The Berkeley Guides:
Berkeley Guide to Europe:
Poland:
Warsaw
The geographical and political center of Poland since 1595, Warsaw (Warszawa) will shock the first-time visitor with its bleak, postwar architecture and thick, polluted air. As you begin to understand the history of the city, though, your initial deflation will develop into appreciation. In the worst location possible during World War II, Warsaw was used as a pawn by two of the most brutal regimes in world history--the Nazis and the Soviets. The city was literally rebuilt from the ashes by the surviving one-third of its inhabitants starting in 1945.
Despite its devastating history, Warsaw is today a bustling urban center, with well-stocked stores and crowded outdoor markets and cafés. Warsaw's greatest charm is its generous acres of parks, but even amidst the urban drabness there are a few architectural attractions as well. A large number of prewar buildings, especially in the Stare Miasto (Old Town) were painstakingly restored or completely reconstructed from old prints and paintings. Closed to all traffic except horses and carriages, the beautiful, cobblestoned Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Square) is an impressive reproduction of the original marketplace. The Royal Palace, which houses a museum, is the greatest of the rebuilt monuments.
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