Most visits to the Old Town begin on Plac Zamkowy under King Sigismund’s Column. There isn't a more popular meeting place in the city, and not a minute of the day when the steps to the statue aren't besieged by dating couples, school kids and skateboarders. Erected in 1644 by Sigismund's son, Władysław IV, the twenty-two metre column was designed by Italian architects Augustyn Locci and Constantino Tencalla, and the figure of Sigismund ranks as Poland's second oldest monument - the oldest being the Neptune Fountain in Gdańsk. Local legend asserts that Sigismund rattles his sabre whenever Warsaw is in trouble, an occurrence that was first reported during the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising and again during WWII. With the Warsaw Uprising in full swing the column took a direct hit from a tank shell and came crashing down. Amazingly Sigismund survived, losing only his sword, and he was returned to his new perch in 1949. The remains of the original column can be seen nearby at the side of the Royal Castle.