Old and New WARSAW

Like many old European cities, Warsaw was born in ancient times, almost immemorial. Of great importance for the emergence of cities were then the River: people settled in places where there was a high bank, to which the courts have been more comfortable approaching. Such a place is and near the confluence of the Vistula and its tributaries - the Bug and Narew: here and there was a future Warsaw.

Warsaw became known much later than the first cities in Poland - Krakow, Poznan and others, however, accurately determine its origin and the origin is difficult. In the X century, there lived the descendants of the ancient field - the Poles, who built the village of Stare Brudno on the right bank of the Vistula. After two centuries, came to life and left bank of the Vistula river - there appeared the village Ujazd and Solec (salt brought). Since then, and pulled the people here, and soon on both banks of the Vistula appeared 30 settlements. They then began the suburbs, and even the streets of Warsaw: Wola, MOKOTÓW, Zeran and others.

In the XIII century on the left bank of the Vistula built the castle as it appeared around the village, which became the cradle of Warsaw, its Old Town - Staruvkoy. The castle sat castellan, the governor of Prince Mazowiecki, and the prince lived in Uyazdove.

Versions of the origin of the name of the city very much. Some historians believe that its very foundation is obliged to wealthy Czech family Varšo (or Varshovtsev). Avoiding persecution in their homeland, Varshevy back in 1108 fled to the principality Mazowieckie with his large entourage. They settled on the Vistula in the suburb, which is called Prague, and only then on the opposite steep bank founded Warsaw.

Other researchers alike claim that there was no Czech, but just lived in the castle castellan Vartsislav, on his behalf and there was a name of the future capital of Poland. "And castellan this was not, - argue the third. - Just came here people from Pomerania and founded the city. " And fourth, researchers believe that the name comes from the word "vertex" - a long wicker-basket, a fish caught in the Vistula, the local peasants.

Passed decades, and Warsaw has become closely within Staruvki. Old Town has increased since the fire in 1378, when he was surrounded by new walls.

Photo: "Old and New WARSAW"

Soon Staruvke north cleaves Nowe Miasto, which until recently was the village. The new city at first was not extensive and nothing special no different: all of it consisted of wooden houses, arable land, peasant households, and only in some places it was decorated gardens. It just stood out in the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, according to legend, was built on the site of pagan temples.

More Warsaw increased when one of the princes Mazowiecki, Janusz, founded a separate Duchy of Warsaw (XV-XVI centuries.) Warsaw, and made its capital. This prince was the first by all means to improve Warsaw, the city has multiplied profits and expanded its borders. Radel the welfare of the city and its ordinary citizens: for example, two man in the street - P. Brun and N. Panchatka - gave Warsaw Solec village, with shops, water mills and factories.

Heart of the Old Town Market was, for centuries was concentrated economic, social and political life of the city. Now Market Square seems close, but in the old days it was even more closely, because at its center stood the Town Hall. It was erected in the days when, after a fire in the Wawel Castle, King Zygmunt III moved the capital of Poland from Krakow to Warsaw. Town Hall, which houses the city authorities, stood for many years, and it was dismantled only in 1818.

After transferring the capital Warsaw and its environs began to be erected churches and beautiful buildings. King Zygmunt III was a lover of fine arts, and therefore encourage the erection of the beautiful buildings of his subjects. Polish magnates who had moved to Warsaw, together with the royal court, the city bought the land and built palaces in the style of the Italian "palazzo".

In 1644 a monument was erected to King Zygmunt III of his son, Vladislav. The monument consisted of a marble Corinthian columns, topped by copper, gilded statue of King in the fire - the monarch and a warrior: his shoulders falls coronation cloak, opening knightly armor. In the right hand the King holds a curved sword, the left - cross, slightly higher than most statue.

This column was cut out by order of the King Sigismund III, who wanted to place a monument in memory of the victory won by them over the rebellious nobles in 1607.

Photo: "Old and New WARSAW"

The king commanded carved pillar, which would have surpassed the size of its splendor of Roman monuments. But the carriage was broken in the middle column, and shortly thereafter, King Zygmunt died. One of the parts of the columns of the king′s son Vladislav and used for a monument to his father, but the inscriptions on it did not say about the victory of his father, apparently in order not to irritate the gentry mention of her defeat.

Seized the Polish capital during the Second World War, the Germans immediately began to carry out Hitler′s personal order. Obergruppenfiihrer von den Bach received a new order to pacify Warsaw, that is, during the war to raze it to the ground ... And within five years, the Nazis systematically and deliberately destroying the Polish capital, all the splendor that was destroyed by a ruthless force: house by house, street after street rose in the air. Warsaw was destroyed almost entirely (85%). The city turned into a giant graveyard of streets, squares, churches, palaces, and he became deserted and dead.

In Warsaw, survived only a building, which until the last day were occupied by the Nazis. In the alley of the First Polish Army is one house, as if nothing special is not different from the others. But the old varshavyane still do not like to walk past him and always try to go to the other side of the street. This house remained whole because during the war, it housed the Gestapo and his pre-prison, with barriers and wooden benches, which the inhabitants of Warsaw, was called "tram". This "streetcar" was only in one direction, and one who had gone, had never been able to jump.

In January 1945, when part of the Soviet Army and joined the Polish Army in Warsaw, in different parts of the city still thundering explosions - burst of bombs left by the enemy. In a city inhabited by a total of about 162,000 people, and all of it was littered with the graves of 700000 inhabitants of Warsaw, died in the fight against the invaders. Another type of long years of Warsaw streets looked like a desert landscape ...

But with the army in ruins and ashes still burning Warsaw from all sides stretched its original inhabitants - the first convoy of refugees on foot, by bicycle, pushing a baby carriage with a meager belongings ...

