WARSAW · BY Let’s Pierogi · 1 Esta obra está sujeta a la licencia Reconocimiento-SinObraDerivada 4.0 Internacional de Creative Commons. INTRODUCTION 04 city transport 06 what to see 07 Palace of culture and science 08 NEW TOWN 09 OLD TOWN 10 ROYAL ROUTE 12 PRAGA DISTRIct 14 TO GET LOST 15 POLISH COISIN 16 tasty alcohol 17 Milk BARS 18 RESTAURANTs 19 warm up drinking 20 WHERE TO ENJOY A BEER 20 If you’re a night owl 21 good night 21 AMAZING MAP 22 There’s no denying it, Warsaw has had a troubled history. Positioned at the crossroads of Central Europe, the city has been shuffled between empires and dy- nasties like a pawn on a chessboard. Falling under the Soviet sphere of influence Warsaw was rebuilt in stag- nant, socialist fashion, and its reputation as a gloomy, concrete city was born. But that was then, this is now. Combining elements of both East and West this is a town of complex charac- ter and hidden appeal. The dark, negative images of yesterday no longer apply as the city moves boldly forward - dynamic and developing. Changes have been Region – Masovian meteoric, and the city now hums with energy and River – Vistula optimism. That energy extends to the city’s thriving Population - 1,740,000 club and music scene. The annual calendar is filled Area - 517.24 km2 with funky street fests, edgy art openings, and lots of Demonym – Varsovian highbrow, Chopin-inspired music festivals. 4 1313 First written mention of Warsawz The regional capital of Mazovia moves to Warsaw 1413 Poland and Lithuania are united. Parli- 1569 ment moves from Krakow to Warsaw Sigismund III moves his court 1596 from Krakow to Warsaw 1764 Poland’s first constitution (first in Europe) Russian invasión 1792 Partition of Poland by Austria, Russia and 1795 Prussia. Ending of Polish Independence Napoleon enters Warsaw and 1807 creates Duchy of Warsaw After World War I, Józef Piłsudski 1918 assumes control of Poland Second Polish Republic 1921 Soviet/German invasión. 1939 Warsaw capitulates August 1st Warsaw Uprising 1944 1945 End of the war Creation of Warsaw Pact 1955 1981 Martial law is declared Solidarność sweeps the elections 1989 and the communist regime collapses Poland enters 2004 the European Union 5 city transport There are 120km of tram system serving a third of Warsaw There are different water tram companies flating down the Vistula It's 248 km far from Krakow, 292 km from Gdansk and 524 km from Berlin The Central Railway Station is situated by the Palace of Culture There are nume- They connect the city rous company buses all day and all night connecting Warsaw to many parts of Europe to Poland Vertulio bike rentals has 160 sta- tions throughout Warsaw Warsaw Chopin Airport Warsaw Metro consists of two lines, Warsaw-Modlin Mazovia Airport north-south and east-west Warsaw Babice Airport 6 WHAT TO SEE Welcome to Warsaw - a city to spend several days in, to get to know its character, discover the extraordi- nary history of the capital of Poland and surrender to its unique atmosphere. Sprawling Warsaw may be an acquired taste and your first impressions straight off the train may not be positive. But the vibe and drive of Poland’s capital are infectious if you give it time. The present character of the city is determined by three important factors: World War II, over 40 years of communist rule and the present years of transfor- mation with its in-flow of foreign capital and invest- ment. As any other European capital, Warsaw is full of striking contrasts. Historical monuments that were newly rebuilt after World War II coexist with numerous examples post-war housing estates of grey concrete tower blocks and ultra-modern glass office buildings built since 1989. Similarly, the hassle and bustle of its lively city centre, the constant flow of traffic and the crowds of people contrast with the serenity of the many beautiful urban parks. 7 Palace of culture and science This gargantuan, Gotham City-like tower shoots up from the centre of Warsaw. Raised after the Second World War during the era of Soviet domination, it remains one of the most controversial buildings in Po- land, and it was only a whisker away from being pulled down when the Berlin Wall fell in '89. Today, the Palace of Culture (Palac Kultury) still stands as the tallest structure in the city, as well as in all of Poland. With 42 floors and over 234 metres (with 43 metres of spire alone), this epic still has the upper hand on all of its modern neighbours. At the moment, the building serves as an exhibition hall and office complex, as well as an FM and television broadcasting centre and cinema, theatre, museum, bookshop, and conference hall fitting 3,000 people. 