Morskie Oko is an odd name for a park. When I first saw the name I was reminded of Norway for some reason but then I remembered where I had seen not only the name but the beauty spot that the name describes. Morskie Oko literally means 'eye of the sea' and is one of the most popular attractions in the Polish Tatra Mountains; a beautiful lake located at the height of 1,400 metres.
Not sure why the park is called after this beauty spot as there aren't any lakes as such but there are three large ponds surrounded by some stunning willow trees and the park's location is on a scarp leading down to the Vistula.
This is another Warsaw park I stumbled upon by accident as I really liked the monument dedicated to Jan Matejko which stands on Ulica Puławska close to the entrance of the park. As he was one of Poland's famous historical artists I wanted to get a good look at him. After looking at the monument and taking photos I noticed that the area behind the statue looked like a park but couldn't see any signs. I decided to take a stroll and as it was a very hot day thought it was a good idea to keep in the shade especially as my granddaughter has very fair skin.
This area of old Mokotów is very pleasant with its stylish apartments and old buildings, some that survived the Second World War. As you enter the park you will notice two towers and a small maisonette. There are wooden benches and rose gardens; a very genteel setting. The building that caught my eye which is part of the park complex is Szuster's Palace. It isn't very grand in size and looks a bit rejected standing on top of a small hill with surrounding walls that have been scribbled and sprayed on with aerosol cans. The founder of the palace was Duchess Elizbieta Czartoryska-Lubomirska who was influenced by French architecture. At the time the palace was built a new garden complex was added based on the original design of the French Chateau de Versailles. The designer of the complex was S. B Zug.
In 1845 this area of Mokotów was taken over by Franciszek Szuster - hence the name of the palace. Szuster was a lithographer from Warsaw. These days the Warsaw Music Society organise classical concerts here and use the building to practice in.
I liked the building a lot mainly because of the colour of the exterior. It is a lovely yellow sandstone colour and looks very Mediterranean when the sun shines on the front and sides of the building. I like the fact that it is built on a small hill as when you are stood at the side of the building you have a full view of the park and ponds below.
Walking through the lower section of the park is very relaxing; wherever you walk there are sounds of water and the paths are well laid out. On the scarp leading from the palace is a tomb belonging to the Szustra family. Fishing is allowed in one of the ponds and the other two are very pretty to look at; the ripples of water seemed to move quite quickly downhill and as the sun caught the reflections the water changed to many different shades of blue and green.
The central fountain situated in the pond close to the children's playground is quite spectacular with sprays of water rising high in one single gush or changing directions so the water droplets are splayed from left to right. A wall surrounds this fountain which you can sit on or in my granddaughter's case, stand on with me holding her tightly. In front of the wall is an area of grass planted with lilies.
I particularly liked the children's playground here. The ground was covered in thick sand and was fenced and gated which is the case with most playgrounds in Warsaw parks. Apart from swings, slides and climbing frames there was a brightly coloured wooden train with a steering wheel and tiny seats inside. My granddaughter couldn’t wait to jump inside and take charge.
Once we had finished in the playground it seemed a long walk back to the entrance - uphill all the way. At least there was plenty of shade and if you took small steps the walk seemed less of a struggle.
Trams 4 and 8 take you to the park from Centrum or Bankowy. The road outside the entrance of the park is very busy with traffic so if with small children take care, hold their hands tightly.
Eye of the sea in Mokotow 