Photo: "Old and New WARSAW"

They do not deceive myself and know what awaits them almost cave life. The snow around was black with soot and smoke, the smell of burning seemed immortal ... People, dressed in horrible, searched their homes, which were not. There was not a Royal Castle or the beautiful palaces of magnates, the column of King Sigismund lay on the ground, and the defeated monarch, as if pleading for retribution, stretched out their hands to heaven ... In Cracow, the steps of his church, lay a bronze Christ, fallen under the weight of the cross disappeared monuments astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, the poet Adam Mickiewicz and the hero of the uprising in 1794 Ya Narutowicza. And where they are - unknown: blown up, destroyed, sent to the facility or shipped to Germany?

But varshavyanam, returned to the ruins of its capital, its ruins and the ruins were more expensive than other comfort and peace. People settled anywhere: in hastily cleared the cellars, in surviving the first floors of homes, for lack of glass windows were sacrificed plywood instead of furnaces put stoves. No running water, but even then the inhabitants of the city singing:

Warsaw, my you Warsaw!

One can see you in my dreams ...

The oldest in Warsaw was a "house princes Mazowiecki", built on tradition, on the very spot where the hut stood a legendary VarÅ¡o and Sheba, from whom (another version!) Supposedly got its name the capital of Poland. As the legend goes, once the prince, lost in the hunt, came upon a fisherman′s hut, where he found the woman Eve with two newborn children. The prince offered to be the godfather VarÅ¡o and Sava and generously gave the family fisherman. Rybak built himself a large house, round which began to settle and the other fishermen. And so it appeared, Warsaw, and subsequently on-site estate VarÅ¡o Sava and built a house princes of Mazovia, which in memory of the founder of the Warsaw corner of his house decorated with a statue of Eve and two children in her arms.

� �амым �тарым �обором в Варшаве �вл�ет�� кафедральный �обор Св�того Иоанна. Around the main altar, it is "the chapel of the Lord Jesus" with a large wooden crucifix, which is popularly known as "pan Esus old. According to legend, this crucifix is at first in Nuremberg.

When the spread of Protestantism in Germany and of the temples began to remove the icons and statues, crucifix broke into several parts, then to burn them.

Photo: "Old and New WARSAW"

At this time in Nuremberg was from Warsaw G. Barychka, who arrived here for the goods. He picked up the pieces of the crucifixion, hid them and brought back to Warsaw. This crucifix was placed in the "Phare" (The Cathedral), and soon it became famous for the head of the Savior began to grow hair. They grew up on it and at Nuremberg, but after the circulation of "Luther′s heresy" hair dried. And in Warsaw began to rise again, and once a year they cut off the golden scissors innocent girl.

Varshavyane restored their city! Truly magical force lurking in the proud emblem of Warsaw - Sirenko, a girl from a Greek legend. At all times, it was a symbol of the rebellious and fearless spirit of Warsaw: a threatened troubles and anxieties, it was a charming and captivating as she Vistula, throw it on shore.

In the restoration of Warsaw, many areas and the streets are reversed: one, previously known and fashionable, were in the shadow of others - came to life prettier. In its original form were restored Staruvka, Cracow suburb and other areas and the streets of Warsaw, which is inseparable from the history of the city.

Staruvka was near perfect and more beautiful from a distance. Get out now, on the shore of the Vistula, looking around - and you′ll see an unusually wonderful picture. Around even at home, but only the roof - gray, brown, red, pink, the roof, which form only in the light of the mosaic. I can not discern where one ends and another begins roof ... And how varied their forms! Two identical not even try to find: here the roof-mushrooms, roofs, umbrellas, cone roof, roof-hats, roof-stalls, roof-box ... Roofs are high and sloping, steep and flat, wide and narrow ... It is also diverse, and their ornaments: weird chimneys, eaves of all kinds, a variety of form attic window ...

When restored Warsaw, many have searched the homes following updates and ... not found. And do not even understand it, how could the Polish architects to put new wall plaque a dark antiquity - a noble patina, which gives the monuments of the past unique charm. One of the oldest streets in Warsaw - beer, originated in the XIII century, even with the princes Mazowiecki. According to one of the chroniclers, were here first, wooden houses, but they are often burned, and they were gradually replaced by stone buildings, a wide range of architecture.

Photo: "Old and New WARSAW"

However, they all had one thing in common - very narrow facial facades, all of 2-3 windows.

At Beer Street there are no two identical buildings, each with something stands, something known. In the old houses had no numbers, and each owner should have been something special to celebrate its housing, and many houses were decorated with bas-reliefs depicting a child playing the flute, the ship or the head of a deer. That′s above the portal of a house he spread his wings sovereign Polish eagle - are housed the royal office. But the house with a sculpture of baby Jesus with a lamb: this large family lived, and the father instructed his posterity patronage of the Savior.

In the center of Copernicus, as before, is a monument to the astronomer, who "stopped the sun and the earth moved. This monument, created by sculptor B. Torvaldsenom, was first erected in front of the house of the former Society of Lovers of Sciences. On the podium were two inscriptions: on the one hand gilt Roman letters, on the other - in Polish: "Nicholas Copernicus compatriots. During the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, the Nazis removed the board with a Latin inscription and put her in Gothic letters: "The famous scientist Copernicus. But one night this board kidnapped Polish partisans, just disappeared without a trace the second and third, and the Nazis had to accept ...

Today, as before, on a pedestal of gray marble in the ancient chair, in the academic toga sits the great astronomer Copernicus, and stared into the sky. In his hand - through the celestial sphere, the symbol of his immortal work "On the inversion of the spheres".

The appearance of the Polish capital is changing today, but the past is not sunk into oblivion. It continues to live in the new Warsaw - a city which Hitler rushed boastfully report: "Warsaw - this is only a geographical concept.

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