The old favorites and new places close to Varsovian hearts

The Palace of Science and Culture (PKiN) attracts the most "positive" feelings of all the capital city building, according to a poll carried out by Clear Channel Polska.

The Old Town is Varsovian's favorite area of the capital in general, whereas Skaryszewski Park is their top choice for the best place to spend time outdoors. Paprotka club on Plac Piłsudskiego is the best place to have fun and the Warsaw Uprising Museum is the best place to learn about the capital's history and culture.

"The winner was an excellent combination of positive places. The selection proves that a Varsovian is an individual, who is able to make everything his or her own. He or she does not care about the architects continuously fascinated with Le Corbusiere's formalism, because he or she prefers the palace-like ornaments and the solid quality of PKiN's finishing," commented Agata Passent, a journalist and member of the jury. "Giertych could learn about patriotism from Varsovians - which can be proved by the fact that we fell in love with the only one modern museum in the city - the Warsaw Uprising Museum," she says.

This was the second time the poll was organized, and although some of the categories have changed, there are several observable trends.

"The choice of the Palace was surprising, but what we can see is that parks are the capital's great strength. Not only do local people pay attention to it, visitors do too," said the marketing director at Clear Channel, Anna Nowakowska.

"The choice of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, shows how much people need such places. [Such museums] are an integral part of large cities in the West," she added. According to Nowakowska, these observations could be a hint for investors and decision makers indicating what to build and where. Nowakowska admitted that the categories still need modification.

"Warsaw is an exceptional city, a place with a 400-year-old spirit and a 60-year-old body. Today, 60 years after being totally destroyed, the capital of Poland is ready to compete with other European metropolises. It is good that there are people fascinated with it. It is good that new, magic places are being created here. Warsaw is a positive city," said the director of the city's promotion and development department, Tadeusz Deszkiewicz.

Clear Channel plans to carry out the vote in other cities in Poland in the future.

Agnieszka Barteczko