With the fastest growing GDP in Europe, Poland is on the up – and nowhere is that more evident than in the country’s vibrant capital, Warsaw, says Claire Lin
Before visiting Poland, the impression I had of the country was a sorrowful place that had faced almost complete destruction in World War II and enjoyed little economic growth during the Cold War. Setting out to visit its capital, Warsaw, I expected to encounter a grey and sombre city but was pleasantly surprised to discover a booming, vibrant metropolis, one that is poised to play an important role not only in Europe but also globally as foreign investment floods into the city. After decades in the shadows of its more prosperous neighbours, Poland is now ready to step into the spotlight.
Road to reform
Poland is currently enjoying the fastest GDP growth in Europe and unlike its continental neighbours, it didn’t enter recession during the recent global economic downturn. It doesn’t belong to the eurozone, but is a member of the European Union (EU) and a Schengen visa country, which entitles visitors to use a single visa within all 25 member countries. While Poland is without high-speed railways and many highways are still under construction, it enjoys a favourable location at the crossroads of central, eastern and western Europe, and travellers can reach most European countries within two hours by air from here.
Poland officially entered the EU in 2004, and became a Schengen visa country in 2007. Since joining the EU, the country has received billions of euros in subsidies, but in recent years its economy also seems to have gained strengths of its own. Its rate of economic growth is the highest in the EU, and no other country in central or eastern Europe has received so much foreign investment.
While the city has worked hard to turn its fortunes around in the last decade, there were challenges facing Poland in its early days as an EU member. Our young tour guide, Agnieszka Skrodzka, told us that opportunities and salaries were more attractive in other parts of the union, so many young people left the country for work. But as countries like the UK – where many Poles have established themselves since Poland entered the EU – struggle to pull themselves out of recession, the situation has reversed and Poles are returning to the land of their birth.
Capital vibe
Dubbed “the Phoenix City” following extensive restoration and rebuilding after World War II, Warsaw is home to many leading multinationals including BT, LG Electronics and Legal 500 firm TGC Corporate Lawyers. It is also the headquarters of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Many Chinese enterprises are optimistic of the country’s future and are using Poland as a gateway into the European market. Bank of China and China Citic Bank are two of the major Chinese financial institutions with branches in Warsaw. China has invested billions of renminbi into Poland’s railway projects and highways including the extension of A2 motorway from Warsaw to the border with Belarus.
Nowy Swiat
Decades after the fall of communism, Poland continues on its road to economic reform, and managed to clock in 1.9 per cent GDP growth over 2012 while the overall GDP of the EU fell 0.3 per cent over the same period. This has been attributed, in part, to Poland’s independence in monetary policy, since the country has not entered the eurozone and continues to use zloty. A highly educated workforce, stable government
status and low operating costs combine to make Poland an attractive market for foreign investment.
A whole new game
Poland’s stature was elevated in 2012 when it hosted the UEFA European Championship, the biggest football competition in Europe, with Ukraine. Just as the 2008 Olympics transformed Beijing, Euro 2012 changed Warsaw – and the impact of hosting such a prestigious competition continues to be felt. According to the Polish ministry of treasury, Euro 2012 will contribute 27.9 billion zloty (US$9.2 billion) to Poland’s GDP from 2008-2020, with an estimated increase of 2.1 per cent on GDP.
When Poland won the co-host bid after securing an absolute majority of votes in 2007 from the UEFA National Executive Committee, the Poles were understandably excited. Its capital not only gained a new 58,000-seat stadium but also secured a new exhibition and convention centre, hotels, office buildings, shopping malls and a walking bridge crossing the Vistula River. In anticipation of the event, Warsaw’s Chopin Airport opened its Terminal 2 with a new railway linking the facility to the city centre within 25 minutes, and the airport served 10 million passengers for the first time in its 80-year history in 2013. Warsaw additionally gained a new airport, Modlin, for low-cost carriers, although commercial operations did not begin there until two weeks after the tournament ended.
