The Museum of the Polish Army (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego) is located in Warsaw on the Jerusalem Alleys. It was created on April 22, 1920 by the decree of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski as a visual representation of the glorious military history of Poland. In 1939, the number of exhibits stored here exceeded 60 thousand. During the Second World War and the German occupation, a significant part of the exhibits were taken to Germany. Thus, almost a third part of the exhibition was lost, the rest was recreated again in 1946.
The museum consists of several halls, where exhibits of different eras are stored, from the period of the emergence of the Kingdom of Poland to the present. The exposition is known for its rich collection of military objects. Among the exhibits of the museum, there is the chain mail of King Jan Kazimir, the mace of the crown hetman Stanislav Yablonovsky, the sword of the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stanislav Poniatowski, personal belongings of the leader of the National uprising Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a saddle that belonged to Napoleon I, as well as weapons, hussar armor, military equipment.
There are also books, works of art, photographs, historical documents and military artifacts brought from Mongolia, Ottoman Turkey and Japan. In the museum courtyard there is Polish military equipment of the 20th century-planes and armored vehicles. In the proposed review the main attention is paid to the weapons and equipment of the soldiers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th-18th centuries.
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Armor, helmets, halberds and muskets of infantrymen of the second half of the 16th century. Among them, the forms characteristic of Western Europe at that time predominate
Polish winged hussar of the 17th century. The main weapon of the hussar is a pike, when it was broken, the rider took up a saber. Under the left hip at the saddle, the rider carries a koncerz, whose long piercing blade allowed the rider to reach the infantryman and was well adapted for piercing armor. A pair of pistols are visible in the saddlebags
Hussar armor of the 17th century. In addition to the shell, scaly armor is also presented here
Hussar and cuirassier armor of the 17th century
Hussar armor of the 17th century. To protect the moving parts of the hands, a chain mail was worn under the armor
Hussar scaly armor, the so-called «koracina» of the second half of the 17th-early 18th centuries. It originally belonged to the Radziwill collection. The armor, breastplate, shoulder pads, gloves and helmet are made of iron scales. The length of the armor is 72 cm, the weight is 22 kg
Turkish lobster-tailed pot helmet of the 16th century. The rider's face is protected by an iron arrow, which is fixed in place with a tightening screw. The cheekbones and cheeks are covered with cheek guards, the neck is covered with a movable nape protector. The high dome of the helmet is covered with relief veins and gilded
Hussar armor of the second half of the 16th-early 17th centuries. Under the armor, the rider wore a chain mail with long sleeves and a hem. The «kapalin» helmet has a wide brim and a flexible back of the head. To protect the face, an iron arrow with a half-mask is used, which was lowered onto the face and fixed with a screw before the attack began
Cuirassier armor of the Western European model of the first half-middle of the 17th century
An iron helmet, created according to the Turkish model, with a visor and an iron arrow to protect the face, cheek guards, and a nape protector. Here you can also see the upper part of the hauberk , assembled from large flat rings. The part adjacent to the collar is made up of smaller rings
The armor worn by the «rank» riders of the hussar banners or dragoons, 17th century. The body is protected by armored chain mail, there is an aventail with a chain mail mesh on the head. On a belt through the chest, the rider carries a cartridge box with a reserve of bullets and gunpowder. On his belt is a quiver, a bow and a saber. A war hammer «nadzyak» was suspended from the rider's saddle
Armor of the «armored» Cossack of the 17th century. It includes a chain mail with long sleeves and a hem, a aventail to protect the head. In the left hand, the rider carries a light oriental shield, woven from a vine and trimmed with a cord on the outside. He is armed with a spear with a 32 cm long tip and a saber, a bow and arrow was used along with pistols
Kontusz, cap and items of military equipment of the Tatar banners of the magnate troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the second half of the 17th -early 18th centuries
Ordinary infantrymen («drab») wore caftans and hats in the Hungarian fashion. They were armed with muskets, and a bardiche was used as a bipod for shooting
The chain mail of the King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Jan II Casimir (1648-1668), luxuriously decorated with gilded targets with lapis lazuli stones. Length 96 cm, width 72 cm. It was previously stored in the royal arsenal of Wawel Castle in Krakow
