Warsaw is the capital of Poland. It is the largest city in the country in terms of area and population. After the fire in the Wawel Castle, King Sigismund the Third ordered to transfer his residence to Warsaw. This happened in 1596. The capital of Poland was actually moved to the specified city. However, it only gained legal status after the adoption of the Constitution of 1791.
Etymological data
Many linguists and historians are convinced that the name of the city owes its origin to the possessive adjective "Warszowa" (or "Warszewa"), derived from the previously common name Warcislaw.
The name changed from Warszewa to Warszawa in the sixteenth century. This phenomenon is associated with the peculiarities of the Mazovian dialect (it was distributed precisely in the territory where the modern capital of Poland is located). So, the vowel letter "a" turned into "e" in position after soft consonants (the combination "sz" at that time was soft). In the fifteenth century, combinations with the secondary "e" were in the dialect series, so people who adhere to the literary pronunciation replaced them with forms with "a". In this case, the capital of Poland becameto be called Warsaw as a result of replacing the etymological form with a hypercorrect one.
There is a popular belief that the Warszawa variant appeared as a result of joining the names of the fisherman Wars and the mermaid Sawa. The image of lovers, as the unofficial version says, became the source of the name of the capital.
The most common legend about the founding of Warsaw tells of a certain prince (ruler) named Casimir. Lost while hunting, he came across a poor fisherman's hut on the banks of the Vistula. There he saw a girl who had just given birth to two boys - Varsha and Sava. Casimir agreed to become the godfather of the twins and thanked the hosts well for their hospitality. The donated money was enough for them to build another house nearby. Other fishermen also began to build their huts in this place. And so the beginning of the capital of the state was laid.
Official Symbols
The capital of Poland has its own symbol. This is the aforementioned mermaid Sava. Her image can even be seen on the coat of arms of the city. A monument in honor of the mythical creature is installed on the Market Square.
The coat of arms is in the form of a French shield. Its color is red. On the upper border there is a ribbon with the motto, at the tongue - the Silver Cross of the Order of Military Merit.
The flag of the capital is a panel consisting of two equal-width stripes of red and yellow.
Historical information
According to ancient documents found by archaeologists, in the tenth century on the territory of modern Warsaw there wasseveral settlements, the most important of which were Kamion, Brodno and Jazdow. However, the first wooden structures appeared here only in the twelfth century, and stone ones in the fourteenth.
New time
Which capital of Poland was the center of the Principality of Mazovia? Warsaw. Subsequently, Polish kings and Lithuanian princes considered it their residence. From 1791 to 1795, this city was the capital of the Commonwe alth, from 1807 to 1813 - the Duchy of Warsaw, from 1815 to 1915 - the Kingdom of Poland.
During the occupation of 1939-1944, the country of Poland suffered greatly. The capital - Warsaw - was destroyed by German bombers. The city was liberated on 1945-17-01 during the successful implementation of the Vistula-Oder operation.
At the end of the 2nd world capital in Poland began to actively recover. However, only the Royal Route, Old Town and New Town have been reconstructed in their historical form.
Large European cities of the late nineteenth - early twentieth century were characterized by dense buildings. It was not preserved in order to improve housing hygiene in accordance with the ideological program of the pro-communist regime and ideas of modernism.
Most of the city has been radically transformed. Warsaw has changed not only in urban planning, but also in architectural terms.
Weather conditions
Warsaw has a temperate continental climate with warm humid summers and mild winters. Frosts below fifteen degrees and heat above thirty are rare. Autumn is usually warm and long, spring usually comes gradually. Rainfall averages 530 millimeters a year.
Administrative division
Since 2002, the capital of Poland has been a powiat, consisting of one gmina. The latter, in turn, is divided into eighteen districts (dzielnitz).
A little about the chief police officers
Until 1833, the Warsaw police was one of the branches of the municipal administration of the capital, which was under the jurisdiction of the president of the country. On June 20 (July 2, old style) of that year, a Resolution of the Council of Administration of the Kingdom of Poland was issued. According to this document, the executive police was separated from the administrative police and passed under the jurisdiction of the vice-president of the capital, who later became officially known as the Warsaw chief of police.
Population
The evolution and increase in the number of Warsaw residents has long been influenced by the fact that the city was one of the transit points at the crossroads of trade routes and trans-European migration. This significantly affected the number and national composition of local residents. Before Warsaw became a center of services and industry, the majority of the population consisted of merchants. According to the 1897 census, 34% of the inhabitants were Jews (219,000 out of 638,000). A mixture of nationalities, ideas and trends led to the fact that the unofficial name of the capital appeared. Poland became famous thanks to the "Second Paris" - Warsaw.
Architectural appearance of the city
Modern Warsawis a mixture of a variety of architectural styles and trends. This is due to the difficult history of both the country and the city itself. The restoration process after the Second World War made its own adjustments. The historical center of the capital - the Royal Palace - is still being restored. It is noteworthy that this area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. She is recognized as the personification of the thorough restoration process of the destroyed historical monument.
