Warsaw

Warsaw (in Polish: Warszawa) is the capital and the largest city in Poland.  It is situated in Middle-Eastern Poland, on the banks of the Vistula River. Warsaw has been the capital of Poland since 1596 and has a population of more than 1, 7 million inhabitants (it is the most populated city in Poland). It is also the capital of the largest province, Mazovia. 

Warsaw’s name is connected to the wonderful legend of a boy called Wars and a mermaid Sawa.
Once upon a time, on the banks of the Vistula lived a young fisherman named Wars.  One day, as he happened to be near the river he heard a beautiful song:
Seven waves and seven flashes of lightning watch over me, if you do not fear them, come over to me.
It was sung by a young girl with an enchanting voice. The young man was very brave and was not afraid of anything. He sailed forth in his boat.
Once he was out on the river, a fierce storm broke out, with a raging wind. He took no notice and when he reached the middle of the river, he saw an extraordinary creature.
It was half woman and half fish. This wonderful creature was a mermaid.
When he got close to her, the creature gave him a shield and a sword and told him: “My name is Sawa and from now on you will protect me, the Vistula and the city”.
They fell in love and lived very happily, and when the mermaid accepted to marry the young fisherman, her tail turned into human legs.
The coat of arms of the city also comes from that legend – a mermaid with the shield and sword.

Warsaw is a fascinating city with a long history. It hosts many monuments, such as  the Royal Castle, the Mermaid monument, the Old Town, the Chopin monument, Łazienki Park and Palace, and the Palace of Culture and Science or Belvedere.  It also hosts many cultural institutes and institutions which are the most important in Poland.

Nowadays as the capital of Poland, Warsaw is at the heart of the country in every sense of the word. It is a very popular city in Europe. It hosts festivals and concerts by some of the most famous artists worldwide, including a concert by Pink Floyd on 27 January 2011 and a concert by Roxette scheduled for 19 June 2011.
Some of the most famous film and theatre festivals in Poland also take place in Warsaw (such as the Warsaw Film Festival).

Antoni Słonimski, a Polish poet, wrote that Warsaw is one of the most magical places in Europe.

The city is also worth a visit for all the sites that bear witness to the most important events in the history of Poland (such as the monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes).

back to top

Contact

next

Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.