Warsaw

Music Home >> Music Genres >> Undetermined Music



< < < < < > > > > > More Info on Warsaw Similar Undetermined Music Search Artistopia

Biography

Warsaw ( ; see also #Etymology and names|other names ) is the Capital city|capital and List of cities and towns in Poland|largest city of Poland . It is located on the Vistula|Vistula River , roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains . Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a Warsaw metropolitan area|greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the Largest cities of the European Union by population within city limits|10th most populous city proper in the European Union . The Urban area|area of the city covers , while the city's agglomeration covers .

Warsaw is an Alpha- global city , a major international tourist destination and an important economic hub in Central Europe|Central and Eastern Europe . It is also known as the " phoenix (mythology)|phoenix city" because it has survived many wars throughout its history. Most notably, the city had to be painstakingly rebuilt after the extensive damage it suffered from World War II , during which 80% of its buildings were destroyed. On 9 November 1940 the city was awarded Poland's highest military decoration for heroism, the Virtuti Militari , for the Siege of Warsaw (1939) .

Warsaw has given its name to the Warsaw Confederation , the Warsaw Pact , the Duchy of Warsaw , the Warsaw Convention , the Treaty of Warsaw (1970)|Treaty of Warsaw , the Warsaw Uprising and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising . The Warszawianka (1831)|Warszawianka is widely considered the unofficial anthem of the city.

Etymology and names

Warsaw's name in the Polish language, Warszawa (also formerly spelled Warszewa and Warszowa ), means "belonging to Warsz", Warsz being a shortened form of the masculine Slavic names|name of Slavic origin Warcislaw; see also etymology of Wroclaw . False etymology|Folk etymology attributes the city name to a fisherman Wars and his wife Sawa. According to legend, Sawa was a mermaid living in the Vistula River who Wars fell in love with. Actually, Warsz was a 12th/13th century nobleman who owned a village located at the site of today's Mariensztat neighbourhood. The official city name in full is (). A native or resident of Warsaw is known as a Varsovian .

Other names for Warsaw include (German and Dutch), (Spanish and Latin), (French), (Italian), / Varshe (Yiddish), / Varsha (Hebrew), / Varshava (Bulgarian, Slavomacedonian, Russian and Serbian), (Slovak, Czech, Latvian, Slovenian, Serbian and Croatian), (Lithuanian), (Hungarian), (Huásha, "flower sand") (Traditional Chinese) and / fersofia (Arabic).

History

headercss=width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;

contentcss=

header=Warsaw Timeline

content=& nbsp;& nbsp;& nbsp;& nbsp; Year & nbsp;& nbsp; Event

1300 Warsaw is founded

1413 Capital of Masovia|Mazovia

1573 Warsaw Confederation and the first Royal elections in Poland|free election

1596 Capital of Poland

1641 Prussia n Homage (medieval)|Homage

1655 Deluge (history)|Deluge

1700 Great Northern War

1747 Foundation of Zaluski Library

1791 Constitution of May 3, 1791|Constitution is passed by the Sejm

1794 Warsaw Uprising (1794)|Warsaw Uprising and Battle of Praga|Massacre of Praga

1795 Partitions of Poland|Third partition of Poland

1807 Duchy of Warsaw|Warsaw Duchy established

1815 Congress Poland established

1830 November Uprising

1863 January Uprising

1918 Capital of the Second Polish Republic

1920 Battle of Warsaw (1920)|Miracle at the Vistula

1939 Siege of Warsaw (1939)|Siege of Warsaw

1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

1944 Warsaw Uprising

1945 Rebuilding of Warsaw begins

1952 Warsaw is recognized as the capital of the People's Republic of Poland|PRL

1955 Signature of the Warsaw Pact

1968 1968 Polish political crisis|March events

1989 Polish Round Table Agreement

Early history

The first fortified settlements on the site of today's Warsaw were Bródno (9th/10th century) and Ujazdów Castle|Jazdów (12th/13th century). After Jazdów was raided, a new similar settlement was established on the site of a small fishing village called Warszowa. The Plock prince Boleslaw II of Masovia, established this settlement, the modern Warsaw, about 1300. In the beginning of the 14th century it became one of the seats of the Duke of Masovia|Dukes of Masovia , becoming the capital of Masovia in 1413. 14th-century Warsaw's economy rested on crafts and trade. Upon the extinction of the local ducal line, the duchy was reincorporated into the Polish Crown in 1526.

16th to 18th centuries

In 1529 Warsaw for the first time became the seat of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland|General Sejm , permanent from 1569. In 1573 the city gave its name to the Warsaw Confederation , formally establishing freedom of religion|religious freedom in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Due to its central location between the Commonwealth's capitals of Kraków and Vilnius , Warsaw became the capital of the Commonwealth, and of the Polish Crown, in 1596, when King Sigismund III Vasa moved the court from Kraków to Warsaw.

In the following years the town expanded towards the suburbs. Several private independent districts were established, the property of aristocrats and the gentry, which were ruled by their own laws. Three times between 1655–1658 the city was under siege and three times it was taken and pillaged by the Swedish, Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburgian and Transylvania n forces.

In 1700, the Great Northern War broke out. The city was besieged several times and was obliged to pay heavy contributions. Warsaw turned into an early- capitalism|capitalistic principal city.

Stanislaw August Poniatowski , who remodelled the interior of the Royal Castle in Warsaw , also made Warsaw a centre of culture and the arts. This earned Warsaw the name of the Paris of the east .

19th and 20th centuries

Warsaw remained the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1795, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia to become the capital of the province of South Prussia . Liberated by Napoleon I|Napoleon 's army in 1806, Warsaw was made the capital of the newly created Duchy of Warsaw . Following the Congress of Vienna of 1815, Warsaw became the centre of the Congress Poland , a constitutional monarchy under a personal union with Russian Empire|Imperial Russia . The Royal University of Warsaw was established in 1816.

Following the repeated violations of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland|Polish constitution by the Russians, the 1830 November Uprising broke out. However, the Polish-Russian war of 1831 ended in the uprising's defeat and in the curtailment of the Kingdom's autonomy. On 27 February 1861 a Warsaw crowd protesting against the Russian rule over Poland was fired upon by the Russian troops. Zbigniew Naliwajek. . Revue de littérature comparée 3/2003 (n°307), p. 325-338. Five people were killed. The Underground Polish National Government (January Uprising)|Polish National Government resided in Warsaw during January Uprising in 1863–64.

Warsaw flourished in the late 19th century under Mayor Sokrates Starynkiewicz (1875–92), a Russian-born general appointed by Alexander III of Russia|Tsar Alexander III . Under Starynkiewicz Warsaw saw its first water and sewer systems designed and built by the English engineer William Lindley and his son, William Heerlein Lindley , as well as the expansion and modernisation of tram s, street light ing and Gasworks|gas works .

The Russian Empire Census of 1897 recorded 626,000 people living in Warsaw, making it the third-largest city of the Empire after St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Warsaw was occupied by Germany from the 4 August 1915 until 1918. It then became the capital of the newly independent Second Polish Republic|Poland in 1918. In the course of the Polish–Soviet War|Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920, the huge Battle of Warsaw (1920)|Battle of Warsaw was fought on the eastern outskirts of the city in which the capital was successfully defended and the Red Army defeated. Poland stopped by itself the full brunt of the Red Army and defeated an idea of the " export of revolution|export of the revolution ".

