A whisper of history clings to the very air here in Wesoła. This unassuming district a southeastern jewel in Warsaw’s crown holds secrets whispered across centuries.
Wesoła wasn’t always a district of Warsaw. Its story begins long before its official incorporation on October 27 2002. Imagine a time before the bustling city spread its tendrils this far. This land was a patchwork of small villages and estates each with its own unique tale.
One such estate was Wola Grzybowska. Legend says its name comes from a powerful Warsawian starost named Grzybowski. At the start of the 20th century Duke Emanuel Bułhak owned the land. The 1931 census recorded a mere 52 houses. World War II scarred Wola Grzybowska but it was rebuilt. In 1968 it became part of the growing town of Wesoła. Today Warszawa Wola Grzybowska railway station stands as a testament to its resilience.
Nearby Wesoła-Centrum boasts an even longer history. Five hundred years ago it was part of the Długa village. The construction of the Terespol Railway in the 19th century spurred its growth. Wesoła began as a crucial loading platform for the Russian army transforming into a railway station. The area flourished with new homes. In 1918 the estate adopted the name Wesoła. By 1937 seventy buildings stood proudly. The area’s pleasant climate and attractive landscape fueled a boom in villa construction during the late 1930s.
Groszówka gets its name from the incredibly low price of its land just 20 kopecks per ell. Sandy hills and dense woods presented a challenge for early settlers. Despite this most of Groszówka remains a haven of forested avenues.
The villages of Grzybowa and Zielona were linked to the old route from Grochów to Stanisławów. A Zielona inn stood near this track. The 1827 census showed just three houses and twelve inhabitants in Grzybowa. Zielona grew around the inn. By 1895 Zielona covered 245 morgas with 68 inhabitants. Austria built a customs house there in 1795 a brick structure sadly destroyed in 1944. Grzybowa and Zielona were annexed by Wawer municipality. Today they are beautiful estates nestled among the forests. The Kamień Piłsudskiego stands as a reminder of Polish Military Organisation exercises in 1917.
Stara Miłosna the oldest estate in Wesoła has a documented history stretching back to the 14th century. It was a szlachta village originally called Milosina. Cattle drives supplied Warsaw via a route running through Miłosna. Inns and postal buildings lined this path. Prince Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki the chancellor of the exchequer owned much of the area in the first half of the 19th century. His palace was destroyed during the Battle of Olszynka Grochowska in 1831. World War I saw the German army take over Russian defenses on Miłosna’s hills. It was a prosperous area in the Second Polish Republic known for its summer estates health resort and glider airport. Much was lost in World War II.
Finally there’s the Polish Army Square. Before World War I Tsarist army barracks stood here. It later became a military training ground. The Artillery Measurement Detachment from Toruń was stationed here along with its headquarters orchestra building and accommodation blocks. Later it served as a secret training center and then as the home of the 1st Infantry Regiment of the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko’s Infantry Division. The square now serves as an open area for the 2000 residents.
Wesoła a district born from humble beginnings. A place where history and nature intertwine. A testament to the enduring spirit of Poland.