page_title: History of Warsaw
section_title: 1795–1914
hierarchical_section_title: History of Warsaw / 1795–1914
caption_attribution_description: English: 1831 map of Warsaw, Poland, the so-called "Nicholson's Plan" Note that the map is neither very accurate in terms of precision [1] nor in proper place names. Many if not most have been misspelt (Oyrod Krole park should be Ogród Królewski, Kozary Wielopolski (six buildings to the north of the park) should be called Koszary Wielopolskie, Cekauz (Arsenal) =&gt; Cekhauz, Patac Kroleski =&gt; Pałac Królewski and so on). Downloaded from David Rumsey's site ([2]), converted from .sid to .tiff format with mrsidgeodecode and then to .jpg with Adobe PS. Polski: Plan Warszawy z roku 1831, tzw. Plan Nicholsona Plan jest względnie niedokładny, zarówno jeśli chodzi o precyzję jak i nazwy własne[3]. Wiele z nich zostało przekręconych (na przykład "Oyrod Krole" zamiast "Ogród Królewski", "Kozary Wielopolski" w miejsce "Koszarów Wielopolskich", "Cekauz" zamiast "Cekhauz", "Patac Kroleski" zamiast "Pałac Królewski" itd.). Mapa pobrana ze strony Davida Rumseya ([4]), przekonwertowana z formatu .sid do .tiff za pomocą mrsidgeodecode, a następnie do formatu .jpg z użyciem Adobe Photoshop.
context_page_description: The history of Warsaw spans over 1400 years. In that time, the city evolved from a cluster of villages to the capital of a major European power, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth—and, under the patronage of its kings, a center of enlightenment and otherwise unknown tolerance. Fortified settlements founded in the 9th century form the core of the city, in today's Warsaw Old Town.
  The city has had a particularly tumultuous history for a European city. It experienced numerous plagues, invasions, and devastating fires. The most destructive events include the Deluge, the Great Northern War, War of the Polish Succession, Warsaw Uprising, Battle of Praga and the Massacre of Praga inhabitants, November Uprising, January Uprising, World War I, Siege of Warsaw and aerial bombardment—and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Warsaw Uprising.
  The city has hosted many crucial events in the history of Poland. It was the site of election of Polish kings, meeting of Polish parliament, and events such as the Polish victory over the Bolsheviks at the Vistula, during the Battle of Warsaw.
context_section_description: Warsaw remained the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1795, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia to become the capital of the province of South Prussia. Liberated by Napoleon's army in 1806, Warsaw was made the capital of the newly created Duchy of Warsaw. Following the Congress of Vienna of 1815, Warsaw became the center of Congress Poland, a constitutional monarchy under personal union with Imperial Russia. During this period under the rule of the relatively liberal Russian Emperor Alexander I, Warsaw experienced much growth such as the founding of the Royal University of Warsaw (1816). What is today's main street of the city—Aleje Jerozolimskie—was marked out. In 1818, the Town Hall on the Old Town Market was pulled down because it had become too small for the city, which had expanded after it incorporated the jurydykas. The city's authorities moved to Jabłonowski's Palace (by the Great Theater), where it stayed until World War II.
  Following the repeated violations of the Polish constitution by the Russians (especially after the Alexander I's death, when the reactionary Nicholas I assumed power), the 1830 November Uprising broke out. It started with the assault on Belvedere – the residence of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, the commander-in-chief of Polish army and de facto viceroy of the Congress Poland, as well as at the Arsenal. The 1830 uprising led to the Polish-Russian war (1831), the greatest battle of which took place on 25 February 1831 in Grochów — a village in the modern northern part of the district, Praga Południe. Because the Polish commanders were stalled, the war ended in defeat, and curtailment of the Kingdom's autonomy. The Emperor established a military administration in Warsaw. An estate of pretty manors on the north of New Town was eradicated and on this place the Citadel was built, a fortress with prison. The Sejm was suspended, the Polish army dissolved, and the University closed.
  Growth of railways turned Warsaw into an important railways hub, as lines were opened to Vienna (1848), Saint Petersburg (1862), Bydgoszcz (1862), Terespol (1867), Kovel (1873), Mlava (1877), Kalisz (1902), along with several shorter lines. In 1875 and 1908, two railway bridges were built. In 1864, the first iron road bridge on stone supports, Most Kierbedzia, opened. It was one of the most modern bridges in Europe at the time. Today, the Śląsko-Dąbrowski bridge lies at the same supports. Only then the city's authorities started to rebuild Praga, which was heavily damaged during the Kościuszko's and November Uprisings, as well as by Napoleon's war. In 1862, the University was opened again, in 1898 the Nicholas II Technical Institute (the Warsaw Technical University's predecessor) was established.
  Warsaw flourished in the late 19th century under Mayor Sokrates Starynkiewicz (1875–92), a Russian-born general appointed by Tsar Alexander III. Under Starynkiewicz Warsaw saw its first water and sewer systems designed and built by the English engineer William Lindley and his son, William Heerlein Lindley, as well as the expansion and modernization of horsecars, street lighting and gas works. Starynkiewicz also founded the Bródno Cemetery (1884), still one of the biggest European cemeteries. As a remembrance of the President, one of the Warsovian squares bears the name of Starynkiewicz, even though he represented the Russian authorities.
  In 1904, the first power plant was built. The city installed electric street lamps and, in 1908, opened the first electric tram route. In 1914, a third bridge opened—Most Józefa Poniatowskiego.
  Warsaw's development, however, was accompanied by an intensive assault on Polish national identity. Russian authorities closed Polish schools and built more and more Orthodox churches. These acts were strongly opposed. On 27 February 1861, Russian troops fired on a Warsaw crowd that was protesting Russian rule. Five people were killed. On 22 January 1863 a new uprising broke out. The Underground Polish National Government resided in Warsaw during January Uprising in 1863–4. 
caption: 1831 map of Warsaw with Lubomirski Ramparts marked in red.
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