World War II

During World War II , central Poland, including Warsaw, came under the rule of the General Government , a German Nazism|Nazi colonial administration. All higher education institutions were immediately closed and Warsaw's entire Jewish population several hundred thousand, some 30% of the city herded into the Warsaw Ghetto . When the order came to annihilate the ghetto as part of Adolf Hitler|Hitler 's " Final Solution " on 19 April 1943, Jewish fighters launched the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising . Despite being heavily outgunned and outnumbered, the Ghetto held out for almost a month. When the fighting ended, almost all survivors were massacred, only few managed to escape or hide.

headercss=width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;

contentcss=

header=Warsaw'44

content=

By July 1944, the Red Army was deep into Polish territory and pursuing the Germans toward Warsaw. Knowing that Joseph Stalin|Stalin was hostile to the idea of an independent Poland, the Polish government-in-exile in London gave orders to the underground Armia Krajowa|Home Army (AK) to try to seize control of Warsaw from the Germans before the Red Army arrived. Thus, on 1 August 1944, as the Red Army was nearing the city, the Warsaw Uprising began. The armed struggle, planned to last 48 hours, went on for 63 days. Stalin gave orders to his troops to wait outside of Warsaw. The Soviet troops, ordered by Stalin to wait until the Germans had destroyed the remnants of Polish resistance, then moved into what was left of Warsaw, flushed out the remaining Germans, and proclaimed themselves liberators of the city .
Eventually the Home Army fighters and civilians assisting them were forced to capitulate. They were transported to Prisoner of war|PoW camps in Germany, while the entire civilian population was expelled. Polish civilian deaths are estimated at between 150,000 and 200,000.

The Germans then Planned destruction of Warsaw|razed Warsaw to the ground . Hitler, ignoring the agreed terms of the capitulation, ordered the entire city to be razed to the ground and the library and collection (museum)|museum collections taken to Germany or burned. Monuments and government buildings were blown up by special German troops known as Verbrennungs- und Vernichtungskommando ("Burning and Destruction Detachments"). About 85% of the city had been destroyed, including the historic Old Town and the Royal Castle.

On 17 January 1945 – after the beginning of the Vistula–Oder Offensive of the Red Army – Soviet troops entered the ruins of Warsaw, and liberated Warsaw's suburb s from German occupation. The city was swiftly taken by the Soviet Army, which rapidly advanced towards Lódz , as German forces regrouped at a more westward position.

Modern times

In 1945, after the bombing, the revolts, the fighting, and the demolition had ended, most of Warsaw lay in ruins.

After the war, under a Communism|Communist regime set up by the conquering Soviets, large prefabrication|prefabricated Public housing|housing project s were erected in Warsaw to address the housing shortage, along with other typical buildings of an Eastern Bloc city, such as the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw|Palace of Culture and Science . The city resumed its role as the capital of Poland and the country's centre of political and economic life. Many of the historic streets, buildings, and churches were restored to their original form. In 1980, Warsaw's historic Old Town was inscribed onto UNESCO 's World Heritage Site|World Heritage list.

Pope John Paul II|John Paul II 's visits to his native country in 1979 and 1983 brought support to the budding Solidarity (Polish trade union)|solidarity movement and encouraged the growing Anti-communism|anti-communist fervor there. In 1979, less than a year after becoming pope, John Paul celebrated Mass in Pilsudski Square|Victory Square in Warsaw and ended his sermon with a call to "renew the face" of Poland: Let Thy Spirit descend& #33; Let Thy Spirit descend and renew the face of the land& #33; This land! These words were very meaningful for the Polish citizens who understood them as the incentive for the democratic changes.

In 1995, the Warsaw Metro opened. With the entry of Poland into the European Union in 2004, Warsaw is currently experiencing the biggest boom and bust|economic boom of its history. The opening match of UEFA Euro 2012 is scheduled to take place in Warsaw.

Geography

Location and topography

Warsaw lies in east-central Poland about from the Carpathian Mountains and about from the Baltic Sea , east of Berlin, Germany. The city straddles the Vistula|Vistula River . It is located in the heartland of the Masovian Plain , and its average elevation is above sea level . The highest point on the left side of the city lies at a height of (“Redutowa” bus depot, district of Wola), on the right side – (“Groszówka” estate, district of Wesola, by the eastern border). The lowest point lies at a height (at the right bank of the Vistula, by the eastern border of Warsaw). There are some hills (mostly artificial) located within the confines of the city – e.g. Warsaw Uprising Hill (), Szczesliwice hill ( – the highest point of Warsaw in general).

Warsaw is located on two main geomorphologic forms: the plain moraine plateau and the Vistula Valley with its asymmetrical pattern of different terraces. The Vistula River is the specific axis of Warsaw, which divides the city into two parts, left and right. The left one is situated both on the moraine plateau ( above Vistula level) and on the Vistula terraces (max. above Vistula level). The significant element of the relief, in this part of Warsaw, is the edge of moraine plateau called Warsaw Escarpment. It is high in the Old Town and Central district and about in the north and south of Warsaw. It goes through the city and plays an important role as a landmark.

The plain moraine plateau has only a few natural and artificial pond s and also groups of clay pit s. The pattern of the Vistula terraces is asymmetrical. The left side consist mainly of two levels: the highest one contains former flooded terraces and the lowest one the flood plain terrace. The contemporary flooded terrace still has visible valley s and ground depression (geology)|depressions with water systems coming from the Vistula old – Stream bed|riverbed . They consist of still quite natural streams and lake s as well as the pattern of drainage ditch es. The right side of Warsaw has a different pattern of geomorfological forms. There are several levels of the plain Vistula terraces (flooded as well as former flooded once) and only small part and not so visible moraine escarpment. Aeolian processes|Aeolian sand with a number of dune s parted by peat swamps or small ponds cover the highest terrace. These are mainly forested areas ( Temperate coniferous forest|pine forest ).

Climate

Warsaw's climate is humid continental climate|humid continental ( Köppen climate classification|Koppen Dfb ) with cold winters and mild summers. The average temperature is in January and in July. Temperatures may often reach in the summer. Yearly rainfall averages , wettest month being July. Spring and Autumn are usually beautiful seasons, the former crisp and sunny and full of blooms and the latter alternately sunny and misty, and cool but not cold.

Districts

Until 1994, there were 7 districts in Warsaw: Sródmiescie, Praga Pólnoc, Praga Poludnie, Zoliborz, Wola, Ochota, Mokotów. Between 1994 and 2002, there were 11 districts: Centrum, Bialoleka, Targówek, Rembertów, Wawer, Wilanów, Ursynów, Wlochy, Ursus, Bemowo, Bielany. In 2002, the town Wesola was incorporated and the territorial division of Warsaw was established as follows:

Population
Mokotów
Praga Poludnie
Ursynów
Wola
Bielany
Sródmiescie
Targówek
Bemowo
Ochota
Bialoleka
Praga Pólnoc
Wawer
Ursus
Zoliborz
Wlochy
Rembertów
Wesola
Wilanów
Total

Warsaw is a powiat ( county ), and is further divided into 18 boroughs, each one known as a dzielnica ( districts – see ), each one with its own administrative body. Each of the boroughs includes several neighbourhoods which have no legal or administrative status. Warsaw has two historic districts, called Warsaw Old Town|Old Town ( Stare Miasto ) and Warsaw New Town|New Town ( Nowe Miasto ) in the borough of Sródmiescie, Warsaw|Sródmiescie .