8 NEW TOWN This part of the city was founded at the end of the 14th century and un- til the 18th century was a separate town, with its own administration, town hal and church. Most of the baroque and Classicistic tenement houses surrounding the New Town Square were reconstucted after the war. At present, in the charming streets there are many restaurants and cafes. Of interest here are the Pauline, Franciscan, Dominican and Redemptorist churches and the Church of the Holy Sacra- ment, which were all rebuilt after World War II, and the colourful reconstructed town houses. Ulica Mostowa, the steepest street in Warsaw, leads up to the fortress that defended one of the longest bridges in 16th-century Europe. 9 OLD TOWN The Old Town Square (Rynekis surrounded Starego on all sides by Miasta)town houses, is surrounded rebuilt after on all World sides War by II with great towndevotion. houses, Today rebuilt it is oneafter of World the most War attractiveII places within Warsaw. great devotion.From spring Today to autumn it is one it of is filled with thecafe most tables, attractive and also places becomes in Warsaw. an open-air gallery of Fromcontemporary spring to art.autumn On the it issquare filled andwith in neighbouring cafestreets, tables, there and are also numerous becomes restaurants an and bars that open-airare reputed gallery to be of the contemporary best in Warsaw. art. The whole of Onthe theOld square Town is and not in only neighbouring a tourist attraction but also a streets,favourite especially place for Piwnalocal people, and Jezuicka, who go to walk there, thereand for are lovers numerous to meet. restaurants and bars that are reputed to be the best in Warsaw.You can startThe whole on Plac of Zamkowythe Old Town under is King Sigismund’s notColumn. only Therea tourist isn’t attraction a more popular but also meeting a place in favouritethe city, and place not for a minutelocal people, when isn’twho gocrowded. to walk there, and for lovers to meet. 10 11 ROYAL ROUTE The Royal Route connects three former royal residences: the Royal Castle, the Łazienki Królewskie and the Wilanów Palace. The first section of the Royal Route is Krakowskie Przedmieście which is one of the branches of the Castle Square – it is one of the prettiest and most elegant streets in Warsaw. Krakowskie Przedmieście turns into Nowy Świat Street, with its many shops and restaurants. Near Nowy Świat, in 41 Tamka Street, in the baroque Ostrogski Palace there is the state-of-the-art Fryderyk Chopin Museum. So we’ll start off on Pl. Trzech Krzyży, Warsaw’s poshest shopping district. Translated to mean Three Crosses Square the name is some- thing of an inaccuracy, and more eagle-eyed readers will be able to spot four crucifixes. The rotund looking church in the centre is that of St Alexander. We’ll walk through Belwederska Street, where exquisite tenement buildings, until Łazienki Park. There are many historic buildings, most notably the royal summer residen- ce, the Palace on the Island, where numerous parties took place and the famous ‘Thursdays dinners’ were hosted. 12 Jazdów is one of Warsaw’s oldest sites. It was here that a historic town was located, from which the Mazovian prince moved his court to the Old Town. Since 1981 the Centre for Contemporary Art – a culture institute and excellent gallery – has been based at the castle. The rest of the journey will be a trip to Wilanów. It was the summer royal residence of the kings and the most distinguished aristocra- tic families. The palace and park are an important place of cultural events and concerts, and in the place of the former riding school, there is the Poster Museum. 13 Praga DISTRIcT Praga, on the right bank of the river, wasn’t damaged much during World War II but fell into disrepair in the postwar years. Recently, however, Praga has been enjoying a slow rejuvenation as artists and businesses move in, searching for cheaper real estate. As the location for the new National Stadium, more projects are underway to raise Praga’s profile. Most explo- rations of the area are centered along Targowa and Ząbkowska streets. Across the street from the Orthodox Church is the Soviet War Memorial commemorating the soldiers who “liberated” Warsaw in 1945. St. Florian”s Cathedral with its 75-meter towers dominates eastern Warsaw”s Praga district and highlight the cathedral’s role as a form of protest against the erstwhile Russian domination of Poland. 14 TO GET LOSt Łazienki Park Notable features amid the landscaped gardens include the art-deco Chopin monument (1926), the Palace on the Island (remodelled in 1792), an old orangery and a classicist amphi- theatre loosely inspired by Herculaneum.