The architecture of Warsaw has influenced and reflected the history of Polish architecture. The city of Warsaw features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects. Warsaw's palaces, churches and mansions display a richness of color and architectural details.
Buildings are representatives of nearly every European architectural style and historical period. The city has wonderful examples of architecture from the gothic, renaissance, baroque and neoclassical periods, all of which are located within easy walking distance of the town centre.
Architecture by style
Gothic architecture is represented in the majestic churches but also at the burgher houses and fortifications. The most significant buildings are St. John's Cathedral (14th century), the temple is a typical example of the so-called Masovian gothic style, St. Mary's Church (1411), a town house of Burbach family (14th century),[1] Gunpowder Tower (after 1379) and the Royal CastleCuria Maior (1407–1410).
The most notable examples of Renaissance architecture in the city are the house of Baryczko merchant family (1562), building called "The Negro" (early 17th century) and Salwator tenement (1632). The most interesting examples of mannerist architecture are the Royal Castle (1596–1619) and the Jesuit Church (1609–1626) at Old Town. Among the first structures of the early baroque the most important are St. Hyacinth's Church (1603–1639) and Zygmunt's Column (1644).
The dome of the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Warsaw-Czerniaków, with profuse frescoes and stucco decorations, was constructed in 1690–1693.
Building activity occurred in numerous noble palaces and churches during the later decades of the 17th century. One of the best examples of this architecture are Krasiński Palace (1677–1683), Wilanów Palace (1677–1696) and St. Kazimierz Church (1688–1692). The unique character of Warsaw Baroque, which gradually influenced the architecture of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a mixture of local traditions with Western European patterns. Late Baroque architecture with palaces merging Polish mansions of the aristocracy with side towers, Italian suburban villa and a French palace entre cour et jardin (between court and garden) with two oblong wings on each side of the cour d'honneur,[2] funeral chapels, modelled after Sigismund's Chapel and attached to the church as well as Greek-cross plan churches, are present in Warsaw. The style was largely shaped by one individual Tylman Gamerski, showing Italian and Dutch influences.[3] The most impressive examples of rococo architecture are Czapski Palace (1712–1721), Palace of the Four Winds (1730s) and Visitationist Church (façade 1728–1761).
The neoclassical architecture in Warsaw can be described by the simplicity of the geometrical forms teamed with a great inspiration from the Roman period. The first stage, called the Stanislavian style, followed by an almost complete inhibition and a period known as the Congress Kingdom classicism.[4] The palladian patterns were independently interpreted by Szymon Bogumił Zug, who followed an influence of radical French classicism.[5] A palladian by influence was also Piotr Aigner - author of the facade of St. Anne's Church in Warsaw (1786–1788) and St. Alexander Church (1818–1826).[5] Palladian ideas were implemented in a popular type of a palace with a pillared portico.[5] Some of the best examples of the neoclassical style are the Palace on the Water (rebuilt 1775–1795), Królikarnia (1782–1786), Carmelite Church (façade 1761–1783) and Evangelical Holy Trinity Church (1777–1782). The economic growth during the first years of Congress Poland caused a rapid rise architecture. The Neoclassical revival affected all aspects of architecture, the most notable are the Great Theater (1825–1833) and buildings located at Bank Square (1825–1828).
Exceptional examples of the bourgeois architecture of the later periods were not restored by the communist authorities after the war (like mentioned Kronenberg Palace and Insurance Company Rosja building) or they were rebuilt in socialist realism style (like Warsaw Philharmony edifice originally inspired by Palais Garnier in Paris). Despite that the Warsaw University of Technology building (1899–1902)[7] is the most interesting of the late 19th-century architecture. Lot of the 19th-century buildings is restored in Praga (Vistula's right bank), though they are in a pretty bad condition. Warsaw's municipal government authorities have decided to rebuild the Saxon Palace and the Brühl Palace, the most distinctive buildings in prewar Warsaw.[8]
After the Warsaw area enlargement in 1916, an occasion was aroused to build new estates. Yet in 20's and 30's new workers' and villas' estates came into existence. Thanks of this the villas' estate was built in Saska Kępa. Most prewar building at this district was not destroyed during war. Nowadays still exists many examples of houses from interwar period, designed by notable architects, like Bohdan Pniewski, Bohdan Lachert, Józef Szanajca, Lucjan Korngold or Szymon and Helena Syrkus.[9] The workers' estates were Ochota and Rakowiec, Koło (north-western part of Wola), Grochów (the centre of Praga Południe), Żoliborz. The villas' estates – Higher Mokotów (there lived President Starzyński), Czerniaków (north of Wilanów), Saska Kępa (between Poniatowski and Łazienkowski bridges) as well as Żoliborz. The Żoliborz estate (more accurately – the Old Żoliborz, i.e. the part of district around the Wilson Square) is an interesting example of an estate, where four groups of society lived next to each other: workers (Żoliborz Spółdzielczy, i.e. collective – the workers' part was a housing association), writers and periodists (Żoliborz Dziennikarski – periodical), state clerks (Żoliborz Urzędniczy – clerical) and army officers (Żoliborz Oficerski).
