More than eighty five percent of the city was destroyed and damaged by the German army to suppress the Warsaw rebellion. But the once disfigured city is now most beautifully recreated to match its original glory.

History and architecture:

The streets of the Royal Palace, the Sigismund column, the library of the university with its glockenspiel, many other buildings and fine churches have all been remade in the designs of high baroque or the clean lines of Classicism.

After the World War 2 the people united in their efforts to re build the city of their forefathers. The people devoted a lot of time for the reproduction of the city. UNESCO has titled the collection of the re-created architectural buildings as a world heritage site. They were redeveloped thanks to an Italian named Canaletto whose architectural drawings of the city helped form the city once again just as it was.

Places to visit:

The old town market place is central and has houses and cafes squared line with it. Here you can take a ride in one of the carriages or you can have your portrait made in Montmartre style. The Sigismund column is a memorial in the square in front of the Royal Palace. It invites a cosmopolitan air to the place.

The royal palace with its rooms of marble and the statues of St. Mary and the other saints are a reminder of the by gone era. Other places on a must see list are the Opera house and the University building. The Ostrogski Palace which has the Chopin memorial is also an important building.

The Holy church has a column in which the heart of the composer lies. It was brought to Warsaw in 1850 from Paris where the composer died. There is a 100 feet high column in the palace square. It is a reminder of King Zygmunt 3 who in 1596 made Warsaw the capital of Poland.

Local tips:

The best time to visit the polish capital is in the months of May and September. The entire year one can visit Poland. Europejski and Bristol are traditional hotels which can be expensive. The Marriott hotel near the central railway station has all the comforts and luxury. There are markets such as the stadium market in the suburb of praga.

The local delicacies include forest mushrooms which are marinated, along with pancakes. Sour soup with small vol-au-vents is also a polish favorite. Stuffed eggs are also enjoyed more than enough in this capital city.

Activities:

There are traders and merchants from the east who offer everything from junk to fine artifacts. One can buy antiques and jumble from the Kolo Sunday market in the district of Wola.

A festival commemorating the uprising of 1944 is held on August 1. The Festival of Classical and contemporary music also takes place in Warsaw. From the month of May to September a concert is held on very Sunday. This concert is held in Lazienki Park by the Chopin Monument.