Warsaw University Library - Rooftop Gardens

The University Library was a brilliant experience. Situated close to the canal behind both the Cultural Palace and the Royal Castle, it provided with a great view. It is a green building in all meanings. The steel construction which has cathedral-like proportions is painted green but the green does not stop there; there is also a botanical garden located on the roof.

The facade represents a series of open books, and it is really worthwhile visiting. Much of the exterior is also covered with glass which gives it an open atmosphere. The basement contains bowling alleys and all kind different activities; there are also several bars.

What I found the most striking about the building was the roof garden. It was possible to walk along steel bridges over the glass roof and cobble stone paths between the different green arrangements.

The Warsaw University's library has a fantastic rooftop garden with views of the Vistula River and over 10.000 square meters of beautiful plants, lawns, ponds and even a waterfall.

These gardens were opened to the public on June 12th, 2002 are a great place to see some nice views of the river and are a quiet spot, perfect for reading or relaxing outdoors when the weather is nice. It is close to the city center (about a 15 minute walk from Old Town).

The garden is made up of two sections: an upper garden on the roof of the library building and lower garden below. They are connected by a stream, cascading waterfalls, ramps and stairways.

In the lower garden there are granite sculptures by renowned Polish artist, Ryszard Stryjecki. His series "Szkic sytuacyjny" ("Situational Sketch") refers to cosmological motifs, that being the branch of astronomy that deals with the general structure and evolution of the universe.

The upper garden consists of plants in a 30 cm deep layer of soil on the Library roof. It is divided into four parts which are differentiated by the shapes and colors of the plants. On the north end, the golden garden includes yellow and orange flowering shrubs. The east part is the silver garden and has white flowering shrubs, ornamental grasses and trees including a silver "Swiss" willow which is a really spectactular tree. The south part of the garden is the "purple garden" and west section is known as the green garden with ornamental grasses and shrubs.

Aside from these four major sections of the rooftop garden, there is an entrance garden on the ramp which connects lower and upper gardens. All areas of the garden are interconnected with paths, bridges, and pergolas.

As I said before, from the bridges and the view terrace on the roof you will see a panorama of Warsaw and the Vistula river. You can also look into the Library through both the special windows and the glass roof.

If you're in Warsaw sometime, I recommend seeing these gardens and the library building itself.