Seeing Circles in Poland

The Barbican was originally built as a military fortification in Warsaw, but by the time Italian Renaissance architect Jan Baptist designed and built the outpost in the mid-16th century, new weapons technology had already made it effectively obsolete. Fortunately it was such a gorgeous structure that no one really cared.

Though still used as a fort for several centuries, part of the barbican was actually worked into a new apartment complex built in the 19th century. Eventually, the barbican and the apartments were mostly leveled during World War II, but in the city's desire to rebuild its most beloved structures, the barbican rose to the front of the line. Using 17th century etchings, the government constructed a new barbican in the early '50s that resembled its original pre-apartment design.

As has been the case with many of the city's reconstructions, the new barbican featured bricks from other historic buildings destroyed in nearby cities. While it provides even less actual defense than ever, the barbican's beautiful Renaissance design and circular structure make it one of the most photographed buildings in the entire capital city. And it provides yet another example the city's inspirational comeback after decades of tough times.