Warsaw, which was one of the most lively and cosmopolite cities in Europe before the 2nd World War, was destroyed in 1944 and 90% of it was completely dilapidated. Now it has once more become a lively city with many things to do.

Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. It is located on the Vistula river roughly 370 km from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2005 was estimated at 1,697,596.

The city, also the capital of the Masovian Voivodeship, is home to many industries, including manufacturing, steel, electrical engineering, and automotive.Warsaw is internationally notable for giving its name to the Warsaw Pact, Warsaw Convention and the Treaty of Warsaw.

It is often said that Warsaw bears some resemblance to the mythical Phoenix. Having been completely destroyed, the city somehow managed to lift itself from the ashes. In the aftermath of the 1944 Uprising against the Nazis, Warsaw was obliterated with 9 out of every 10 buildings crumbled in ruins. At the end of World War II (1939-45) it was virtually uninhabited, yet with a tremendous reconstruction effort, most of the city was rebuilt as early as the 1950s.

The Communist era (1945-1989) has significantly contributed to the city architecture, with the most noticeable landmark, the Palace of Culture and Science a "personal gift" from Joseph Stalin, dominating the Warsaw landscape.

Warsaw is the national centre of culture and learning. It hosts the Polish Academy of Science, 13 higher education institutions, about 27 museums and 20 theatres, the national philharmonic, and opera and operetta companies. Warsaw plays host to several important cultural events, including the International Chopin Piano Competition every five years, the annual Warsaw Autumn Modern Music Festival in September, the International Book Fair in May, the International Jazz Jamboree Festival in October and the Warsaw Poetry Autumn. Warsaw is also Poland's largest industrial centre.

Since the fall of communism, Warsaw has been developing rapidly, even chaotically at times. Warsaw's all about change now. You wouldn't recognize the city if you last saw it ten years ago. In the next ten years, it'll be a completely different place again. Off the beaten path, now's the time to see some of the Warsaw's peculiarities before they disappear forever.

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Texts partly derived from Wikitravel