During the time of the Polish People's Republic, many buildings in the Stalinist Empire style appeared in the city. Some significant buildings were restored after the fall of Poland. Nowadays, the architecture of the city is increasingly replenished with modern business centers and skyscrapers.
Transport system
The capital's public transport network has reached a high level of development. A large number of bus routes have been developed. Transport strictly adheres to the schedule. Low-floor buses run periodically for the convenience of the disabled.
The city has one subway line, many tram lines. Tickets for travel can be purchased at kiosks at stops or from the driver, while all of them are universal, there is no division by type of vehicle. The capital has a developed bicycle rental network.
Former capital of Poland
Previously, Krakow was considered the main city of the country. And even its full official name - the Capital Royal City of Krakow - reminds of this. Until the eighteenthall Polish rulers were crowned there for centuries.
Look into the past
Krakow is well located on the territory where r. The Vistula becomes navigable. Thanks to its advantageous geographical position, the city rapidly expanded its positions and grew rich. Bolesław the Brave established an episcopal see there in 1000. Counting on the support of the princes of Silesia and feeling their importance, in 1311 the Krakow Germans organized a revolt against Vladislav Lokotok. The uprising was quickly crushed, besides, the recalcitrants lost all privileges and benefits.
The importance of Krakow began to grow in the fourteenth century. In 1319, the current ruler - Vladislav the First Lokotok - moved his residence there (previously it was in Gniezno). During the reign of Casimir the Great, new buildings were erected in the city, such areas as trade and crafts were developed. In February 1386, Jagiello was baptized in the former Polish capital. His marriage to Jadwiga also took place there.
When the Jagiellons were in power, Krakow finally strengthened its position as the main city of the kingdom. The number of inhabitants has increased to one hundred thousand.
What capital did Poland have in the sixteenth century? In 1596, the title of honor passed from Krakow to Warsaw. The well-being of the once richest city was slowly but surely undermined by enemy attacks. In 1787, the population of Krakow was less than ten thousand people.
Twentieth century
Until 1918, Krakow was under the jurisdiction of Austria-Hungary. 1939-1945 are a tragic period in the history of the formercapital Cities. The Nazi invaders organized the Krakow ghetto in the city, where they drove most of the Jews, who lived mainly in the Kazimierz area. Representatives of this nationality were mercilessly destroyed in the Plaszow and Auschwitz concentration camps.
The troops of the First Ukrainian Front in January 1945 liberated the city from the invaders. On August 11 of the same year, a Jewish pogrom swept through Krakow. During the political crisis of 1968, an anti-Semitic campaign took place. Considering the above events, most of the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust left Poland.
Cultural Center
What is the capital of Poland now? The main city of the country is Warsaw. However, a few centuries ago, the honorary title belonged to Krakow. That is why this city is still called the heart of Polish culture. Its historical center was to be destroyed during the retreat of the German troops in 1945. However, as a result of an incredibly complex military operation carried out by soldiers of the Soviet army and Polish resistance groups, the city survived.
The two main attractions of Krakow are located on the Wawel Hill. The first of them is the Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas. This is one of the most revered temples in the country. Previously, coronations and funerals of the rulers of Poland were held in it. The second interesting building on the hill is the Royal Castle. Once it was the residence of the Jagiellons, Piasts and Vazovs. Initially, the castle was a rather modest small structure in the Romanesque style. Later itrepeatedly reconstructed, expanded. That is why it has the characteristic features of the architectural trends of many historical periods.
There are a great many churches in Krakow. The most ancient is Maryatsky (Marian). He is widely known for his unsurpassed Gothic stained glass windows. At first, the building was wooden. In the thirteenth century, a new one was erected in its place - in the Romanesque style, but during one of the Tatar raids it was completely destroyed. The church was rebuilt in the fourteenth century, and already in the Gothic style.
Another world famous attraction is the s alt mines called "Magnum Sal". They are located ten kilometers from Krakow - in the town of Velichko. Anyone can visit the one of a kind S alt Museum.
The famous Krakow institution of higher education is the Jagiellonian University. The charter on its foundation was issued by Casimir II in May 1364. The following motto is inscribed at the entrance: "Reason conquers strength." Many luminaries of world science studied at this educational institution. Among them, Nicolaus Copernicus, an astronomer and mathematician of the Renaissance period, the author of the heliocentric system of the world, is most often mentioned; Stanislav Lem - the most famous author of fantastic stories; John Paul II, who was beatified.
Initially, eleven departments were formed, of which eight were jurisprudential, two medical and one liberal arts. The department of theology appeared later, when they received the permission of the Pope. The university was headed by the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland. In hisduties included taking care of the activities and development of the educational institution.
Conclusion
Above we looked at why and when the name of the capital changed. Poland is known for many ancient cities, but it is in Krakow and Warsaw that the main historical sights are concentrated, and some of them are even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
