Warsaw-History-Fort Bema

Fort Bema is a hidden gem in Warsaw. It doubles as a lovely park and intriguing historical site, and if you have time while visiting the city it's a must-go.

It's not hard to get to, and here's a little bit of history.

The system of Russian forts surrounding Warsaw

Built by the Russian Empire in the years 1886-1890, it was part of a system of 29 forts built around the city of Warsaw. The system was conceived after a failed Polish uprising against the Russian Empire in 1830. The initial structure built was the more well-known citadel, built as an immediate response and used to house prisoners before they were sent off on the long trek to Siberia. The complex of forts was slowly developed over the next half-century and eventually Fort "P" became a part of that system. It was known as Fort "P" because many forts were named after the first letter of the district or village that they resided in, for example Fort "M" (Mokotów) or Fort "W" (Wola).

Humorously, after the Russo-Japanese war in 1905 the Russians found that the system of forts was becoming ineffective and the cost to maintain them was too high, so they began dismantling them in 1909. "We don't need these forts," they said. Four years later in 1913, when the international scene was becoming volatile, they reversed their decision and began to prepare the forts for war. "Actually, we need these forts to defend ourselves!" But during WW1 the forts were never used, as they retreated out of Warsaw before any battle could take place. "Why did we build these forts in the first place?"

During WW2 the fort was successfully defended by 200 Polish soldiers during the siege of Warsaw, up until the city's capitulation to the Germans. During the occupation it was used as a weapons warehouse, and was attacked numerous times by the Polish underground resistance. After the war the fort housed a number of German prisoners. I was not able to find out what happened to them.

After being used by the military for the rest of the century, in 1999 it was converted into a beautiful recreational area, and now it is one of the best preserved forts in Warsaw.

One of the attractive things about the fort now is how it's used by local artist. There are a number of well-done artistic pieces throughout it's interior.

Like I said, it's not difficult to get there. From the center of Warsaw you can take the metro north to the station Stare Bielany, then hop on bus 197 going south-west towards Ursus-Niedźwiadek. It takes about 30 minutes from the center. Enjoy!