Cityscape

Overview

Warsaw's mixture of architectural style s reflects the turbulent History of Warsaw|history of the city and country. During WWII, Warsaw was razed to the ground by Bombing of Warsaw in World War II|bombing raids and Planned destruction of Warsaw|planned destruction . After liberation, rebuilding began as in other cities of the communist-ruled People's Republic of Poland|PRL . Most of the historical buildings were thoroughly reconstructed. However, some of the buildings from the 19th century that had been preserved in reasonably reconstructible form were nonetheless eradicated in the 1950s and 1960s (e.g. Leopold Kronenberg Palace). Mass residential blocks were erected, with basic design typical of Eastern Bloc|Eastern bloc countries.

Public space s attract heavy investment, so that the city has gained entirely new squares, parks and monuments. Warsaw's current urban landscape is one of modern and contemporary architecture.

Architecture

Warsaw's palace s, church (building)|church es and mansions display a richness of color and architectural details. Buildings are representatives of nearly every European architectural style and List of time periods|historical period . The city has wonderful examples of architecture from the gothic architecture|gothic , renaissance , baroque and neoclassical architecture|neoclassical periods, all of which are located within easy walking distance of the town centre.

Gothic architecture is represented in the majestic churches but also at the Middle class|burgher houses and fortification s. The most significant buildings are St. John's Cathedral, Warsaw|St. John's Cathedral (14th century), the temple is a typical example of the so-called Masovia n gothic style, St. Mary's Church, Warsaw|St. Mary's Church (1411), a Townhouse|town house of Burbach family (14th century), Gunpowder Tower (after 1379) and the Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle Curia Maior (1407–1410). The most notable examples of Renaissance architecture in the city are the house of Baryczko merchant family (1562), building called "The Negro" (early 17th century) and Salwator tenement (1632). The most interesting examples of mannerism|mannerist architecture are the Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle (1596–1619) and the Jesuit Church, Warsaw|Jesuit Church (1609–1626) at Old Town. Among the first structures of the early baroque the most important are St. Hyacinth's Church, Warsaw|St. Hyacinth's Church (1603–1639) and Zygmunt's Column (1644).

Building activity occurred in numerous noble palaces and churches during the later decades of the 17th century. One of the best examples of this architecture are Krasinski Palace (1677–1683), Wilanów Palace (1677–1696) and St. Kazimierz Church (1688–1692). The most impressive examples of rococo architecture are Czapski Palace (1712–1721), Palace of the Four Winds (1730s) and Visitationist Church (façade 1728–1761). The neoclassical architecture in Warsaw can be described by the simplicity of the geometrical forms teamed with a great inspiration from the Roman period. Some of the best examples of the neoclassical style are the Lazienki Palace|Palace on the Water (rebuilt 1775–1795), Królikarnia (1782–1786), Carmelite Church, Warsaw|Carmelite Church (façade 1761–1783) and Evangelical Holy Trinity Church, Warsaw|Holy Trinity Church (1777–1782). The economic growth during the first years of Congress Poland caused a rapid rise architecture. The Neoclassical revival affected all aspects of architecture, the most notable are the Great Theatre, Warsaw|Great Theater (1825–1833) and buildings located at Plac Bankowy, Warsaw|Bank Square (1825–1828).

Exceptional examples of the bourgeoisie|bourgeois architecture of the later periods were not restored by the communism|communist authorities after the war (like mentioned Kronenberg Palace and Insurance|Insurance Company Rosja building) or they were rebuilt in socialist realism style (like Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra|Warsaw Philharmony edifice originally inspired by Palais Garnier in Paris). Despite that the Warsaw University of Technology building (1899–1902) is the most interesting of the late 19th century architecture. Lot of the 19th century buildings is restored in Praga (Vistula’s right bank), though they are in a pretty bad condition. Warsaw’s Local government|municipal government authorities have decided to rebuild the Saxon Palace and the Brühl Palace, Warsaw|Brühl Palace , the most distinctive buildings in prewar Warsaw.

Notable examples of contemporary architecture include the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw|Palace of Culture and Science (1952–1955), a Socialist realism|Soc-realist skyscraper located in the city centre, and the Constitution Square with its monumental Socialist realism architecture (MDM estate). The central part of the right-bank (east) Praga borough it is a place where very run-down houses stand right next to modern apartment|apartment building s and shopping malls.

Modern architecture in Warsaw is represented by the Metropolitan Office|Office Building at Pilsudski Square|Pilsudski Square by Norman Foster (architect)|Lord Foster , Warsaw University Library (BUW) by Marek Budzynski and Zbigniew Badowski, featuring a garden on its roof and view of the Vistula|Vistula River , Rondo 1 office building by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and Zlote Tarasy|Golden Terraces , consisting of seven overlapping domes retail and business centre.

It has been said that Warsaw, together with Frankfurt am Main|Frankfurt , London, Paris, Moscow, Istanbul and Rotterdam is one of the tallest cities in Europe. Of the 21 tallest skyscrapers in Poland, 18 are situated in Warsaw (the first of the list which is not in Warsaw, is the 9th – the Sea Tower in Gdynia ).

Flora and fauna

Greenspace covers 40% of the surface area of Warsaw, "Warsaw is a green city. Almost 1/4 of its area is fields, parks, green squares and lush gardens, making Warsaw a European metropolis that truly offers its visitors a breath of fresh air." including a broad range of greenstructures, from small neighborhood parks, green spaces along streets and in courtyards, trees and avenues to large historic parks, conservation (ethic)|nature conservation areas and the urban forests at the fringe of the city.

There are as many as 82 parks in the city which cover 8 % of its area. The oldest ones, once parts of representative palaces, are Saxon Garden , the Krasinski Palace Garden, the Royal Baths Park , the Wilanów Palace Park and the Królikarnia Palace Park ( See also: #Varieties|Greenery in the city ).

The Saxon Garden, covering the area of 15.5 ha, was formally a royal garden. There are over 100 different species of trees and the avenues are a place to sit and relax. At the east end of the park, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw|Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is situated. In the 19th century the Krasinski Palace Garden was remodelled by Franciszek Szanior. Within the central area of the park one can still find old trees dating from that period: Ginkgo biloba|maidenhair tree , Juglans nigra|black walnut , Corylus colurna|Turkish hazel and Pterocarya fraxinifolia|Caucasian wingnut trees. With its benches, flower carpets, a pond with ducks on and a playground for kids, the Krasinski Palace Garden is a popular strolling destination for the Varsovians. The Monument of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is also situated here. The Royal Baths Park covers the area of 76 ha. The unique character and history of the park is reflected in its landscape architecture ( pavilion (structure)|pavilion s, sculpture s, bridge s, Waterfall|cascades , pond s) and vegetation (domestic and foreign species of trees and bushes). What makes this park different from other green spaces in Warsaw is the presence of Peafowl|peacocks and pheasant s, which can be seen here walking around freely, and royal carp s in the pond. The Wilanów Palace Park, dates back to the second half of the 17th century. It covers the area of 43 ha. Its central Garden à la française|French-styled area corresponds to the ancient, baroque forms of the palace. The eastern section of the park, closest to the Palace, is the two-level garden with a terrace facing the pond. The park around the Królikarnia Palace is situated on the old escarpment of the Vistula. The park has lanes running on a few levels deep into the ravines on both sides of the palace.

Other green spaces in the city include the Botanical garden|Botanic Garden and the University Library garden. They have extensive botanical collection of rare domestic and foreign plants, while a palm house in the New Orangery displays plants of subtropics from all over the world. Besides, within the city borders, there are also: Pole Mokotowskie (a big park in the northern Mokotów, where was the first horse racetrack and then the airport), Park Ujazdowski (close to the Sejm and John Lennon street), Park of Culture and Rest in Powsin, by the southern city border, Park Skaryszewski by the right Vistula bank, in Praga. The oldest park in Praga, the Praga Park , was established in 1865–1871 and designed by Jan Dobrowolski. Powstal w latach 1865–1871, wedlug projektu Jana Dobrowolskiego, na prawym brzegu Wisly. In 1927 a zoological garden ( Ogród Zoologiczny ) was established on the park grounds, and in 1952 a bear run, still open today.

