Warsaw, ‘Warszawa’ in Polish, is the capital of the beautiful and at the same time poor country Poland. Warsaw is split in two by the Vistula River, which often overflows its banks in autumn and winter. With its 1.7 million inhabitants, it is the largest city in Poland. Anyone who thinks that a visit to Poland will encounter an underprivileged city is wrong: Warsaw is the fastest growing and one of the most modern cities in Europe. So it’s time for a visit!
History of Warsaw
Many children’s books and cartoons in Poland are about the legend Wars and the girl Sawa . These two lovers are said to have started building Warszawa from the Vistula River. The name Warsaw was first encountered in 1241. Since then, Warsaw has had many wars and a difficult history.
That first heavy blow came during the First World War. German troops occupied the city for a long time. Poland was liberated in 1918, but the city was largely destroyed.
The second heavy and fatal blow to Warsaw lasted six years. In 1939, German troops occupied the city again. During the Second World War, more than 400,000 people were murdered in Warsaw alone. After an uprising in 1943 that took place in the Warsaw Ghetto, Hitler ordered the city to be destroyed. As much as 85% of the city was completely destroyed. The neighborhoods that remained, the Jewish Ghetto and the Sytare Brodno , were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980.
After the war, the Russians completely rebuilt Warsaw using old photos and postcards. This makes the city look quite young, new and modern.
Sights
As mentioned above, few parts of Warsaw survived the war. Yet Warsaw has a lot to offer in the field of war. The old center and the Jewish ghetto are definitely worth a visit. But besides that, Warsaw also has many modern sights.
Stare Miasto
The Stare Miasto is the oldest neighborhood in Warsaw. A visit to Warsaw should not pass without a visit here. The central part is characterized by the colorful houses that stand out brightly against the gray remains of the war. The historic market square is surrounded by many restaurants, cafes and small shops.
Castle Square and Royal Palace
The castle square is located on the edge of the old town. This square offers a beautiful view over the banks of the river. The Royal Palace is also located on the Slotplein. For the Poles, this palace is the symbol of power, pride and independence. The palace dates back to the thirteenth century and is still standing after many wars and bombardments. The palace is only used as a holiday resort for the king. There are several paintings by Rembrandt in the palace. The sixty-meter-high tower was added to the palace in 1619. It was not until 1622 that the specially made bells were ready to be hung in it.
Source: Nnb, Wikimedia Commons (GFDL) Palace of Culture and Science
This palace is one of the tallest buildings in Europe and, with its 237 meters, symbolizes Warsaw. The 42 floors are divided into 3288 rooms. Within the building there are also cinemas, theatres, museums and bookstores. The immense building cannot be missed from any point in Warsaw. A walk around the building will easily take fifteen to twenty minutes. From the top floor one can enjoy a great view of the whole of Warsaw. This also makes it one of the biggest crowd pullers.
However, the Poles are not at all happy with the building. It was a gift for Stalin and the Palace thus became a symbol of Soviet rule of Poland. In addition, sixteen construction workers died during the construction of the Palace. They fell from the 34th floor due to an unexpected whirlwind. The resistance against the palace has diminished. This is mainly because of the many skyscrapers that have been deliberately built around it.
Wilanow Palace and Park
The Wilanow Palace is one of the most glorious monuments in Poland. The palace was built in 1677 and has since housed many Royal Highnesses. The last time part of it was built was in 1805. Like the rest of Warsaw, the palace was severely damaged in the Second World War. After the war, the palace became state property. In the park surrounding the palace there are many small statues and buildings. There is also a rose garden and flower garden.
Warsaw is experiencing gigantic growth in various areas. For example, Warsaw was the only European city that managed to achieve growth between 2008 and 2014 despite the economic crisis. The number of inhabitants has also increased considerably. Streets with vacant buildings have turned into shopping streets. More than eighteen high buildings (read +100 meters to 205 meters) have been built in recent years. For that reason alone, a visit to this city is more than worthwhile. The main street is bursting with shops, restaurants and discos. Even more shopping centers, stadiums and airports are being built or have already opened. Warsaw is without a doubt on its way to becoming one of the larger cities in Europe.
climate
Warsaw has two climate zones. One climate is the warm maritime climate of Western Europe. The other climate is the icy continental climate of Eastern Europe. This means that summers are warm and winters are accompanied by lots of snowfall and freezing temperatures. The best time to visit Warsaw is late spring. Here the temperatures are around 22 degrees and the crowds are not too bad.
Food and drink
Culinary diversity is on the rise. More and more Italian pizzerias or restaurants with French or world cuisine are opening. There is plenty on offer for those who still want to taste Poland. Typical Polish dishes are kielbasy (sausage), potato, soup, placki (pancake) and pierogi (ravioli).
The prices in Poland are dirt cheap by Dutch standards. Our prices are about 50% lower. For example, you can have a meal with four people for 50.00, including a few beers. These beers are served in half liters. In a pub you only pay 1.30 – 1.50 for this.
These low prices make Warsaw an attractive city when it comes to food and drinks.
Public transport
Public transport is well organised. You can use tram, metro and bus. A weekly ticket costs no more than 20.00 and allows you to travel around the entire city.
General information
- Official name: Warszawa
- Continent: Europe
- Area: 516.9 km2
- Population: 1,709,781
- Flight time: Approximately 2 hours
Language
Polish is the first language spoken in Warsaw. English is only spoken by the young population. German is hardly spoken there.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport. A visa is not necessary
Money
In Warsaw you pay with Zloty. Five Polish Zloty is approximately equal to 1.00
Source: Foxy1219, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0) Time difference
There is no time difference.
Electricity
The same plugs and sockets are used in Warsaw as in the Netherlands.
In addition to visiting Warsaw, there is another place that can be visited while visiting Poland: Auschwitz. Below is a description of what a visit to this concentration camp entails. In any case, keep in mind that this visit will haunt you for a long time and will not simply disappear from your thoughts. It’s a nasty place with a terrible history. This history fully emerges during the visit. Some people say they regret their visit. If you go with small children, a visit is seriously not recommended.