Former buildings of the Supreme Chamber of Control by Marek Leykam were constructed in 1947–1948.
Notable examples of contemporary architecture include the Palace of Culture and Science (1952–1955), a Soc-realist skyscraper located in the city centre, and the Constitution Square with its monumental Socialist realism architecture (MDM estate).[10] The central part of the right-bank (east) Praga borough it is a place where very run-down houses stand right next to modern apartment buildings and shopping malls.
Like in all former communist countries, there are also several blockhouse estates in Warsaw. They were built between 1960 and 1985, mainly in the areas incorporated in 1951.[11] The greatest are: Ursynów-Natolin, Bródno, Wawrzyszew (close to the Steel Industry), Bemowo, Gocław (at the right bank, between Łazienkowski and Siekierkowski bridges), Stegny (north-west of Wilanów), Tarchomin (north of Toruńska Road).
It has been noted that Warsaw, together with Frankfurt, London, Paris, Moscow, Istanbul and Rotterdam is one of the tallest cities in Europe.[13] Warsaw is ranked as 48th in the List of cities with the most skyscrapers around the world.[14] It is also ranked as 78th in The World's List of cities with the most buildings taller than 100m with a number of 16.[15] Of the 20 buildings in Poland which are 100-meters high or above, 16 are situated in Warsaw (of which the second one is Sky Tower in Wrocław). The tallest structure, the centrally located Palace of Culture and Science, is the European Union's seventh-tallest building: 230.7 metres (756.9ft) with the TV-tower, 188 metres (616.8ft) to the roof. The first skyscrapers in Poland were also built in Warsaw. The first was the building of the Polish Telegraph Company (1908 – so-called PASTa) – 51 metres (167ft), probably the highest building in the Russian Empire at that time.[16] The second was the building of the Insurance Company Prudential House (1934) – 66 metres (217ft). Up to date, apart from the Palace of Culture and Science, the highest buildings in Warsaw are: Warsaw Trade Tower (1999, 208 metres (682ft)), InterContinental Warszawa (2003, 164 metres (538ft)) Rondo 1 (2006, 159 metres (522ft)), Warsaw Financial Center (1999, 144 metres (472ft)).
Now, the Palace of Culture and Science height is surpassed by Varso Tower.[17]
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at 1.86 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 3.1 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 6th most-populous city in the European Union. The city area measures 517 km2 (200 sq mi) and comprises 18 districts, while the metropolitan area covers 6,100 km2 (2,355 sq mi). Warsaw is an alpha global city, a major cultural, political and economic hub, and the country's seat of government. It is also capital of the Masovian Voivodeship.
The Palace of Culture and Science is a notable high-rise building in central Warsaw, Poland. With a total height of 237 metres (778 ft), it is the second tallest building in both Warsaw and Poland, the sixth tallest building in the European Union and one of the tallest in Europe. At the time of its completion in 1955, the Palace was the eighth tallest building in the world, retaining the position until 1961; it was also briefly the tallest clock tower in the world, from 2000 until the 2002 installation of a clock mechanism on the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Tokyo, Japan.
The Warsaw Radio Mast was a radio mast located near Gąbin, Poland, and the world's tallest structure at 2,120 ft from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991. The mast was designed for extreme height in order to broadcast Communist propaganda around the world, including to the remotest areas such as Antarctica. As of 2023, it was the third-tallest structure ever built, after the Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates in 2009, and Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia in 2022.
Praga-Południe, also known by its anglicized names Praga-South, Praga South, and South Praga, is a district of the city of Warsaw, Poland located on the east bank of the Vistula River. It consists of Grochów, Gocław, Kamionek and Saska Kępa.