The flora of the city may be considered very rich in species. The species richness is mainly due to the location of Warsaw within the border region of several big floral regions comprising substantial proportions of close-to-wilderness areas (natural forests, wetland s along the Vistula) as well as arable land , meadow s and forests. Bielany Forest, located within the borders of Warsaw, is the remaining part of the Masovian Old-growth forest|Primeval Forest . Bielany Forest nature reserve is connected with Kampinos Forest . It is home to rich fauna and flora. Within the forest there are three cycling and walking trails. Other big forest area is Kabaty Forest by the southern city border. Warsaw has also two botanic gardens: by the Lazienki park (a didactic-research unit of the University of Warsaw) as well as by the Park of Culture and Rest in Powsin (a unit of the Polish Academy of Science).

There is 13 nature reserves in Warsaw – among others, Bielany Forest, Kabaty Woods, Czerniaków Lake. About 15& nbsp;km from Warsaw, the Vistula|Vistula river 's environment changes strikingly and features a perfectly preserved ecosystem , with a habitat of animals that includes the otter , beaver and hundreds of bird species. There is also several lakes in Warsaw – mainly the oxbow lake s, like Czerniaków Lake, the lakes in the Lazienki or Wilanów Parks, Kamionek Lake. There are lot of small lakes in the parks, but only part of them is permanent – the most of them is being emptied before winter to clean them of plants and sediments.

The Warsaw Zoo covers an area of 40 hectares (100 acres). There are about 5,000 animals representing nearly 500 species. Although officially created in 1928, it traces back its roots to 17th century private menagerie s, often open to the public.Warsaw Zoo opened 11 March 1928, on Ratuszowa Street. It was not the first zoo|zoological garden in Warsaw; King John III Sobieski|Jan Sobieski III kept a court menagerie in Wilanów . Several private zoos were also established in Warsaw in the 19th century.

Demographics

Historically, Warsaw has been a destination for internal and foreign immigration, especially from Central Europe|Central and Eastern Europe . For nearly 300 years it was known as the " Paris of the North" or "Second Paris". It was always a centre of Culture of Europe|European culture , existed as a major European city, and was a destination for many Europeans. Demographics|Demographic ally it was the most diverse city in Poland, with a significant numbers of foreign-born inhabitants. In addition to the Poles|Polish majority , there was a significant Jewish minority in Warsaw. According to Russian Empire Census|Russian census of 1897 , out of the total population of 638,000, Jews constituted 219,000 (around 34% percent). Warsaw's prewar Jewish population of more than 350,000 constituted about 30 percent of the city's total population. In 1933 out of 1,178,914 inhabitants 833,500 were of Polish mother tongue. World War II changed all of this, and to this day there is much less ethnic diversity than in the previous 300 years of the city's history. Most of the modern day population growth is based on internal migration and urbanisation.

In 1939, ca. 1,300,000 people lived in Warsaw, but in 1945 – only 420,000. During the first years after the war, the population growth was ca. 6%, so shortly the city started to suffer from the lack of flats and of areas for new houses. The first remedial measure was the Warsaw area enlargement (1951) – but the city authorities were still forced to introduce registration limitations: only the spouses and children of permanent residents as well as some exceptional persons (like good and famous specialists) were allowed to get registration. These limitations caused that the population growth decreased ca. twofold, but aroused among other Poles some kind of belief that the Varsovians feel themselves as somebody better than others only because they live in the capital. This belief unfortunately still lives in Poland (in much lower intensity) – even though there are not registration limitations anymore (since 1990).

Municipal government

The municipal government existed in Warsaw until World War II and was restored in 1990 (during the communist times, the National City Council – Miejska Rada Narodowa – governed in Warsaw). Since 1990, the system of city administration has been changed several times – also as the result of the reform which restored powiat s, cancelled in 1975. Finally, according the Warsaw Act , the city is divided into 18 districts and forms one city powiat with a unified municipal government.

The basic unit of territorial division in Poland is a commune ( gmina ). A city is also a commune – but with the city charter. Both cities and communes are being governed by a mayor – but in the communes the mayor is vogt ( wójt in Polish), however in the cities – burmistrz . Some bigger cities obtain the entitlements, i.e. tasks and privileges, which are possessed by the units of the second level of the territorial division – counties or powiat s. An example of such entitlement is a car registration: a gmina cannot register cars, this is a ''powiat's task (i.e. a registration number depends on what powiat a car had been registered, not gmina ). In this case we say about city county or powiat grodzki . Such cities are for example Kraków , Gdansk , Poznan . In Warsaw, its districts additionally have some of powiat's entitlements – like already mentioned car registration. For example, the district Wola has its own evidence and the district Ursynów – its own (and the cars from Wola have another type of registration number than these from Ursynów). But for instance the districts in Kraków do not have entitlements of powiat , so the registration numbers in Kraków are of the same type for all districts.

Legislature|Legislative power in Warsaw is vested in a unicameralism|unicameral Warsaw City Council ( Rada Miasta ), which comprises 60 members. Council members are elected directly every four years. Like most legislative bodies, the City council|City Council divides itself into committees which have the oversight of various functions of the city government. Bills passed by a Plurality (voting)|simple majority are sent to the mayor (the President of Warsaw), who may sign them into law. If the mayor vetoes a bill, the Council has 30 days to override the veto by a Supermajority|two-thirds majority vote.

Each of the 18 separate city districts has its own council ( Rada dzielnicy ). Their duties are focused on aiding the President and the City Council, as well as supervising various municipal companies, city-owned property and schools. The head of each of the District Councils is named the Mayor ( Burmistrz ) and is elected by the local council from the candidates proposed by the President of Warsaw.

The mayor of Warsaw is called President. Generally, in Poland, the mayors of bigger cities are called presidents – i.e. such cities, which have over 100,000 people or these, where already was president before 1990. The first Warsaw President was Jan Andrzej Menich (1695–1696). Between 1975 and 1990 the Warsaw Presidents was simultaneously the Warsaw Voivodeship|Warsaw Voivode . Since 1990 the President of Warsaw had been elected by the City council . In the years of 1994–1999 the mayor of the district Centrum automatically was designed as the President of Warsaw: the mayor of Centrum was elected by the district council of Centrum and the council was elected only by the Centrum residents. Since 2002 the President of Warsaw is elected by all of the citizens of Warsaw.

The current List of mayors of Warsaw|President of Warsaw is Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz (since 2006-12-02) – the former president of the National Bank of Poland. The first president elected according these rules was Lech Kaczynski. When he was elected on the President of Polish Republic (December 2005), there was not an additional election in Warsaw, hence formally he was simultaneously the President of Poland and the President of Warsaw.

Politics

As the capital of Poland, Warsaw is the Centralisation|political centre of the country. All state agencies are located there, including the Sejm of the Republic of Poland|Polish Parliament , the President of Poland|Presidential Office and Supreme court|the Supreme Court . In the Sejm of the Republic of Poland|Polish parliament the city and the area are represented by 31 Member of Parliament|MP s (out of 460). Additionally, Warsaw elects two Member of the European Parliament|MEP s.

The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Posel in Polish (literally 'Envoy'). It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm (Marszalek Sejmu).

