Presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, endorsed by PiS, addressed crowds at Castle Square, calling the event "the spring of Poles" and pledging to defend national identity and sovereignty.
"We want a Poland with aspirations, one that takes care of its people," he said, receiving chants of support from attendees.
Nawrocki framed the event as part of a broader patriotic revival, declaring that his campaign would defend Polish values and lead the country to a "victory" in the upcoming presidential election.
The march followed a thanksgiving Mass and an attempt to break the national record for the traditional polonaise dance, with organisers reporting 1,165 dancing pairs, surpassing the previous record.
Participants, waving red-and-white flags and some dressed in traditional attire, marched from the Nicolaus Copernicus monument to the Royal Castle, singing patriotic songs and carrying banners with slogans such as "God, Honour, Fatherland."
Among the speakers were historian Andrzej Nowak and PiS MEP Patryk Jaki, who criticised Prime Minister Donald Tusk for allegedly adopting foreign political models.
Jaki urged a return to Polish traditions and values, warning against becoming "a European photocopier."
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, who also attended the gathering, had earlier urged supporters to join the march, describing it as a demonstration of national pride and unity.
The event was held under the National Patronage of President Duda as part of the Year of the Millennium of the First Kings' Coronations.
(ał)
Source: PAP