Żoliborz

Żoliborz (Polish pronunciation: [ʐɔˈlibɔʂ]) is one of the northern districts of the city of Warsaw. It is located directly to the north of the City Centre, on the left bank of the Vistula river. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the smallest boroughs of Warsaw.

In 18th century the area belonged to the Piarists of a monastery in the nearby city of Warsaw. The monks started to parcel the grounds and allowed for the creation of various settlements on their fields, which were parceled between several villages. One of them was named Joli Bord (Beautiful Embankment in French, which was later transcribed to Polish language as Żoliborz). After 1831 the area was confiscated by Russian authorities, who there erected the Warsaw Citadel. The area was thus mostly unpopulated and even after the ban on construction of brick-made houses was lifted, it retained much of its rural character.

After Poland regained its independence in 1918, the city of Warsaw started to grow rapidly and new areas were needed. In the 1920s the area of Żoliborz was converted into a borough of Warsaw and the construction of new houses started. Until the late 1930s most of today's Żoliborz was built-up with large houses notable for their modernist architecture. The wide streets, open areas, parks and squares built there are regarded as fine examples of good urbanist architecture. Also, a so-called Żoliborz Oficerski (Officers' Żoliborz) was built up with villas for the officers of the Polish Army and other notable people of the epoch. Several star-shaped squares were built along the main axis of the borough, with the Plac Wilsona as the borough's centre and main transport hub.

During the Warsaw Uprising one of the first struggles took part in Żoliborz. After the Polish soldiers were defeated by the Germans, Żoliborz was spared the fate of the rest of Warsaw and survived the war to a higher degree than other areas.

Famous people born in Żoliborz

Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann, Lech Kaczyński, Jarosław Kaczyński