Rising from the ruins
If you want to get acquainted with Warsaw’s history, the first port of call is the Uprising Museum, which is located in the district of Wola. Opened in 2004 – the 60th anniversary of the uprising – this venue utilises video, audio and photos to illustrate a painful chapter of the city where the Polish resistance revolted against the Nazis in 1944, which resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 soldiers and civilians. A wall full of bullet holes is among the exhibits, and you can hear the sounds of battle if you hold your ear close. A 3D theatre is also set in the museum to show the film Miasto Ruin (City of Ruins), which gives a harrowing explanation of why parts of Warsaw are lined with hurriedly built concrete blocks – almost 90 per cent of the city destroyed by the war. Take the escalator up to the observatory on the fourth floor and see how the district has reinvented itself into a commercial and residential hub.
Many people consider Centrum as Warsaw’s hub thanks to the supremely dominant 42-story Palace of Culture and Science – a “gift” from Stalin during the Russian occupation, and a menacing symbol of oppression. With more than 3,000 rooms, the building is now used for conventions, performances and banquets, where century-old chandeliers, mosaic tiles and wooden floors contribute to a historical ambience.
Warsaw has endeavoured to turn the image of the area on its head by filling it with theatres, cinemas, youth clubs and museums – Defilad Square beside the Palace, for instance, was the site of Euro 2012’s Fan Zone and is the largest city square in the EU.
A Regal ambience
But there’s much more to Warsaw than Centrum. Two tram stops away is the Royal Route, which runs from the Royal Castle to Wilanow Palace. It not only houses luxury boutiques but is also the city’s cultural centre. Starting from Old Town, a Unesco heritage site rebuilt to replicate how it looked before the bombing, it extends down to Lazienkowski Park and features grand classical buildings such as the Presidential Palace, Royal Castle and the University of Warsaw. There are plenty of cafes, bookshops and restaurants and this historic hub is also close to many of the city’s parks – a quarter of Warsaw remains green space.
Royal Palace
As Warsaw’s fortunes rise, the city is becoming decidedly upscale and along the historic thoroughfare of Nowy Swiat – also part of the Royal Route – boutiques from Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada are located alongside chic bars and restaurants. On the hotel front, JW Marriott, Intercontinental, Westin, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, Sofitel and more have all reported growing business. To accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the city, a Hampton by Hilton will open in Warsaw in 2014, as will a Doubletree by Hilton with a conference centre and spa.
Next to the Presidential Palace is Zamkowy Square, a popular spot with both locals and tourists. In the middle of the square stands a 30-metre-tall cylindrical monument built in 1644 to commemorate Warsaw succeeding Krakow as the new capital. From the square, you can see the Barbican, one of a handful of remaining relics of the historic fortifications that once encircled the city.
Nearby there is the Warsaw Uprising Memorial Monument, which commemorates those Polish heroes who resisted the occupation troops in 1944. The Nazis took revenge and air raided Poland consecutively for 63 days, resulting in some 18,000 deaths and many being sent to concentration camps. Here a bronze statue stands showing soldiers and workers dashing to the street, warriors protecting the women and children, and priests praying.
Another attraction in the area is the 17th century Church of The Holy Cross, which was reconstructed after suffering serious damage in World War II. Its most famous feature is a pillar in which an urn containing the heart of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin is stored. There is another pillar housing the heart of Nobel prize winner Wladyslaw Reymont, plus several epitaphs to other famous Poles including the 19th century writers Juliusz Slowacki and Aleksander Glowacki.
At the square in front of the Royal Castle, which was rebuilt in 1971, there are locals offering free walking tours, and these certified volunteers have received positive reviews from sites such as Tripadvisor. (More information can be obtained at http://freewalkingtour.com). The former royal residence hosts works by Rembrandt and leading Polish painters including Wojciech Gerson and its grandest rooms include the Marble Room, Great Assembly Hall and Canaletto Room, which houses city vistas painted by the great Canaletto’s nephew.
Cross the Vistula river to the Praga district, meanwhile, and you’ll find a bohemian vibe, where converted factories such as Fabryka Trzciny – now an arts centre – and the old Koneser vodka distillery, which hosts cultural events and conferences, are located.
While Warsaw’s war-torn past is frequently alluded to in the city’s museums, its rapid development in the last decade or so is helping ensure its future as one of Europe’s most prominent capitals. As Poland’s Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has predicted GDP growth of 2.7 per cent in 2014 and 3.3 per cent in 2015, the Phoenix city’s future indeed looks bright.
Additional reporting by Rose Dykins
