Did you know that Stara Miłosna boasts a history stretching back to the 14th century? Imagine a time long before the bustling city we know today. Stara Miłosna was then a noble village a crucial stop on a trade route. Herds of cattle were driven along this ancient path. Supplies were transported to Warsaw along the same route. Numerous taverns and postal houses dotted the landscape. These provided rest and refreshment to travelers.
This is Stara Miłosna. The oldest settlement in Wesoła. It thrived for centuries. It was a significant area even before its incorporation into Warsaw. In the first half of the 19th century a significant portion of Miłosna’s land belonged to Count Franciszek Ksawery Drucki Lubecki. He was the Minister of the Treasury at the time. He had a summer palace here. This unfortunately was destroyed during the Battle of Olszynka Grochowska.
Later the Rychłowscy family inherited Miłosna. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries the land was parceled out. In 1885 a geographical dictionary described Miłosna. It mentioned farms: Miłosna Borków Kaczydół and Żurawka. There were also settlements: Pohulanka Janówek and Zakręt. Miłosna even had a train station. This was part of the Warsaw-Terespol railway line. A post station was situated 17 versts from Warsaw.
During World War I in 1915 German troops crossed the Russian defense line. This ran through the Stara Miłosna dune range. They established a defensive line known as Brückenkopf Warschau. This means “Warsaw bridgehead”.
In the interwar period Stara Miłosna became a popular resort. It had a peat spa for children called “Nasza Chata”. It also had a glider airfield. The area suffered significant damage during World War II.
Under the Nazi occupation in 1940 a ghetto for Jewish residents was established. Around 500 Jews lived there. On March 26 1942 they were deported to the Warsaw Ghetto. From there they were taken to Treblinka II extermination camp. They were murdered there.
Since the late 1980s Stara Miłosna has seen intense development. Residential buildings of various sizes have been built. Before the systemic transformation the settlement was known as Osiedle 50-lecia PRL. Today new single-family houses are encroaching upon the boundaries of the Mazovian Landscape Park.
When Stara Miłosna became part of Warsaw the decision was made to keep the duplicated street and square names. There are even streets named after Jan Paweł II and Józef Piłsudski. These names also exist in the city center. This fascinating blend of history and modern development is what makes Stara Miłosna unique.