Książęcem Park, through the flights of stairs and landings, right up to the exit onto Aleje Jerozolimskie. Columns, plinths, the frames of the archways and even individual balusters are daubed. The picture of this visual disaster is exacerbated by flaking paint and missing plaster. The causes of this, of course, cannot be attributed to the vandals. Regardless of the source of the various types of devastation and damage, the grand descent from the historic viaduct resembles a slum in the most run-down cities of the world. Yet this is the heart of a European metropolis.
The Poniatowski Viaduct has a long history
However, regular acts of vandalism targeting Warsaw’s ‘Poniatoszczak’ are not a new phenomenon. In June 2025, the City Roads Authority commissioned a professional clean of the towers. As it reported on its Facebook page, less than… 12 hours. That was all it took for the work to go to waste. A shock. The cost of the operation in question amounted to approximately 52,000 zlotys and covered several parts of the bridge. Following this brazen act of vandalism, the Municipal Roads Authority announced the installation of CCTV in collaboration with the Capital City Security Centre. More than a year has passed since then, and there is still no sign of the cameras. It is also worth mentioning that in 2023, a comprehensive renovation of the historic Poniatowski Viaduct and Bridge began. Unfortunately, the restored pillars are already showing signs of vandalism – even before the entire project has been completed.
ZDM post from 2015:
Millions spent on cleaning, but the graffiti remains
In 2024, the ZDM spent nearly 1.5 million zlotys on removing graffiti from noise barriers and the walls of bridges, viaducts, underpasses, low walls, etc. This is merely a fraction of the city’s bill for vandalism. From January 2025, owners of historic buildings will be able to apply for grants to clean their façades. In this unequal battle, rapid intervention, effective monitoring and anti-graffiti coatings approved by the conservation officer – suitable for the specific surface – can help. However, the condition of the historic tower mercilessly exposes the negligible effectiveness of measures taken so far. Public money is being spent on cleaning up after vandals, whilst the condition of the building continues to cry out for justice. There are thousands of places in Warsaw that look like this. To be honest, it is difficult to find a neighbourhood without daubings on walls or infrastructure. This is most evident in Śródmieście – the city’s most prestigious district is literally drowning in graffiti. Is there really no effective way to deal with those who are destroying this space?
Source: warszawa1939.pl, um.warszawa.pl, raportwarszawski.pl
See also:Historic monument|Renovation|City|Warsaw|Architecture in Poland
