Warsaw: The Ancient Is History, The Modern A Necessity

Like most other inland European cities, Warsaw isfa�ades of building structures. Art-Deco
built around a large body of water, straddling theand elaborate Modernist office buildings of the
sparkling Vistula River. The small fishing town was1990s independence era rub shoulders with giant
first fortified as a Masovian stronghold in the earlystone-slab housing complexes built during the
14th century. Compared with the histories of itschilling post-war Communist period, and
pre-Roman Polish neighbors, the city of Warsaw issomewhere in-between, old Baroque-style manors
practically a fledgling on the grand timeline ofand museums accent the amalgamation. Many
human settlement in the region. However, it didtours lead in and out of these fascinating buildings
not take long for Warsaw to become the centerand locations.
of the Poland-Lithuanian Commonwealth and soonTake the Memorial Route to the Struggle and
thereafter the capital of the (periodically)Martyrdom of the Jews 1940-43 through the
independent Poland nation until present.former Jewish District, which was transformed
Warsaw is far more inspiring for what has comeinto a ghetto and then obliterated in WWII, and
and gone in the city limits and in the minds of thepass 16 commemorative granite blocks
people than for the physicality of the city today.representing significant people, places or events.
Warsaw has been destroyed and rebuilt moreJust south of here visit the tallest skyscraper in
times than fathomable in its brief history. No otherPoland, the triumphant Palace of Culture and
European city experienced quite as extensiveScience, a gift from the Soviet Union in the 1950s.
horrors and bombardment during World War IIAlthough it was destroyed per Hitler�s
from Nazi (and Russian) forces than Warsaw.orders, the restored Royal Palace in Old Town
Over 80 percent of the city was completelyshould also be visited. Much of the grand residence
razed, including the Old Town and Royal Palace,has been returned to its 18th century splendor,
and nearly 800,000 citizens perished. Thoughcomplete with a museum of the salvageable
many important buildings were restored after theworks of art. Much of Warsaw�s grid-like
war, the city has lost much of its Baroque lusterstructure is rife with greenery. Warsaw University
and instead has grasped on to the modern era ofhosts a magnificent Botanical Garden and the
post-communist art and architecture. Thesouth of the city is just the beginning of the
invaluable history is well documented in theenchanting Kabacki Forest.
immaculately maintained museums and exhibitsTravel to Warsaw to experience all of the joys
while, outside, the commitment to present andof the big city, but with a uniquely Polish twist.
future life is clearly a driving force inThe city is not only the seat of the National
Warsaw�s working gears.Opera and Philharmonic, but also jamming with
Rebuild, Revive, Reinventjazz clubs and music bars. Come seek out the
Travel to Warsaw to marvel at its gracefulnuanced history in Central Europe�s
execution of eclecticism. The visible stratificationstaggeringly modern metropolis.
of decades in time is embodied by the rotating