Transportation

Warsaw has seen major infrastructural changes over the past few years amidst increased foreign direct investment|foreign investment and economic growth. The city has a much improved infrastructure with new road s, Overpass|flyovers , bridge s, etc.

Warsaw lacks a good circular road system and most traffic goes directly through the city centre. Warsaw ring road has been planned consisting of three Expressways of Poland|express roads : Expressway S2 (Poland)|S2 , Expressway S8 (Poland)|S8 and Expressway S17 (Poland)|S17 . Currently parts of S2 and S8 are under construction and to be completed up to 2012. The city has one international airport , Warsaw Frédéric Chopin Airport , located just from the city centre, with Modlin Airport|Warsaw-Modlin Airport located to the north scheduled to become the city's second international airport in July 2012. With around 100 international and domestic flights a day and with over 9,268,551 passengers served in 2007, it is by far the biggest airport in Poland.

Currently, the Tramwaje Warszawskie (Warsaw Trams) company runs 863 cars on over of tracks. Twenty-odd lines run across the city with additional lines opened on special occasions (such as All Saints|All Saints' Day ).

The first section of the Warsaw Metro was opened in 1995 initially with a total of 11 stations. It now has 21 stations running a distance of approximately 23 kilometres. Initially, all of the trains were Russian built. In 1998, 108 new carriages were ordered from Alstom . The second line running east-west will be about 31 kilometres. The central section is now under construction and will be 6& nbsp;km. long with seven stations. The main railway station is Warsaw Centralna station|Warszawa Centralna serving both domestic traffic to almost every major city in Poland, and international connections. There are also five other major Train station|railway stations and a number of smaller suburban stations.

Infrastructure

Like many cities in Central Europe|Central and Eastern Europe , infrastructure in Warsaw suffered considerably during communism . However, over the past decade it has seen many improvements due to solid economic growth, an increase in foreign direct investment|foreign investment as well as funding from the European Union . In particular, the city's underground transit system, roads, sidewalks, health care facilities and sanitation facilities have improved markedly.

Today, Warsaw has some of the best medical facilities in Poland and Central Europe . The city is home to the Children's Memorial Health Institute (CMHI), the highest-reference hospital in all of Poland, as well as an active research and education center. While the Curie Institute (Warsaw)|Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute of Oncology it is one of the largest and most modern oncological institutions in Europe. The clinical section is located in a 10-floor building with 700 beds, 10 operating theatres, an Intensive-care unit|intensive care unit , several diagnostic departments as well as an clinic|outpatient clinic .

Religion

Throughout its existence, Warsaw has been a multi-cultural city. ''Today Warsaw is a monocultural city, which is some people's ideal. But before 1939 it was a typically multicultural society. Those were the city's most productive years. We lost that multicultural character during the war . According to a census of 1901, out of 711,988 inhabitants there were 56,2% Roman Catholic Church|Catholics , 35,7% Jews , 5% Greek Orthodox Church|Greek orthodox Christians and 2,8% Protestants. Eight years later, in 1909, there were 281,754 Jews (36,9%), 18,189 Protestants (2,4%) and 2,818 Mariavite Church|Mariavites (0,4%). This led to construction of hundreds of places of religious worship in all parts of the town. Most of them were destroyed in the aftermath of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. After the war the new communist authorities of Poland discouraged church construction and only a small part of them were rebuilt.

Leisure activities

Events

Several commemorative events take place every year. Gatherings of thousands of people on the banks of the Vistula on Midsummer’s Night for a festival called Wianki (Polish for Wreaths ) have become a tradition and a yearly event in the programme of cultural events in Warsaw. The festival traces its roots to a peaceful paganism|pagan ritual where maidens would float their wreath s of herbs on the water to predict when they would be married, and to whom. By the 19th century this tradition had become a festive event, and it continues today. The city council organize concerts and other events. Each Midsummer’s Eve, apart from the official floating of wreaths, jumping over fires, looking for the fern flower , there are musical performances, dignitaries' speeches, fairs and fireworks by the river bank.

The Warsaw Film festival|Film Festival , an annual festival that takes place every October. Films are usually screened in their original language with Polish subtitles and participating cinemas include Kinoteka (Palace of Science and Culture), Multikino at Zlote Tarasy|Golden Terraces and Kultura. Over 100 films are shown throughout the festival, and awards are given to the best and most popular films.

Sports

On 9 April 2008 the President of Warsaw, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz , obtained from the mayor of Stuttgart Wolfgang Schuster a challenge award – a commemorative plaque awarded to Warsaw as the European capital of Sport in 2008.

The National Stadium (Warsaw)|National Stadium , a planned 56,000 seat Association football|football (soccer) stadium , is currently under construction on the site of Warsaw's recently demolished 10th-Anniversary Stadium . The national stadium is due to host the opening match (a group match), remaining 2 group matches, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal of the UEFA Euro 2012 hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine .

There are many sports centres in the city as well. Most of these facilities are swimming pool s and sports halls, many of them built by the municipality in the past several years. The main indoor venue is Torwar Hall|Hala Torwar , used for all kinds of indoor sports (mainly, indoor skating rink). There is also open-air skating rink (Stegny) and the horse racetrack (Sluzewiec).

The best of the city's swimming centres is at Wodny Park Warszawianka, 4& nbsp;km south of the centre at Merliniego Street, where there's an Olympic-sized pool as well as water slides and children's areas.

From the Warsovian football teams, the most famous is Legia Warszawa – the army club with a nationwide following play at Polish Army Stadium , just southeast of the centre at Lazienkowska Street. Established in 1916, they have won the country’s championship 8 times (most recently in 2006) and won the Polish Cup 14 times. They have never been relegated divisions. In the Champions League season 1995/96 they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Panathinaikos Athens.

Their local rivals, Polonia Warsaw , have significantly fewer supporters, yet they managed to win Ekstraklasa Championship in 2000. They also won the country’s championship in 1946, and won the cup twice as well. Polonia's home venue is located at Konwiktorska Street, a ten-minute walk north from the Warsaw Old Town|Old Town .

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue	Head Coach
Legia Warszawa pl icon cite web >author=	Legia Warszawa >work=legia.com	Football	1916	Ekstraklasa	Polish Army Stadium	Maciej Skorza
pl icon cite web >author=	work=www.ksppolonia.pl	Football	1911	Ekstraklasa	Stadion Polonii	Jacek Zielinski
Legia Warszawapl icon cite web >author=	Basketball	1947	Second League	OSiR Bemowo	Wojciech Kielbasiewicz
Polonia Gaz Ziemny Warszawa pl icon cite web	work=www.polonia.waw.pl	Basketball	1911	Polska Liga Koszykówki	Hala Sportowa "Kolo"	Wojciech Kaminski
AZS Politechnika Warszawa	Volleyball	1918	Polska Liga Siatkówki	Hala UCSiR	Radoslaw Panas
Cumann Warszawa (Warsaw Gaelic Athletic Association	Gaelic Football and Hurling	2009	European Gaelic Football Championship	Stadion Skra , Mokotów Field	Eoin Sheedy

Culture

European Capital of Culture 2016 Candidate

Warsaw is a shortlisted candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2016 title. With the title of European Capital of Culture 2016, Warsaw has the chance to become a city known for how it managed the transition from improvisation, chaos and unpredictable processes into a truly contemporary metropolis , which found innovative solutions to its problems.

The Core Themes of Warsaw's application include: The Vistula: River of Possibilities, City of Talents and Warsaw under Construction.

Theatre in the past

From 1833 to the outbreak of World War II, Plac Teatralny ( Theatre Square (Warsaw)|Theatre Square ) was the country's cultural hub and home to the various theatres.

