Warsaw – the capital and largest Polish city, located in central-eastern part of the country, in Mazovia, the Vistula River. Warsaw is the center of scientific, cultural, political and economic in Europe. It houses the seat of Parliament, the President, Prime Minister and other central authorities. It is an important financial center and seat of domestic and foreign investors. City of Warsaw as the main city of the metropolitan area has 1.9 million inhabitants, but the actual number of inhabitants of the agglomeration of Warsaw is 3 million. It is the only capital in Europe, lying in the immediate vicinity of the national park.
Since 1596, after the transfer royal residence from Cracow by King Sigismund III Vasa, became the seat of Polish kings and the capital. During the Nazi occupation of Warsaw was destroyed in 75%. After the capitulation of the Warsaw Uprising, the Nazis in revenge banished most of the inhabitants, and systematically destroyed the buildings of the city. During the uprising by the Polish side were killed 16 thousand. insurgents and about 150 thousand. the civilian population. Overall, during the war, killed about 700 thousand inhabitants of Warsaw. At the end of World War II, fully restored historic Old Town and New Town, Royal Road and the surrounding area and the majority of individual objects (such as the Royal Castle, a Baroque castle Ujazdowski, restoring historic buildings of Krakowskie Przedmieście and Theatre Square).
The Royal Route starts from the Castle Square, runs through the streets of Krakowskie Przedmiescie, New World, Ujazdowskie Avenue and leads to the royal residences at Łazienki and Wilanow (palace and park in Wilanow). The Theatre Square was built in the years 1825 to 1833 block of the classical style theater located National Opera and National Theatre. In front of such Jablonowski Palace Baroque. In the eighteenth century, Warsaw was called Paris of the East. Most of the monuments were destroyed during the war, was rebuilt. There are also many valuable buildings that survived the war without serious damage, as Wilanow Palace, Presidential Palace, Belvedere Palace.
The historic center of Warsaw in 1980 was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Entered in the register of monuments such as the urban systems and groups of buildings, works of architecture and construction, construction of defense works, art objects, cemeteries, parks, gardens and archaeological sites. The register of historical monuments in 2006 was approximately 1,300 listed buildings in the area of Warsaw. Among many of the largest investments include, among others subway construction, the National Stadium. Within the city is the international airport. F. Chopin Okecie airport (just 10 km from the center). It is the largest airport in Poland. The second airport for Warsaw airport is in Modlin, district of New Manor Mazowiecki, about 40 km north of the city center.
Capital is the largest academic center in Poland. The seat of the 66 universities (including 24 state), and in them 270 thousand students. In Warsaw, there are about 30 larger permanent theaters. Among the largest are the National Theatre (founded in 1765) and the Grand Theatre – National Opera (founded in 1778). Is in Warsaw National Philharmonic. In Warsaw, organized festivals and music competitions in m. International Piano Competition. Frederic Chopin International Festival of Contemporary Music „Warsaw Autumn”, the Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, the International Vocal Competition. Stanislaw Moniuszko, Mozart Festival, the Festival of Early Music. In Warsaw, home to many museums and art galleries – as state and private. The biggest galleries of the incentive and the Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw and the largest museums: National Museum, Royal Castle, Wilanow Palace, Historical Museum of Warsaw, Frederic Chopin Museum and the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. There is also the National Library.
It develops the artistic life, which recently has focused on Prague. Post-industrial areas are turned into independent cinemas, galleries and art studios. Warsaw at night full of life. Night clubs represent a European level and style.
In 2008 Warsaw was named the European Capital of Sport. Cycling Tour de Pologne occupations where the route passes through Warsaw annually. It also hosted the transmission of mass: Warsaw Marathon (May / September), the Vistula, Irena Run and Run Warsaw (October). Regularly hosts tennis tournaments such as: J & S Cup, Suzuki Warsaw Masters 2008 and Polsat Warsaw Open. Regularly hosts Polish Senior Indoor Championships in Athletics, Polish Senior Championships in Athletics, Janusz Kusociński memorials. At the track Służewiec horse races take place – including United Warsaw. The National Stadium will begin EURO 2012.
