"We may expect more such discoveries". Old paved road found in central Warsaw

"After milling the asphalt, the constructor redeveloping the Five Corners Square has uncovered fragments of an old paved road. Standard procedure dictates to immediately notify city's historical preservation office" - the ZDM posted on Facebook on Monday.

Road administrators explained that, so far, the old pavement has been found in two sections. "There's not really much of it, about a few dozen square metres. Most of the work has been immediately halted until further notice. We've already contacted the preservation office" - ZDM added.

After consulting the experts, they said that further examination of Szpitalna street would be necessary. "We may expect more such discoveries. Archeologists will now be working at the site, and the construction will be resumed once they have finished" - the ZDM informed adding that the construction can be safely continued south of Chmielna street.

With the beginning of March, the long-awaited redevelopment of the Five Corners Square has begun.

"Zgoda street will be closed for traffic, with the exception of local residents, and the whole square and roadways leading to it will be marked as 'residential zone', which gives priority to pedestrians" - the chief of the ZDM Łukasz Puchalski said at the time.

Additional pedestrian crossings will be opened where Krucza meets Widok street. Crossings on Złota, Jasna and Zgody streets are to become safer thanks to reconstruction and traffic restrictions.

A uniform surface without separate sidewalks and roadways will be created. Pedestrians will gain priority status in the area. The pavement will be covered with concrete slabs reinforced with crushed stone aggregate. New street lamps, plenty of sitting space, a fountain and greenery will appear, including 22 field maples up to 9 metres tall (in the western part of the square, close to the old and the new Jabłkowski Brothers' department stores).

Furthermore, Szpitalna (up to Górskiego street) and Krucza (up to Aleje Jerozolimskie) streets will also be renovated. Here, too, the sidewalks will be extended and new surface will appear. In the south-east corner of Krucza and Widok, trees and benches will replace the parking.

The project has been prepared by WXCA Architecture Office (architect Michał Kempiński), and the construction will be carried out by Strabag. The cost of the reconstruction is 14,5 million zlotys.