Urbanism and architecture Warsaw's long and eclectic history left a noticeable mark on its architecture and urban form. Unlike most Polish cities, Warsaw's cityscape is dominated by
contemporary architecture, with
functionalist and modern edifices. Nonetheless, built heritage is still present in the
Old Town and the
southern part of the central district. Warsaw is among the European cities with the highest number of skyscrapers in Europe and is home to
European Union's tallest building. Skyscrapers are mostly centered around the
Śródmieście district, with many located in the commercial district of
Wola. A
concentric zone pattern emerged within the last decades; the majority of Warsaw's residents live outside the commercial city centre and commute by
metro, bus or tram. Residential property in the central neighbourhoods is often reserved for commercial activity or temporary (tourist, student) accommodation. The nearest residential zones are predominantly located on the outskirts of the inner borough, in
Ochota,
Mokotów and
Żoliborz or along the
Vistula in
Powiśle. The buildings situated in the vicinity of the Warsaw Old Town represent nearly every European architectural style and
historical period. Warsaw has excellent examples of architecture from the
Gothic,
Renaissance,
Baroque and
Neoclassical periods, all of which are located within walking distance of the centre. This architectural richness has led to Warsaw being described by some commentators as either
Paris of the East or
Paris of the North. Gothic architecture is represented in the majestic churches,
burgher houses and fortifications. The most significant buildings are
St John's Cathedral (1390), a typical Masovian
Brick Gothic example;
St Mary's Church (1411); the Burbach
townhouse (14th century); Gunpowder Tower (after 1379); and
Royal Castle's
Curia Maior (1407–1410). The most notable examples of
Renaissance architecture in the city are the house of the Baryczko merchant family (1562), a building called "The Negro" (early 17th century), and Salwator tenement (1632), all situated on the
Old Market Place. Noteworthy examples of
Mannerism are the
Royal Castle (1596–1619) and the
Jesuit Church (1609–1626). Elements of
Baroque architecture appeared at the turn of the 17th century with artists from the royal court circle, and with the construction of
St. Hyacinth's Church and
Sigismund's Column. The
Counter-Reformation enforced the Baroque style, as exemplified by the
Church of St. Anthony of Padua, the
Carmelite Church and the
Holy Cross Church. The
Neoclassical architecture began to be favoured in the second half of the 18th century thanks to King
Stanisław August Poniatowski. The best-known architect who worked in Warsaw at the time was
Domenico Merlini. Significant buildings from this period include the
Rabbit House,
Holy Trinity Church, and the façade of
St. Anne's Church. Neoclassicism dominated the cityscape of Warsaw throughout the 19th century and its revival affected all aspects of architecture; the most notable examples being the
Great Theater,
Bank Square,
Warsaw Society of Friends of Sciences (
Staszic Palace),
St. Alexander's Church, the
Belweder, and the tenements at
Nowy Świat Street. The
Saxon Palace underwent a complete reconstruction, where the central body of the building was demolished and replaced by a monumental 11-bay
colonnade. The turn of the 20th century also precipitated the
Art Nouveau and
Neo-Renaissance movements in secular buildings. is a unique example of Warsaw's architectural heritage, combining
Art Nouveau and
Neo-Renaissance designs. After Poland regained its independence in 1918, national historicism became dominant and
Art Deco forms also began appearing. The formation of state structures necessitated office space leading to the construction of monumental public buildings, including the
buildings of the Sejm and the Senate, the
Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Education, the
Ministry of Public Works, the
National Museum, the
State Geological Institute, the
Domestic Economy Bank, the
Supreme Audit Office, and the campus of the
Warsaw School of Economics. New districts were also established in
Żoliborz,
Ochota, and
Mokotów, often designed around a central square with radiating streets (
Narutowicz Square,
Wilson Square). Examples of new large urban projects are the
Lubecki colonies in Ochota. Exceptional examples of
bourgeois architecture of the later periods were not restored by the
communist authorities after the war or were remodelled. Notable examples of post-war architecture include the
Palace of Culture and Science, a
Stalinist skyscraper based on the
Empire State Building in New York. The
Constitution Square, with its monumental
socialist realist forms, was modelled on the grand squares of Paris, London, Moscow and
Rome. Italianate
tuscan-styled colonnades based on those at
Piazza della Repubblica in Rome were also erected on
Saviour Square.
