History of Warsaw

The first traces of settlement in the Warsaw area date from the 10th century. It is considered to be a young city by Polish standards, compared to Krakow and Gdansk. The first important structures were built at the beginning of the 14 th century, when the dukes of Mazovia built a stronghold on the site where the Royal Palace stands today.

Medieval Warsaw

The layout followed that of many other medieval Polish cities, with a central square, a church and the whole town being surrounded by fortified walls. In 1413, Warsaw underwent a period of development until the last duke of Mazovia died in 1526. It was then put under the direct rule of the Polish king in Krakow.

Warsaw became the seat of the Polish parliament in 1569, but it didn't become the captial until 1596, following a fire in King Zygmunt III Waza's residence in Krakow. The city suffered heavy damage during the Swedish invasion of Poland from 1655 to 1660.

Eighteenth century prosperity

The city flourished during the 18th century and the reign of the last Polish king, Stanislaw August Poniatowski. Many palaces, churches and monasteries were erected during this period. However, by 1795, Poland had been divided by the three empires of Prussia, Russia and the Habsburg. Warsaw was placed under Prussian rule and its role was diminished to that of a small provincial town.

Things started looking up again in 1807, when it once again became the capital, after Napoleon created the Duchy of Warsaw. It then fell to Russian rule upon the collapse of Napoleonic France, in 1830. Despite the occupation, Warsaw continued to develop, accompanied by a steady population increase.

Poland regained its independence after WW1, and Warsaw became the capital of the Second Republic of Poland. Policies further aided the development of the city and the population rose to over one million.

WWII devastation

WWII broke out when Germany invaded western Poland on 1st September 1939, shortly followed by the USSR entering eastern Poland. Warsaw fell after six weeks of heavy fighting and approximately 10 to 15 per cent of its buildings were destroyed. It became an occupied city under the control of the Nazi SS for the next five years.

All Jewish residents (several hundred thousand) were forced to stay in an enclosed ghetto surrounded by walls. Many were sent to the gas chambers of Auschwitz and other death camps. The Germans attempted to clear the ghetto in 1943, but the Jews resisted. The Warsaw Uprising resulted and despite being heavily out-gunned and out-numbered, the ghetto held out for almost a month. When the fighting ended, the survivors were massacred.

During 1943 and 1944, the tide of the war turned, as the USSR inflicted a number of heavy defeats on the German army. When the Soviets finally crossed the Vistula and entered through the left-bank, Warsaw had almost ceased to exist, with 85 per cent of the city destroyed including the historic Old Town and the Royal Castle.