Site description: The sensors are installed on a stope in a two floor deep cellar of a 19th century palace in the center of Warsaw. The palace is the seat of the Warsaw University offices. The site is noisy due to urban noise. Although it is located on rather quiet univeristy campus, the distance to nearest street with traffic is about 300 meters. The geology is soft sediments; the station is located relatively close to a 20-meter high Vistula embankment, a fact which may hamper recording of seismic waves incoming from the East direction.

Contact person: Dr Pawel Wiejacz, Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ks. Janusza 64, 01-452 Warszawa, Poland, phone +48-22-6915774, fax +48-22-6915915.

Responsible person: mgr Wieslawa Jankowska, Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ks. Janusza 64, 01-452 Warszawa, Poland, phone +48-22-6915775, fax +48-22-6915915.

Observatory has been closed because of ever growing urban noise. The street tunnel under Swietokrzyski Bridge built in the early 2000s has greatly worsened the recording conditions. Broadband recording was transferred to the Central Geophysical Observatory at Belsk, about 45 km south of Warsaw.
Warsaw Observatory may be continued as a long period site - as not to break its 70-year old tradition. However, its upkeep would then draw on the very limited human resources of the Department of Seismology. Another reason for discontinuation is the freshly imposed limitations on automobile traffic in the vicinity of the observatory. Thus the observatory can hardly play the role of an archive since instances of driving there must be prearranged and permits have to be obtained.
Institute of Geophysics would be willing to transfer the custody of the Observatory to an institution or organization willing to run it, however it must be kept in mind that it is Warsaw University the owner of the premises and any action of this type must be approved by the Warsaw University.

updated as of October 22, 2008.