Overview

The city of Warsaw has its roots as a small fishing village in Masovia. It gained importance in the late 16th century when Sigismund III decided to move the Polish capital and royal court from Krakow to Warsaw. During this time, it served as the de facto capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1795, and later became the seat of Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. The 19th century saw an industrial revolution that brought a population boom, making Warsaw one of the largest and most densely-populated cities in Europe. It was known for its beautiful architecture and boulevards. However, the city was heavily damaged during World War II, with much of its historic buildings destroyed and its diverse population decimated by the Ghetto Uprising in 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising in 1944.

Today, Warsaw is served by two international airports, with the busiest being Warsaw Chopin and the smaller Warsaw Modlin catering to low-cost carriers. The city has a well-developed public transportation system, including the Warsaw Metro, buses, commuter rail service, and a wide-ranging tram network. It is also a major center for research and development, as well as business process and information technology outsourcing. The Warsaw Stock Exchange is the largest and most important in Central and Eastern Europe. The headquarters of Frontex, the European Union's agency for external border security, and ODIHR, one of the main institutions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, are also located in Warsaw. The city boasts a high number of skyscrapers, with Varso Place being the tallest building in the EU as of 2022.

In terms of culture, Warsaw is home to the Polish Academy of Sciences, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Warsaw, the Warsaw University of Technology, the National Museum, the Zachęta Art Gallery, and the Warsaw Grand Theatre, which is the largest of its kind in the world. The reconstructed Old Town, a World Heritage Site since 1980, showcases examples of nearly every European architectural style and historical period. Other notable architectural landmarks include the Royal Castle, Sigismund's Column, the Wilanow Palace, the Palace on the Isle, St. John's Archcathedral, the Main Market Square, and many churches and mansions along the Royal Route. The city also has a thriving arts and club scene, gourmet restaurants, and numerous urban green spaces, with about a quarter of the city's area covered by parks. In sports, Warsaw is known as the home of the top-tier football club Legia Warsaw, the Warsaw Marathon, and Poland's national football stadium, Stadion Narodowy.

The boulder in honor of John Paul II