The Royal Castle. More a palace than a castle, this building is the pride of Warsaw, reconstructed from a pile of rubble at incredible cost between 1971 and 1984. Much of the furniture was donated by now deceased commie buddies such as the GDR and USSR.. Dating back from the 14th century, the castle was residence of the Polish king, later of the president and then the seat of parliament. The prescribed route will take you through the King's apartments and chambers, heavily adorned with paintings of famous Polish moments. Maps on the wall reflect Poland's greatest days, when it stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Next on the tour of the castle, the Houses of Parliament. Last but not least, the opulent Great Assembly Hall has so much gold stuck to the walls, it's hard to resist the temptation to scratch some off - though behave or get accosted by vigilant wardens.

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