Wilanów Palace is a former royal palace located in the Wilanów district of Warsaw, Poland. It was built between 1677–1696 for King of Poland John III Sobieski according to a design by architect Augustyn Wincenty Locci. Wilanów Palace survived Poland's partitions and both World Wars, and so serves as one of the most remarkable examples of Baroque architecture in the country.
London's architectural heritage involves many architectural styles from different historical periods. London's architectural eclecticism stems from its long history, continual redevelopment, destruction by the Great Fire of London and The Blitz, and state recognition of private property rights which have limited large-scale state planning. This sets London apart from other European capitals such as Paris and Rome which are more architecturally homogeneous. London's architecture ranges from the Romanesque central keep of The Tower of London, the great Gothic church of Westminster Abbey, the Palladian royal residence Queen's House, Christopher Wren's Baroque masterpiece St Paul's Cathedral, the High Victorian Gothic of The Palace of Westminster, the industrial Art Deco of Battersea Power Station, the post-war Modernism of The Barbican Estate and the Postmodern skyscraper 30 St Mary Axe 'The Gherkin'.
The Warsaw Trade Tower (WTT) is a skyscraper in Warsaw, Poland. Along with Varso Tower, Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw Spire and Warsaw Unit, it is one of the five buildings in Warsaw with a spire height greater than 200 metres (660 ft). The tower is the fourth tallest building in Warsaw and the fifth tallest in Poland.
Muranów is a neighbourhood in the districts of Śródmieście (Downtown) and Wola in central Warsaw, the capital of Poland. It was founded in the 17th century. The name is derived from the palace belonging to Simone Giuseppe Belotti, a Venetian architect, who originally came to Warsaw from the island of Murano. It is the northernmost neighbourhood of the downtown area.
Saska Kępa is a neighbourhood in Warsaw, Poland, part of the Praga Południe district, with a population of over 40.000 inhabitants. It is also the home to one of Warsaw's largest urban parks, the Skaryszew Park. The neighbourhood is mostly occupied by semi-detached suburban houses and villas.
Złota 44 is a residential skyscraper in central Warsaw, Poland. It was designed by Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind, in association with Polish architects Architecture. It was developed by US real estate investment manager Amstar and Warsaw developer BBI Development, which bought the topped-out but unfinished building from its initial developer, ORCO.
Sky Tower is a skyscraper in Wrocław, Poland. At 212 metres (696 ft) and featuring 51 floors, it is the tallest building in Wrocław and was also the tallest building in Poland in the category of height to roof until Varso Tower overtook it in 2022. Construction began in 2007 and was completed in 2012.
The architecture of Poland includes modern and historical monuments of architectural and historical importance.
The Warsaw Spire is a complex of neomodern office buildings in Warsaw, Poland, constructed by the Belgian real estate developer Ghelamco.
The Mermaid of Warsaw is a symbol of Warsaw, represented on the city's coat of arms as well as in a number of statues and other imagery.
Varso or Varso Place is a neomodern office complex in Warsaw, Poland. It was designed by Foster + Partners and developed by HB Reavis. The complex features three buildings; the main one, Varso Tower, is the tallest building in Poland, the tallest building in the European Union, and the sixth-tallest building in Europe at 310 m (1,020 ft) in height. It was topped out in February 2021 and completed in September 2022, with the opening of the observation deck planned for 2024.
2B Jerzego Waszyngtona Avenue Skyscraper is the modernist residential skyscraper in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located at 2B Jerzego Waszyngtona Avenue. It was designed by architect Marek Leykam, and built in 1963. It is an early example of modernist architecture in Poland, and upon construction, it was the first skyscraper built on the right bank of Vistula river in Warsaw, and the first building in the city, with at least one wall with fully glass-covered elevation.
The Bust of George Washington, also known as the Monument to George Washington, is a monument in the city of Warsaw, Poland, at Waszyngtona Roundabout. It commemorates George Washington, the first president of the United States. The monument was created by Bronisław Koniuszy and Bronisław Kubica and unveiled on 27 October 1989.
↑ Jon Stewart, Jon Bartley Stewart (2003). Kierkegaard and his contemporaries: the culture of golden age Denmark. Walter de Gruyter. p.394. ISBN3-11-017762-5.
↑ Sampo Ruoppila (2004). Processes of Residential Differentiation in Socialist Cities. European Journal of Spatial Development. pp.9–10. www.nordregio.se/ejsd/refereed9.pdf
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