Contemporary architecture in Warsaw is represented by the Metropolitan Office Building at
Pilsudski Square and
Varso tower, both by
Norman Foster, The cemetery covers an area of 43 ha. On the day of consecration of the Powązki Cemetery, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the church of
Saint Charles Borromeo, designed by the royal architect
Domenico Merlini. Catacombs were intended to be a prestigious resting place intended mainly for the nobles, such as
Michał Poniatowski,
Hugo Kołłątaj,
Michał Kazimierz Ogiński. Over a million people are buried at Stare Powązki. In the Avenue of Merit there are the graves of insurgents and soldiers, independence activists, writers, poets, scientists, artists and thinkers. The nearby
Powązki Military Cemetery was established in 1912 for soldiers stationed in Warsaw. After
World War II, the cemetery became a burial place for people associated with the
Polish People's Republic - politicians, officials and military personnel. , once part of the
colonnade of
Saxon Palace Many monuments commemorate heroic and tragic moments in the history of Poland and Warsaw.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located in
Piłsudski Square was built on the initiative of General
Władysław Sikorski in the arcades of the
Saxon Palace. In 1925, the ashes of the unknown soldier who died during the
defense of Lviv were placed under the colonnade, then urns with soil from 24 battlefields were buried here. Among the monuments related to the
World War II are
Nike Monument that commemorates the heroes of Warsaw from 1939 to 1945,
Monument to the Polish Underground State and Home Army, Monument to the
Little Insurrectionist and
Warsaw Uprising Monument in front of the Supreme Court building at
Krasiński Square.
Monument to the Ghetto Heroes commemorates the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. In 1929, a
monument to Frédéric Chopin was constructed in the Royal
Łazienki Park. Every summer at its foot classical music concerts featuring world-famous pianists take place. Other important monuments are:
Adam Mickiewicz Monument,
Tadeusz Kościuszko Monument, Marie Curie Monument,
Prince Józef Poniatowski Monument,
Nicolaus Copernicus Monument,
Stefan Starzyński Monument,
Józef Piłsudski Monument,
Janusz Korczak Monument. These range from small neighborhood parks and green spaces along streets or in courtyards, to tree-lined avenues, large historic parks, nature conservation areas and urban forests at the fringe of the city. There are as many as 82 parks in the city; the oldest ones were once part of representative palaces and include the
Saxon and
Krasiński Gardens,
Łazienki Park (Royal Baths Park) and
Wilanów Palace Parkland. , also referred to as the
Palace on the Isle The Saxon Garden, covering an area of 15.5 ha, formally served as a royal garden to the now nonexistent
Saxon Palace. In 1727, it was made into one of the world's first public parks and later remodelled in the forest-like
English style. The
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is situated at the east end of the park near the central fountain, on
Piłsudski Square. With its benches, flower carpets and a central pond, the Krasiński Palace Garden was once a notable strolling destination for most Varsovians. The Łazienki Park covers an area of 76 ha and its unique character and history is reflected in the
landscape architecture (pavilions, sculptures, bridges, water cascades) and vegetation (domestic and foreign species of trees and shrubs). The presence of
peacocks,
pheasants and squirrels at Łazienki attracts tourists and locals. The Wilanów Palace Parkland on the outskirts of Warsaw traces it history to the second half of the 17th century and covers an area of 43 ha. Its
French-styled alleys corresponds to the ancient, Baroque forms of the palace. The Botanical Garden and the
University Library rooftop garden host an extensive collection of rare domestic and foreign plants, while a
palm house in the New Orangery displays plants of subtropics from all over the world.
Mokotów Field (once a racetrack),
Ujazdów Park and
Skaryszewski Park are also located within the city borders. The oldest
park in the Praga borough was established between 1865 and 1871. The flora of Warsaw may be considered very rich in species on city standards. This is mainly due to the location of Warsaw within the border region of several big floral regions comprising substantial proportions of close-to-wilderness areas (natural forests, wetlands along the Vistula) as well as
arable land,
meadows and forests. The nearby
Kampinos Nature Reserve is the last remaining part of the Masovian
Primeval Forest and is protected by law. The
Kabaty Woods are by the southern city border and are visited by the residents of southern boroughs such as
Ursynów. There are 13 natural reserves in the vicinity and just from Warsaw, the environment features a perfectly preserved
ecosystem with a habitat of animals like the
otter,
beavers and hundreds of bird species. There are about 5,000 animals representing nearly 500 species. File:Palac Lazienki,Warszawa,Polska,UE. - panoramio (5).jpg|
Frédéric Chopin's monument in
Łazienki Park File:Warszawa-Ogród Saski fontanna.jpg|
Saxon Garden with the central fountain File:Pole Mokotowskie Pond Warsaw 2024 aerial (cropped).jpg|
Mokotów Field, with Warsaw's skyline File:Ogród BUW w Warszawie 2019b.jpg|
Botanical garden on the roof of
University Library File:Gorka Szczesliwicka Warsaw 2023 aerial.jpg|Artificial
hill in Szczęśliwice Park, with a ski slope ==Demographics==