Warsaw’s City Security Centre, citing police, said as many as 250,000 people may have taken part.
Organisers put the figure at half a million, or even a million.
"I think there are half a million of us here," Marcin Osowski, head of the march’s organising team, told the crowd from the stage.
Estimates have differed sharply in the past.
Last year, city hall put attendance at around 100,000, while organisers said 300,000.
This year, the news website Onet made its own count and suggested 120,000 to 160,000.
Some marchers lit flares during the Independence March in Warsaw on 11 November, despite a ban. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
The march set off at 2:30 p.m. from Dmowski roundabout and ended at the grounds of the National Stadium, where concerts were planned.
It took place under the slogan "Polak w Polsce gospodarzem" ("A Pole as host in Poland") and marked the 108th anniversary of Poland regaining independence.
President Karol Nawrocki took part, accompanied by his senior aides.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki joins the Independence March in Warsaw on 11 November, as thousands walk towards the National Stadium. Photo: PAP/Szymon Pulcyn
There were no serious incidents, but some people were detained for the illegal use of pyrotechnics, drug possession and breaking a ban on flying drones, Jacek Wiśniewski of Warsaw police headquarters told Onet.
Nearly 1,000 people helped secure the march, and police brought in extra officers from other regions.
Many marchers came from other parts of the country, some travelling through the night.
Asked what patriotism meant to them, participants gave different answers, from responsibility for Poland and its people to simply being a good citizen.
One woman said Independence Day should never be a political issue.
The march has long divided opinion in Poland.
It began in 2010 as a joint event by two nationalist groups, and has since drawn counter-protests from left-wing and anti-fascist activists, as well as clashes with police in some years.
Organisers describe it as a patriotic celebration.
On Wednesday, Civic Coalition MEP Michał Szczerba criticised what he said were racist and xenophobic slogans at the event, including "Make Europe white again."
Streets along the route were closed, and drivers have been warned of further disruption on Thursday.
(ał)
Source: tvp.info, tvp.pl, onet.pl, PAP, polskieradio24.pl