The main building housed the Great Theatre, Warsaw|Great Theatre from 1833 to 1834, the Rozmaitosci Theatre from 1836 to 1924 and then the National Theatre, the Reduta Theatre from 1919 to 1924, and from 1928 to 1939 the Nowy Theatre, which staged productions of contemporary poetical drama, including those directed by Leon Schiller .

Nearby, in Ogród Saski (the Saxon Garden ), the Summer Theatre was in operation from 1870 to 1939, and in the interwar period|inter-war period , the theatre complex also included Momus, Warsaw's first literary cabaret, and Leon Schiller 's musical theatre Melodram. The Wojciech Boguslawski Theatre (1922–26), was the best example of "Polish monumental theatre". From the mid-1930s, the Great Theatre building housed the Upati Institute of Dramatic Arts the first state-run academy of dramatic art, with an acting department and a stage directing department.

Plac Teatralny and its environs was the venue for numerous parades, celebrations of state holidays, carnival balls and concerts.

Theatre

Warsaw is home to over 30 major theatres spread throughout the city, including the National Theatre, Warsaw|National Theatre (founded in 1765) and the Great Theatre, Warsaw|Grand Theatre (established 1778).

Warsaw also attracts many young and off-stream directors and Performance|performers who add to the city's theatrical culture. Their productions may be viewed mostly in smaller theatres and Houses of Culture ( Domy Kultury ), mostly outside Sródmiescie, Warsaw|Sródmiescie (Central Warsaw). Warsaw hosts the International Theatrical Meetings.

Music

Thanks to numerous musical venues, including the Great Theatre, Warsaw|Teatr Wielki, the Polish National Opera , the Chamber opera|Chamber Opera , the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra|National Philharmonic Hall and the National Theatre, Warsaw|National Theatre , as well as the Roma and Buffo music theatres and the Congress Hall (Warsaw)|Congress Hall in the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw|Palace of Culture and Science , Warsaw hosts many events and festivals. Among the events worth particular attention are: the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition|International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition , the International Contemporary Music Festival Warsaw Autumn , the Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, the International Stanislaw Moniuszko Vocal Competition, the Mozart Festival, and the Festival of Old Music.

Museums and art galleries

headercss=width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;

contentcss=

header=Museums in Warsaw

content=& nbsp;& nbsp;& nbsp; Name and official website

National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum ()

Zacheta|Zacheta National Gallery of Art ()

Centre for Contemporary Art ()

Museum of Modern Art ()

Polish Army Museum|Museum of the Polish Army ()

Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle ()

Warsaw Uprising Museum ()

Fryderyk Chopin Museum ()

Historical Museum of Warsaw ()

Polish History Museum ()

Museum of Independence ()

Museum of the History of Polish Jews ()

Museum of Sports and Tourism ()

Museum of Communism, Poland|Museum of Communism ()

Museum of Caricature ()

Motorisation Museum ()

Erotic Museum ()

The levelling of Warsaw during the war has left gaping holes in the city's historic collections.
And although a considerable amount of treasures were spirited away to safety as the storm clouds gathered in 1939, it is also true that a great number of collections from palaces and museums in the countryside were brought to Warsaw at that time as the capital was considered a safer place than some remote castle in the borderlands. Thus losses were heavy.

Yet in spite of this, Warsaw still boasts some wonderful museums. As interesting examples of expositions the most notable are: the world’s first Museum of Posters boasting one of the largest collections of art poster s in the world, Museum of Hunting and Riding and the Railway Museum. From among Warsaw’s 60 museums, the most prestigious ones are National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum with a wide collection of works whose origin ranges in time from antiquity till the present epoch as well as one of the best collections of paintings in the country and Polish Army Museum|Museum of the Polish Army whose set portrays the history of arms.

The collections of Lazienki Palace|Lazienki and Wilanów Palace|Wilanów palaces (both buildings came through the war in good shape) are a delight, as are those of the Royal Castle. The Palace in Natolin – a former rural residence of Duke Czartoryski family|Czartoryski . Its interiors and park are accessible to tourists.

Holding Poland's largest private collection of art, the Carroll Porczynski Collection MuseumOfficial name: Museum of John Paul II Collection displays works from such varied artists as Peter Paul Rubens|Rubens , Francisco Goya|Goya , John Constable|Constable , Pierre-Auguste Renoir|Renoir , Vincent van Gogh|van Gogh and Salvador Dalí|Dalí , and countless others.

A fine tribute to the fall of Warsaw and history of Poland can be found in the Warsaw Uprising Museum and in the Katyn massacre|Katyn Museum which preserves the memory of the crime. Museum of Independence host of sentimental and patriotic paraphernalia connected with these fateful epochs, as well as some invaluable art collections. Dating back to 1936 Warsaw Historical Museum contains 60 rooms which host a permanent exhibition of the history of Warsaw from its origins until today.

The 17th century Royal Ujazdów Castle currently houses Centre for Contemporary Art, with some permanent and temporary exhibitions, concerts, shows and creative workshops. The centre also develops unique art programs that correlated with the reconstruction and organization of the Ujazdów Castle architectural spaces. The Centre of Contemporary Art currently realizes about 500 projects a year.

Zacheta|Zacheta National Gallery of Art is the oldest exhibition site in Warsaw, with a tradition stretching back to the mid-19th century. The gallery organises exhibitions of modern art by Polish and International Artists|international artists and promotes art in many other ways.

The city also possesses some marvellous oddities such as the Museum of Caricature (the only one of its kind in the world) and a magnificent Motorisation Museum in Otrebusy .

The newly established in 2011 Erotic Museum in Warsaw is the only such museum in Poland and one of the few of a kind in Europe. Over 2,000 exhibits collected by the Erotic Museum, reveals the erotic fascinations of artists from all continents. Museum collections include the 14th century German chastity belt s, erotic Moche|Peruvian pottery , Persian miniature s, Tibetan votive paintings, Indian carvings, Chinese ceramics|Chinese porcelain , African folk art, Japanese Shunga paintings, Thai votive penises and many other exhibits.

Media and film

Warsaw is the mass media|media centre of Poland, and the location of the main headquarters of Telewizja Polska|TVP and other numerous local and national TV and radio broadcasting|radio station s, such as TVN (Poland)|TVN , Polsat , TV4 (Poland)|TV4 , TV Puls , Canal+ Poland , Cyfra+ and MTV Poland .

Since May 1661 the first Polish newspaper, Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny|Polish Ordinary Mercury , was printed in Warsaw. The city is also the printing capital of Poland with a wide variety of domestic and foreign periodicals expressing diverse views, and domestic newspapers are extremely competitive. Rzeczpospolita (newspaper)|Rzeczpospolita , Gazeta Wyborcza , Dziennik Polska-Europa-Swiat Poland's large nationwide daily newspaper s have their headquarters in Warsaw.

Warsaw also has a sizable movie and television industry. The city houses several movie companies and movie studio|studios . Among the movie campanies are TOR, Czolówka, Zebra and Kadr who is behind several international movie productions.

Over the next few years the new Film City in Nowe Miasto nad Pilica|Nowe Miasto , located a mere 80& nbsp;km from Warsaw, will become the centre of Cinema of Poland|Polish film production and international co-production. It is to be the largest high-tech film studio in Europe. The first projects filmed in the new Film City will be two films about the Warsaw Uprising . Two backlot s will be constructed for these projects – a lot of pre-WWII Warsaw and city ruins.