The famous Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1674-1696) Jan Sobieski, who stopped the Ottoman expansion into Europe and defeated the Turkish army near Vienna
Polish sabers of the 17th century. Saber blades were usually of Eastern origin, the pommel of the saber and the decorations of the scabbard were made by local craftsmen to match the tastes and financial capabilities of their customers
Hungarian saber of the second half of the 16th century, which belonged to the King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stefan Batory (1576-1586). The heavy and wide blade of the saber with a length of 84 cm is only slightly curved in the last third, the crosshair with a width of 20 cm has a characteristic straight shape
Saber handles of the 17th century. The first two (on the left) belong to the Hungarian type, the so-called «batorovki» of the first half of the century, the third and fourth belong to the «karabels» of the second half of the century
Hussar sabers, the so-called karabels, of the second half of the 17th–18th centuries. The handles have a characteristic shape of an eagle's head. In luxuriously decorated expensive specimens, they could be completely carved from decorative stones, in simpler ones they were cut out of wood and covered with leather. According to the characteristic color of the scabbard, such sabers were also called «black sabers»
Sabers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth gentry of the first half-middle of the 18th century
Polish sabres of the second half of the 18th century
The characteristic weapon of the Polish gentry was the «war hammer», or nadzyak. In the war it was carried hanging from the saddle; in a peaceful life the gentry used it as a cane
Tatar composite bow of the 17th century. It was made of wood, bone plates and tendons, which were glued together and kept under pressure for a long time. The tension of the compound bow required an effort equivalent to lifting 50 kg. The range of fire from it was 375 m or more
A Turkish quiver for arrows of the 17th century. It is considered a trophy taken from the Turks near Vienna in 1683
Muskets of the first half of the 17th century. The large caliber and weight of the weapon allowed it to be fired only from the bipods on which the barrel was mounted. The aiming range was 50-75 m., however, even at a distance of 200 m, a bullet fired from this weapon pierced the plate armor
Butts and locks of muskets of the first half of the 17th century. The locks have a wick design. Below you can see the powder flasks, from which fine powder was poured out for priming on the shelf of the musket. The butts, like the gunstock, are decorated with ivory inlay
Wheel pistols of the first half – middle of the 17th century
Bronze cannons of various types and calibers. 17th century
A cannon with a wooden carriage, raised from the Vistula, where it most likely fell in 1656 during the retreat of the Swedish army from Warsaw during the «Swedish Flood» of the middle of the 17th century
Luxuriously decorated horse blanket, saddle and harness of the first half of the 17th century, which belonged to the magnates of the Oskerks
Knight's saddle of the 16th century, Germany. The high front and rear bows are covered with steel plates with a gilded etched ornament. The top of the saddle is covered with a printed fabric and covered with velvet
The Museum of the Polish Army (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego) is located in Warsaw on the Jerusalem Alleys. It was created on April 22, 1920 by the decree of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski as a visual representation of the glorious military history of Poland. In 1939, the number of exhibits stored here exceeded 60 thousand. During the Second World War and the German occupation, a significant part of the exhibits were taken to Germany. Thus, almost a third part of the exhibition was lost, the rest was recreated again in 1946.
The museum consists of several halls, where exhibits of different eras are stored, from the period of the emergence of the Kingdom of Poland to the present. The exposition is known for its rich collection of military objects. Among the exhibits of the museum, there is the chain mail of King Jan Kazimir, the mace of the crown hetman Stanislav Yablonovsky, the sword of the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stanislav Poniatowski, personal belongings of the leader of the National uprising Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a saddle that belonged to Napoleon I, as well as weapons, hussar armor, military equipment.
There are also books, works of art, photographs, historical documents and military artifacts brought from Mongolia, Ottoman Turkey and Japan. In the museum courtyard there is Polish military equipment of the 20th century-planes and armored vehicles. In the proposed review the main attention is paid to the weapons and equipment of the soldiers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th-18th centuries.
