Mokotowskie Field (Pole Mokotowskie im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego)

Location: Śródmieście, aleje Niepodległości
www.polamokotowskie.pl

This is a huge park complex, right near the centre of Warsaw, situated over and between three districts: Mokotów, Ochota and Śródmieście, and it stretches all the way from Żwirki i Wigury Street to Waryńskiego Street. Before World War II, this 200 hectares served numerous functions, including acting as Mokotowkie Airport (today, a giant obelisk stands in memory of the airport), an allotment garden, and a race-track for horses (which is now in Służewiec). Its central location means that the park has an incredibly important task: it provides the centre of Warsaw with a free flow of air, all the way to the downtown area.
Despite this unusual purpose, it is also a very typical sports and recreation green space, with wide walking boulevards and bicycle paths, as well as a lovely fountain that is extremely popular with Varsovians. On sunny summer days, hundreds of people are to be found sunning themselves on the grass, or enjoying some food and drink at one of the park's famous pubs (the most popular being 'Lolek' and 'Bolek', and Jeff's American Restaurant. The park also has a monument that especially delights children: the Monument of the Happy Dog (Pomnik Szczęśliwego Psa). The massive open field hosts many open-air performances, as well as the annual Earth Day picnic in April, which attracts thousands of guests interested in protecting the environment and learning about earth-friendly practices; another huge picnic is the June 1 celebration of Children's Day. And the park hosts concerts, all year round.