Since World War II, Warsaw has been the most important centre of Filmmaking|film production in Poland. It has also been featured in numerous movies, both Polish and foreign, for example: Kanal (film)| Kanal and Korczak (film)|Korczak by Andrzej Wajda , The Decalogue by Krzysztof Kieslowski , also including Academy Award|Oscar winner The Pianist (2002 film)| The Pianist by Roman Polanski|Roman Polanski .

Education

headercss=width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;

contentcss=

header=Higher education in Warsaw

content=& nbsp;& nbsp;& nbsp; Name and year established

University of Warsaw (1816)

Warsaw University of Technology (1826)

Warsaw School of Economics (1906)

Warsaw University of Life Sciences (1818)

Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw|Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University (1999)

Medical University of Warsaw (1950)

Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw|Academy of Fine Arts (1844)

National Defence University in Warsaw|Academy of National Defence (1947)

Józef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw|University of Physical Education in Warsaw (1929)

Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy (1810)

Warsaw holds some of the finest institutions of higher education in Poland. It is home to four major university|universities and over 62 smaller schools of higher education. The overall number of students of all grades of education in Warsaw is almost 500,000 (29.2% of the city population; 2002). The number of university students is over 280,000. Most of the reputable universities are public, but in recent years there has also been an upsurge in the number of private university|private universities .

The University of Warsaw was established in 1816, when the partitions of Poland separated Warsaw from the oldest and most influential Polish academic center, in Kraków . Warsaw University of Technology is the second academic school of technology in the country, and one of the largest in Central Europe , employing 2,000 professors. With over 30,000 students served by over 2,000 professors and instructors, WUT is the largest and the highest-ranking engineering university in Poland. Other institutions for higher education include the Medical University of Warsaw , the largest medical school in Poland and one of the most prestigious, the Defense (military)|National Defence University, highest military academic institution in Poland, the Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy the oldest and largest music school in Poland, and one of the largest in Europe, the Warsaw School of Economics , the oldest and most renowned economy|economic university in the country, and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences the largest agricultural university founded in 1818. Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW (WULS – SGGW) is the oldest agricultural academic school in Poland, its history dates back to 1816.

Warsaw has numerous libraries, many of which contain vast collections of historic documents. The most important library in terms of historic document collections include the National Library of Poland . Library holds 8.2 million volumes in its collection. Formed in 1928 sees itself as a successor to the Zaluski Library , the biggest in Poland and one of the first and biggest libraries in the world.

Another important library – the University Library, founded in 1816, is home to over two million items. The building was designed by architects Marek Budzynski and Zbigniew Badowski and opened on 15 December 1999. It is surrounded by green. The University Library garden, designed by Irena Bajerska, was opened on 12 June 2002. It is one of the largest and most beautiful roof gardens in Europe with an area of more than , and plants covering . As the university garden it is open to the public every day.

Economy

In 2008, Warsaw was ranked the world's 35th most expensive city to live in. It was classified as an Global city|Alpha- world city (also known as a "major world city") by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Study Group and Network from Loughborough University , placing it on a par with cities such as Amsterdam or Rome. The city also ranked 8th out of 65 cities on MasterCard|Mastercard 's Emerging Markets Index (2008).

Business and commerce

Warsaw, especially its city centre ( Sródmiescie, Warsaw| Sródmiescie ), is home not only to many national institutions and government agencies, but also to many domestic and international companies. In 2006, 304,016 companies were registered in the city. Warsaw's ever-growing business community has been noticed globally, regionally, and nationally. Mastercard Emerging Market Index has noted Warsaw's economic strength and commercial center. Moreover, Warsaw was ranked as the 7th greatest emerging market. Foreign investors' financial participation in the city's development was estimated in 2002 at over 650 million euro . Warsaw produces 12% of Poland's national income, which in 2008 was 305.1% of the Polish average, per capita (or 160% of the European Union average). The Gross domestic product|GDP per capita in Warsaw amounted to PLN 94 000 in 2008 (ca. EUR 23 800, USD 33 000). Warsaw leads the region of Central Europe in foreign investment and in 2006, GDP growth met expectations with a level of 6.1%. It also has one of the fastest growing economies, with GDP growth at 6.5 percent in 2007 and 6.1 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

At the same time the unemployment|unemployment rate is one of the lowest in Poland, not exceeding 3%, according to the official figures. The city itself collects around 8,740,882,000 Polish zloty|zloty s in taxes and direct government grants.

Warsaw Stock Exchange

Warsaw's first stock exchange was established in 1817 and continued trading until World War II. It was re-established in April 1991, following the end of the post-war communist control of the country and the reintroduction of a free market|free-market economy . Today, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) is, according to many indicators, the largest market in the region, with 374 companies listed and total capitalization of 162 584 mln EUR as of 31 August 2009. From 1991 until 2000, the stock exchange was, ironically, located in the building previously used as the headquarters of the Polish United Workers' Party ( Polish United Workers' Party|PZPR ). The city is considered to be one of the most attractive business locations in Europe.

Industry

During Warsaw's reconstruction after World War II, the communist authorities decided that the city would become a major industrial centre. As a result, numerous large factories were built in and around the city. The largest were the Huta Warszawa Steel Works, the car factory Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych|FSO and the tractor factory “Ursus”.

As the communist economy deteriorated, these factories lost significance and most went bankrupt after 1989. Today, the Arcelor Warszawa Steel mill|Steel Mill (formerly Huta Warszawa ) is the only major factory remaining.

The FSO Car Factory was established in 1951. A number of vehicles have been assembled there over the decades, including the Warszawa, Syrena, Fiat 125p (under license from Fiat, later renamed FSO 125p when the license expired) and the Polonez. The last two models listed were also sent abroad and assembled in a number of other countries, including Egypt and Columbia. In 1995 the factory was purchased by the South Korean car manufacturer Daewoo , which assembled the Tico, Espero, Nubia, Tacuma, Leganza, Lanos and Matiz there for the European market. In 2005 the factory was sold to AvtoZAZ, a Ukrainian car manufacturer which assembled there the Chevrolet Aveo. The license for the production of the Aveo expired in February 2011 and has since not been renewed.

The “Ursus” factory opened in 1893 and is still in operation today. Throughout its history various machinery was assembled there, including motorcycles, military vehicles, trucks and buses. However, since World War II only tractors are still being assembled there.

The number of Government-owned corporation|state-owned enterprises continues to decrease while the number of companies operating with foreign capital is on the rise, reflecting the continued shift towards a modern market-based economy. The largest Investment|foreign investors are Daewoo , Coca-Cola Amatil and Metro AG . Warsaw has the biggest concentration of electronics and high-tech industry in Poland, while the growing consumer market perfectly fosters the development of the food-processing industry.

Tourist attractions

Sights

headercss=width: 325px; background: #B5B5B5;

contentcss=

header=Warsaw Old Town

content=

Although today's Warsaw is a fairly young city, it has many tourist attraction s. Apart from the Warsaw Old Town quarter, reconstructed after World War II, each borough has something to offer. Among the most notable landmarks of the Old Town are the Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle , Zygmunt's Column|King Zygmunt's Column , Old Town Market Place, Warsaw|Market Square , and the Warsaw Barbican|Barbican .

Further south is the so-called Royal Route, Warsaw|Royal Route , with many classicism|classicist palaces, the Presidential Palace, Warsaw|Presidential Palace and the University of Warsaw campus. Wilanów Palace , the former royal residence of King John III Sobieski , is notable for its baroque architecture and parks.

Warsaw's oldest public park, the Saxon Garden , is located within 10 minutes' walk from the old town. The Saxon Garden (Ogr. Saski). The oldest public park in Warsaw, founded in 1713 . Warsaw's biggest public park is the Royal Baths Park , established in the 17th century and given its current classical shape in late 18th century. It is located further south, on the Royal Route, Warsaw|Royal Route , about from the Warsaw Old Town .

