Piłsudski Square
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Piłsudski Square is located in downtown Warsaw, Poland. It has been called successively Saxon Square (Plac Saski, after Poland's Saxon kings' "Saxon Palace", destroyed in World War II, that used to stand adjacent to the square), Piłsudski Square (after Józef Piłsudski), Victory Square (in honor of the victory of Poland and her allies in World War II) and now is again called Piłsudski Square. It is the seat of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located in the remnants of the Saxon Palace.
The Square has been the scene of many historic events. It has been the place where military parades were held since 19th century. Most important guests of the city and state authorities were greeted officially there. Pope John Paul II addressed throngs of his countrymen there in 1979 during his first visit to Poland following elevation to the papacy in 1978. In April 2005 people mourned his death there, together with Cardinal Józef Glemp (whom Pope John Paul II had appointed cardinal on 2 February 1983). Pope Benedict XVI celebrated an open-air Holy Mass there on 26 May 2006, during his first Pastoral Visit to Poland.
From 1890s to 1920s the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was located there.
