{"id":4740,"date":"2012-03-27T20:16:35","date_gmt":"2012-03-27T20:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stadiumguide.com\/?p=4740"},"modified":"2020-10-03T07:14:39","modified_gmt":"2020-10-03T07:14:39","slug":"warsaw-2012-venue-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stadiumguide.com\/warsaw-2012-venue-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Warsaw 2012 Venue Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Orientation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Warsaw might just be the most underrated city in Europe. Though not having the pure beauty of a Krakow, it does have an exciting mix of different architectural styles, loads of bars and restaurants, modern shopping centres, and classic parks.<\/p>\n

Its landmark feature is undoubtedly the magnificent Palace of Culture and Science, a gift from Stalin and almost look-a-like of the Moscow State University building. It is visible from everywhere in the city and serves as a great orientation point. It also where Warsaw’s Fan Zone, which can hold 100,000 fans, will be located.<\/p>\n

Warsaw\u2019s city centre got almost entirely destroyed in the Second World War, and many of the buildings therefore have a distinct post-war look, which is particularly visible around the Palace of Culture (the “new” city centre). The area has however recently undergone a massive regeneration, with many tall shiny office buildings rising up, and new bars and restaurants opening every day.<\/p>\n

The old town, on the other hand, got completely rebuilt as an exact copy of its previous form, and, though technically not that old and also rather small, is hardly inferior in beauty to a Prague or Krakow. It is located in the north of the city centre along the Vistula river.<\/p>\n

The Vistula river divides the city in a western and eastern side. The eastern side – Praga – used to have a rather negative reputation in terms of crime, but has recently seen a revival with many hipsters moving in.<\/p>\n

The suburbs have the typical communist style that many people associate with Eastern-European cities, and offer little more than large blocks of apartment buildings.<\/p>\n

Warsaw is a spacious city though, never feels too cramped or chaotic, and is also very green with lots of trees and some very fine parks to relax.<\/p>\n

The Stadium<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Stadion Narodowy w Warszawie<\/a> \u2013 58,145 seats<\/p>\n

Stadion Narowody w Warszawie is the second largest stadium of the Euro 2012 tournament, and the largest in Poland. It was the last stadium to be completed with its construction plagued by multiple delays.<\/p>\n

It is however also a stadium of great beauty, especially its exterior covered with red and white tiles. The interior of the stadium consists of two tiers of seating, and it has a retractable roof in the style of Frankfurt\u2019s Commerzbank Arena.<\/p>\n

The stadium sits on the eastern bank of the Vistula river. From the slightly elevated old town once can see it majestically rising up from the other side.<\/p>\n

The stadium is still a reasonable walk away from the old town though, likely more than half an hour, however everything between the old town and stadium is basically Warsaw city centre and as a result filled with bars, restaurants, parks, university buildings, and other interesting architecture. It is therefore likely that you’ll spend most of your time in these parts anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t