Warsaw

Warsaw is the biggest city in Poland as well as the nation's capital. Its official name is the Capital City of Warsaw. Its population is officially estimated at 1.8 million inhabitants within a broader metropolitan area of 3.1 million persons, which places Warsaw as the seventh most populated capital city in the European Union. The metropolis is located on the River Vistula in east-central Poland. The city itself occupies an area of 517 km2 (200 sq mi) and is divided into 18 quarters, while the metropolitan area spans 6,100 km2 and includes all of the surrounding areas (2,355 sq mi). As well as being the administrative centre of Poland, culturally significant, politically significant, and economically significant, Warsaw is an Alpha global metropolis.

The history of Warsaw may be traced back to a Masovian village that was formerly home to fishermen. After King Sigismund III of Poland made the decision to relocate both the Polish capital and his royal court from Kraków to Warsaw in the late 16th century, the city saw a rise to prominence. Up until the year 1795, Warsaw functioned as the de facto capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Following that year, it became the seat of Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. The 19th century saw the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, which coincided with a population increase that propelled the city to become one of the biggest and most densely inhabited towns in all of Europe. At the beginning of World War II in 1939, Warsaw was under siege and bombarded, despite the city's reputation for magnificent architecture and boulevards at the time. The Ghetto Uprising in 1943, the wider Warsaw Uprising in 1944, and systematic razing were all factors that contributed to the destruction of a large portion of the old city and the decimation of its varied inhabitants.

There are two international airports serving the Warsaw area, with the larger Warsaw Chopin Airport serving the most passengers and the smaller Warsaw Modlin Airport catering to low-cost airlines. The Warsaw Metro, buses, a commuter train service, and an extensive tram network are the primary modes of public transportation that are in operation inside the city. The city is a prominent centre for research and development, as well as for the outsourcing of business processes and information technology respectively. The Warsaw Stock Exchange is often regarded as the most important and significant stock exchange in all of Central and Eastern Europe. Both the European Union's agency for the protection of external borders, Frontex, and the Office for Democratic Organizations and Human Rights (ODIHR), one of the most important institutions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, have their headquarters in Warsaw. Warsaw, along with Frankfurt and Paris, has one of the largest numbers of skyscrapers in the European Union; nevertheless, as of 2022, the Varso Place will be the tallest structure in the EU.

The Polish Academy of Sciences, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Warsaw, the Warsaw University of Technology, the National Museum, the Zachta Art Gallery, and the Warsaw Grand Theatre, which is the biggest theatre of its type in the world, are all located in the city. In 1980, the restored Old Town was included on the list of World Heritage Sites due to the fact that it showcases specimens of practically every architectural style and historical era that existed in Europe. Other architectural sites include the Palace on the Isle. Around a quarter of the land area that makes up Warsaw is devoted to parks and green spaces, making it a metropolis with a bustling arts and nightlife scene, big urban green areas, and gourmet restaurants.