History of the City

In Warsaw today, archaeological traces of several early Middle Age castles are found on the Vistula River, the oldest of which - originating in the 10th and 11th centuries – were situated on what is known today as the area of Bródno. Slightly less aged is Jazdów, known as the home of the Prince's Castle. The city‘s history itself, however, is believed to have begun with the creation and development of Old Warsaw (Stara Warszawa), which was set on what is today known as the Old Town (Stare Miasto). Mazovian Prince Bolesław II brought prosperous traders to the Old Town, and his headquarters were based there, as well.

End of the 13th century - The establishment of the city
The Mazowiecki Princes' new city and place of residence is where the Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) stands today. Upon the castle's completion, it was called Warsaw (Warszawa) and was surrounded by walls; the growing city itself also took the name of Warsaw. By the end of the 14th century, not far from Old Warsaw, another city began to form based on Warsaw's huge growth. It was called New Warsaw (Nowa Warszawa) and had its own boundaries, businesses and authorities. The two neighbouring towns kept on developing and growing in strength, economically supporting each other, whilst remaining quite distinct.

15th century - Warsaw, capital city of Mazovia
Thanks to its strategic location, Warsaw continued to develop well and its castle quickly became one of the most important in the region. In 1413, Prince Janusz I Starszy moved the capital of the Mazovian Duchy from Czersk to Warsaw.

16th century - Warsaw, capital city of Poland
In the early 16th century, Warsaw was included as part of the Kingdom of Poland. Its admittance brought the city many privileges and because of its central location, members of the Royal Court visited the city more and more often. It was here at this time that the Polish nobility chose their King during the country's first free elections. In 1596 - after a fire at the royal residence of Krakow's Wawel Castle – King Zygmunt III Waza moved the royal court and its main offices from Krakow to the newly-expanded castle in Warsaw. It's interesting that although Warsaw did not become the Polish capital by any official statement or decree, it acted from this point as a actual centre of the country, and the permanent seat of the royal residence. As a result, the city kept on developing and had significant population growth.

17th century - The Swedish Deluge (Potop Szwedzki) and other wars
After a time of rapid growth, there came a very difficult period in the history of the city, as it was affected by numerous wars (such wars dominated most of Europe at the time). Between 1655 and 1658, Warsaw was attacked three times, during which it was occupied by both Swedish and Transylvanian armies. These occupied years and all of the invasions led to the city's near destruction, and the loss of numerous cultural treasures.
 
Importance and glory were given back to the country by King Jan III Sobieski, known as the Warrior King. He repelled the Turks and forced all wars outside of the borders of the country. After his election in 1683, Warsaw grew dramatically, both economically and culturally. The King had Wilanów Palace built at this time, and he supported Polish artists and musicians. Under his reign, Krasiński Palace, the Sakramentek Church in the New Town, the Kapucynów Church on Miodowa Street and the Karmelitów Church on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street were all built.

18th century - Saxon times, the era of King Stanisław Poniatowski
Saxon times, or the dominion of the Saxony Masters, is not known as the happiest period in history in general, and certainly not in Poland. Despite the gradual decline in the country's importance, this period saw the blossoming of the capital city. Many architects and builders who came to Warsaw with the Saxons erected numerous palaces and churches that – even today – are counted as among the most valuable and important in terms of Warsaw’s legacy. Also designed during this time was the Saxon Axis (Oś Saska), a massive baroque urban plan, which although never completed, contributed to a large extent in shaping the architectural image and tone of the city. The systemic demolition of 'chaotic' or non-complimentary groups of buildings allowed the emergence of many important places in the capital, such as the Saxon Palace (Pałac Saski) and Saxon Gardens (Ogród Saski). In 1747 the Załuscy brothers founded a library, and opened it to a wider audience, thereby giving birth to the National Library (Biblioteka Narodowa). At the time, its collections were among the largest in all of Europe.

A truly "golden period" of the city’s development was the reign of King Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764-1795). Under his rule, Warsaw became the political, economic, commercial and industrial centre of the country. Great monuments were created during that time, one of the most significant being Łazienki Królewskie. Science was developed and encouraged, and the National Theatre (Teatr Narodowy), the first permanent Polish professional theatre, was established.