The Powazki Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe, full of sculptures, some of them by the most renowned Polish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Since it serves the religion|religious communities of Warsaw, be it Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, Muslims or Protestants, it is often called a List of necropoleis|necropolis . Nearby is the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery , one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe.

In many places in the city the Secular Jewish culture|Jewish culture and History of the Jews in Poland|history resonates down through time. Among them the most notable are the Jewish theater, the Nozyk Synagogue , Janusz Korczak 's Orphanage and the picturesque Prózna Street. The tragic pages of Warsaw’s history are commemorated in places such as the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, the Umschlagplatz (Warsaw Ghetto)|Umschlagplatz , fragments of the Ghetto wall on Sienna Street and a mound in memory of the Jewish Combat Organization .

There are also many places commemorating the heroic history of Warsaw. Pawiak , an infamous German Gestapo prison now occupied by a Mausoleum of Memory of Martyr dom and the museum , is only the beginning of a walk in the traces of Heroic City. The Warsaw Citadel , an impressive 19th century fortification built after the defeat of the November Uprising , was a place of martyr for the Poles. Another important monument, the statue of Maly Powstaniec|Little Insurgent located at the ramparts of the Old Town, commemorates the children who served as messengers and frontline troops in the Warsaw Uprising, while the impressive Warsaw Uprising Monument by Wincenty Kucma was erected in memory of the largest insurrection of World War II.

In Warsaw there are many places connected with the life and work of Frédéric Chopin . The heart of Polish-born composer is sealed inside Warsaw's Holy Cross Church, Warsaw|Holy Cross Church . During the summer time the Chopin Statue, Warsaw|Chopin Statue in the Royal Baths Park is a place where pianists give concerts to the park audience.

Also many references to Marie Curie , her work and her family can be found in Warsaw: Marie's birthplace at the Warsaw New Town , the working places where she did her first scientific works and the Curie Institute (Warsaw)|Radium Institute at Wawelska Street for the research and the treatment of cancer which she founded in 1925.

Warsaw Mermaid

The mermaid ( syrenka ) is Warsaw's symbol and can be found on statues throughout the city and on Coat of arms of Warsaw|the city's coat of arms . This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century. The oldest existing armed seal of Warsaw is from the year 1390, consisting of a round seal bordered with the Latin inscription Sigilium Civitatis Varsoviensis (Seal of the city of Warsaw). City records as far back as 1609 document the use of a crude form of a sea monster with a female upper body and holding a sword in its claws. In 1653 the poet Zygmunt Laukowski asks the question:

The origin of the legendary figure is not fully known. The best-known legend, by Artur Oppman, is that long ago two of Triton (mythology)|Triton 's daughters set out on a journey through the depths of the oceans and seas. One of them decided to stay on the coast of Denmark and can be seen sitting at the entrance to the port of Copenhagen . The second mermaid reached the mouth of the Vistula|Vistula River and plunged into its waters. She stopped to rest on a sandy beach by the village of Warszowa, where fishermen came to admire her beauty and listen to her beautiful voice. A greedy merchant also heard her songs; he followed the fishermen and captured the mermaid.

Another legend says that a mermaid once swam to Warsaw from the Baltic Sea for the love of the Griffin, the ancient defender of the city, who was killed in a struggle against the Deluge (history)|Swedish invasions of the 17th century. The mermaid, wishing to avenge his death, took the position of defender of Warsaw, becoming the symbol of the city.

Every member of the Queen's Royal Hussars of United Kingdom|the United Kingdom light cavalry wears the Maid of Warsaw , the crest of the City of Warsaw, on the left sleeve of his No. 2 (Service) Dress. Members of No. 651 Squadron RAF|651 Squadron Army Air Corps of the United Kingdom also wear the Maid of Warsaw on the left sleeve of their No. 2 (Service) Dress.

Famous people

One of the most Celebrity|famous people born in Warsaw was Marie Curie|Maria Sklodowska-Curie , who achieved international recognition for her scientific discovery of radiation. Famous musicians include Wladyslaw Szpilman and Frédéric Chopin . Chopin was born in the village of Zelazowa Wola , about 60 kilometers from Warsaw, but moved to the city with his family when he was seven months old. Kazimierz Pulaski , a hero of the American Revolutionary War , was born here in 1745.

Tamara de Lempicka was a famous artist born in Warsaw. She was born Maria Górska in Warsaw to wealthy parents and in 1916 married a Polish lawyer Tadeusz Lempicki. Better than anyone else she represents the Art Deco style in painting.
Nathan Alterman , the Israeli poet, was born in Warsaw, as was Moshe Vilenski , the Israeli composer, lyricist, and pianist, who studied music at the Warsaw Conservatory . Warsaw was the beloved city of Isaac Bashevis Singer , which he described in many of his novels: Warsaw has just now been destroyed. No one will ever see the Warsaw I knew. Let me just write about it. Let this Warsaw not not disappear forever , he commented. in:

Rankings

Largest cities of the European Union by population within city limits|Largest cities of the European Union : ranked 9th.

List of most expensive cities for expatriate employees|Most expensive cities : ranked 113th of 144.

List of cities by quality of living|Best cities in terms of quality of living : ranked 87th of 100.

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Warsaw is twin towns and sister cities|twinned with:

Astana in Kazakhstan (since 2002)

Bangkok in Thailand (since 2010)

Berlin in Germany (since 1991) Berlin and Warsaw’s agreement on friendship and cooperation and a corresponding supporting program was signed in Berlin on 12 August 1991.

Budapest in Hungary (since 2005)

Buenos Aires , Argentina (since 1992)

Coventry in the United Kingdom (since 1957)

Chicago in the United States (since 1960)

Düsseldorf in Germany (since 1989)

Grozny in Russia (since 1997)

The Hague in Netherlands (since 1991)

Hamamatsu in Japan (since 1990)

Hanoi in Vietnam (since 2000)

Harbin in China (since 1993)

Île-de-France (region)|Île-de-France in France (since 1990)

Istanbul in Turkey (since 1991)

Kiev in Ukraine (since 1994)

Madrid in Spain (since 1981)

Moscow in Russia (since 1993)

Oslo in Norway (since 2005)

Paris in France (since 1999)

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (since 1997)

Riga in Latvia (since 2002)

Saint-Étienne in France (since 1995)

Saint Petersburg|St.& nbsp;Petersburg in Russia (since 1997)

San Diego in the United States (since 1960)

Seoul in South Korea (since 1996)

Taipei in Taiwan (since 1995) (.DOC)

Tel Aviv in Israel (since 1992)

Toronto in Canada (since 1990)

Vienna in Austria (since 2001)

Vilnius in Lithuania (since 1998)

References – city's official site

Undetermined Music Artists

Warsaw

Biography

Etymology and names

History

Early history

16th to 18th centuries

19th and 20th centuries

World War II

Modern times

Geography

Location and topography

Climate

Districts

Cityscape

Overview

Architecture

Flora and fauna

Demographics

Municipal government

Politics

Transportation

Infrastructure

Religion

Leisure activities

Events

Sports

Culture

European Capital of Culture 2016 Candidate

Theatre in the past

Theatre

Music

Museums and art galleries

Media and film

Education

Economy

Business and commerce

Warsaw Stock Exchange

Industry

Tourist attractions

Sights

Warsaw Mermaid

Famous people

Rankings

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Varieties

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes

External links

Copyright Citations