Warsaw's Modern Look

Euroålex business centre    Looking at Holliday Inn

During the communist era Warsaw’s architectonical structure was a rather chaotic mixture of beautiful, old historical buildings, carefully restored after the war and a quite ugly downtown area where the so called Stalinist style dominated. Still, some parts of Warsaw, especially the residential areas, managed to keep its specific milieu without giving away too much of themselves into the hands of political correct architects.

Jerozolimskie Avenue  Old biuldning at Unii Lubelskiej SqAare  The centre: Sciana Wschodnia

The city got its first glass facades - of the commerce centre called Sciana Wschodnia, along Marszalkowska Street - in the 60-ties. During long time only two skyscrapers dared to stick up against the Palace of Culture. In the outskirts rows of apartment blocks were raised - people called them “Warsaw’s biggest sleeping-room”.

After 1989 Warsaw not only got its first McDonald’s and more colour on the streets. In the centre modern skyscrapers started to grow like mushrooms, along with huge temporary facilities for trade and commerce. Old and new is now packed close together in a happy co-existence.

Of some more unusual buildings raised after 1989 we should mention: the Supreme Court, the University Library and the Golden Terraces.

…And the once ugly architecture of “social realism” is becoming quite an attraction.  


50-ties and 90-ties.   University library

Old and New at Jerozolimskie Avenue   Supreme Court at Krasinskich Square

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