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(ostatnia aktualizacja tekstu: 2004-07-12 12:18:08)
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![City emblem [12.32 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/277.gif) | | City emblem | ![Warsaw Royal Castle [51.89 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/278.jpeg) | | Warsaw Royal Castle | ![?azienki Palace [39.88 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/279.jpeg) | | ?azienki Palace | ![Warsaw [42.92 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/280.jpeg) | | Warsaw | ![Warsaw [44.53 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/281.jpeg) | | Warsaw | ![Old Town in Warsaw [37.04 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/282.jpeg) | | Old Town in Warsaw | ![Warsaw [31.29 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/283.jpeg) | | Warsaw | ![?azienki Palace [39.03 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/284.jpeg) | | ?azienki Palace | ![?azienki Palace [35.12 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/285.jpeg) | | ?azienki Palace | ![Warsaw [25.89 kB]](http://www.polandguangzhou.com/pl/img/287.jpeg) | | Warsaw |
Before the Second World War Warsaw was called the Paris of the North, but on the other hand always being degraded to the role of an ugly city to be compared with its ancient rival, Cracow - obviously in favour of the latter. Nowadays Warsaw is certainly a different city, not so orderly and growing systematically for centuries as Cracow. Razed to the ground during the War, it was rebuilt with devotion, but rather chaotically, with so many open spaces and unfinished squares left that it lost much of its previous charm. Even today it resembles a gigantic patchwork of bright colours - painstakingly restored palaces, churches, monuments, individual houses or whole streets - mixed with a coarse and grey mass of unsightly blocks of flats and markets. Also, it's hard to say where its centre is - you won't find it, either on a map or in reality. Some people say the centre is the area around the Palace of Culture, while for others the city's heart is the showpiece street of Nowy Swiat or the Old City. This does not stop the city of 1.8 million people from continuing to grow quickly. Life in Warsaw is visibly faster than in other parts of the country. Streets are jammed with traffic, while modern steel-and-glass office buildings shoot up into the sky and vast shopping malls appear virtually overnight. But there are also many beautiful parks and evocative nooks and crannies. All you need is to know where to find them.
Warsaw's Old Town is one of the most beautiful places in Warsaw. Its romantic streets and corners encourage not only visitors but also the city dwellers themselves to stroll around the place where the history of the city began. The Old Town dates back to the turn of the 14th century, but during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising 90% of it was destroyed. The brightly painted town houses enclosed by a band of red-brick walls, slender church towers and the squat Royal Castle are all a result of post-war reconstruction. In 1980 the Old City was listed by UNESCO as an example of perfect reconstruction work making use of what had survived from the original buildings. The Market Square has been the focus of life in the city for centuries. It was lined with imposing houses of the reachest burghers, such as Fukiers', Basilisk and St. Anne's. Today, the square is an eventful place, where music is often played and artists sell their paintings.
One of the original edifices is Sigismund's (the Sigismundian) Column in the centre of the courtyard in front of the Castle (Plac Zamkowy, Castle Square), one of the oldest secular monuments in Poland (1644), depicting King Sigismund III Vasa who moved the country's capital from Cracow to Warsaw in 1597. The statue survived the War, though it lost one palm and the sabre. The Royal Castle, dating back to the 13th century, was not so lucky. It was blown up by the Nazis in late 1944. The present building, with its opulent 17th-century interiors, was reconstructed in 1971-84 from donations from Poles living all over the world. The Castle is not stunningly beautiful and can't rival Cracow's Wawel, nevertheless it makes a big tourist attraction.
The Royal Way comprising of the famous streets, Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat (the most elegant), and Aleje Ujazdowskie (busy but still charming), leads to Lazienki Park. Krakowskie Przedmieście - the most beautiful street in Warsaw is lined with numerous splendid buildings. Palaces, churches, hotels and splendid burghers' houses give a special atmosphere to the street. Here we find the campuses of two institutions of higher education: Warsaw University and Acadamy of Fine Arts. Hordes of students fill the street with life. Out of four magnificent churches that stand in Krakowskie Przedmieście, the Baroque Church of the Nuns of the Visitation is thought to be Warsaw's beautiful temple. The next section of the Royal Way - Nowy Świat Street, has no such splendid edifices as Krakowskie Przedmieście, nut owing to its countless shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as numerous theatres and cinemas in the proximity, the street stays alive till late hours.
Łazienki Palace - regarded as Poland's (or even Europe's) finest 18th-century palace and grounds, was created for King Stanislaw August Poniatowski. In 1766 he purchased Ujazdów Castle with an adjacent hunting ground which held a pond with an islet dominated by a bath-house (hence the name of the park, meaning literally "Baths"). For the next 30 years the best architects led by Domenico Merlini designed the new palaces and pavilions as well as a landscape park with scenic ponds, flower beds, groups of trees and bushes, and winding pathways. Today, this magnificent palace-cum-garden complex attracts crowds of visitors and Warsaw inhabitants in every season of the year. Łazienki Park is a favourite place for a walk on a nice holiday. In summer the sound of music is heard throughout the park and when piano concerts are held at the Frideric Chopin Monument (left) it is hard to find a free seat on nearby benches.
The "Polish Versailles" is just one of the colourful monikers that can be applied to Wilanów. Arguably the most striking palace in the country it was built in the late 17th century to serve as the summer residence of the portly King Sobieski III. One of the undisputed highlights of Warsaw, the baroque palace passed through the hands of a number of sovereigns and aristocrats, and was the property of the Branicki family from the 19th century through to 1945 when it was confiscated by the state. Much of the art, interiors and gardens were destroyed or plundered during the war, but Wilanów has since been returned to its former glory. Packed to the rafters with ornate gilding and priceless works of art the endless hallways and chambers are stuffed with Etruscan vases, sculptures and silverware. The palace is surrounded by a wonderful park. The oldest part, extending between the palace and the lake, is a two-level Italian garden with a terrace. |
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Bazy Danych 
Polskie Placówki