If the background of the photos interferes with reading the reference information of the photos, you can hover your mouse over the text — this will darken the background of the caption
Armor, helmets, halberds and muskets of infantrymen of the second half of the 16th century. Among them, the forms characteristic of Western Europe at that time predominate
Polish winged hussar of the 17th century. The main weapon of the hussar is a pike, when it was broken, the rider took up a saber. Under the left hip at the saddle, the rider carries a koncerz, whose long piercing blade allowed the rider to reach the infantryman and was well adapted for piercing armor. A pair of pistols are visible in the saddlebags
Hussar armor of the 17th century. In addition to the shell, scaly armor is also presented here
Hussar and cuirassier armor of the 17th century
Hussar armor of the 17th century. To protect the moving parts of the hands, a chain mail was worn under the armor
Hussar scaly armor, the so-called «koracina» of the second half of the 17th-early 18th centuries. It originally belonged to the Radziwill collection. The armor, breastplate, shoulder pads, gloves and helmet are made of iron scales. The length of the armor is 72 cm, the weight is 22 kg
Turkish lobster-tailed pot helmet of the 16th century. The rider's face is protected by an iron arrow, which is fixed in place with a tightening screw. The cheekbones and cheeks are covered with cheek guards, the neck is covered with a movable nape protector. The high dome of the helmet is covered with relief veins and gilded
Hussar armor of the second half of the 16th-early 17th centuries. Under the armor, the rider wore a chain mail with long sleeves and a hem. The «kapalin» helmet has a wide brim and a flexible back of the head. To protect the face, an iron arrow with a half-mask is used, which was lowered onto the face and fixed with a screw before the attack began
Cuirassier armor of the Western European model of the first half-middle of the 17th century
An iron helmet, created according to the Turkish model, with a visor and an iron arrow to protect the face, cheek guards, and a nape protector. Here you can also see the upper part of the hauberk , assembled from large flat rings. The part adjacent to the collar is made up of smaller rings
The armor worn by the «rank» riders of the hussar banners or dragoons, 17th century. The body is protected by armored chain mail, there is an aventail with a chain mail mesh on the head. On a belt through the chest, the rider carries a cartridge box with a reserve of bullets and gunpowder. On his belt is a quiver, a bow and a saber. A war hammer «nadzyak» was suspended from the rider's saddle
Armor of the «armored» Cossack of the 17th century. It includes a chain mail with long sleeves and a hem, a aventail to protect the head. In the left hand, the rider carries a light oriental shield, woven from a vine and trimmed with a cord on the outside. He is armed with a spear with a 32 cm long tip and a saber, a bow and arrow was used along with pistols
Kontusz, cap and items of military equipment of the Tatar banners of the magnate troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the second half of the 17th -early 18th centuries
Ordinary infantrymen («drab») wore caftans and hats in the Hungarian fashion. They were armed with muskets, and a bardiche was used as a bipod for shooting
The chain mail of the King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Jan II Casimir (1648-1668), luxuriously decorated with gilded targets with lapis lazuli stones. Length 96 cm, width 72 cm. It was previously stored in the royal arsenal of Wawel Castle in Krakow
The famous Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1674-1696) Jan Sobieski, who stopped the Ottoman expansion into Europe and defeated the Turkish army near Vienna
Polish sabers of the 17th century. Saber blades were usually of Eastern origin, the pommel of the saber and the decorations of the scabbard were made by local craftsmen to match the tastes and financial capabilities of their customers
Hungarian saber of the second half of the 16th century, which belonged to the King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stefan Batory (1576-1586). The heavy and wide blade of the saber with a length of 84 cm is only slightly curved in the last third, the crosshair with a width of 20 cm has a characteristic straight shape
Saber handles of the 17th century. The first two (on the left) belong to the Hungarian type, the so-called «batorovki» of the first half of the century, the third and fourth belong to the «karabels» of the second half of the century
Hussar sabers, the so-called karabels, of the second half of the 17th–18th centuries. The handles have a characteristic shape of an eagle's head. In luxuriously decorated expensive specimens, they could be completely carved from decorative stones, in simpler ones they were cut out of wood and covered with leather. According to the characteristic color of the scabbard, such sabers were also called «black sabers»
Sabers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth gentry of the first half-middle of the 18th century
Polish sabres of the second half of the 18th century
The characteristic weapon of the Polish gentry was the «war hammer», or nadzyak. In the war it was carried hanging from the saddle; in a peaceful life the gentry used it as a cane
Tatar composite bow of the 17th century. It was made of wood, bone plates and tendons, which were glued together and kept under pressure for a long time. The tension of the compound bow required an effort equivalent to lifting 50 kg. The range of fire from it was 375 m or more
A Turkish quiver for arrows of the 17th century. It is considered a trophy taken from the Turks near Vienna in 1683
Muskets of the first half of the 17th century. The large caliber and weight of the weapon allowed it to be fired only from the bipods on which the barrel was mounted. The aiming range was 50-75 m., however, even at a distance of 200 m, a bullet fired from this weapon pierced the plate armor
Butts and locks of muskets of the first half of the 17th century. The locks have a wick design. Below you can see the powder flasks, from which fine powder was poured out for priming on the shelf of the musket. The butts, like the gunstock, are decorated with ivory inlay
Wheel pistols of the first half – middle of the 17th century
Bronze cannons of various types and calibers. 17th century
A cannon with a wooden carriage, raised from the Vistula, where it most likely fell in 1656 during the retreat of the Swedish army from Warsaw during the «Swedish Flood» of the middle of the 17th century
Luxuriously decorated horse blanket, saddle and harness of the first half of the 17th century, which belonged to the magnates of the Oskerks
Knight's saddle of the 16th century, Germany. The high front and rear bows are covered with steel plates with a gilded etched ornament. The top of the saddle is covered with a printed fabric and covered with velvet
