Grabów, Warsaw

The oldest known records of Grabów, then a small village known as Grabowo, date to the 18th century. It was founded by Warsaw deputy cup-bearer Grabowski, on the farmlands of Imielin and Wyczółki.^[1]

In the 19th century, the Krasnowola was founded to the southeast of Grabów, around current Krasnowolska Street.^[2] In the second half of the century, a residence of castellan Kretkowski, was built at the current 78 Krasnowolska Street the Krasnowola Manor House.^[3] The hamlet of Grabówek was founded to the south of Grabów.^[2] In 1827, Grabów had 67 inhabitants in 9 households, in 1905, it had 157 inhabitants, and in 1921, it had 111 inhabitants in 21 households.^[1]

In 1898, the Grabów Emilin narrow-gauge railway station was established between Grabów and Imielin, at the current intersection of Puławska and Mysikrólika Streets. It was operated by the Grójec Commuter Railway, as part of the line between stations of Warszawa Mokotów and Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą, and was closed down in 1957.^[4]

In 1938, the nuns of the Society of the Sacred Heart settled in Grabów, establishing a chappel near their housing. In 1952, it became a parish church, and between 1990 and 1995, in its place was built the St. Sophie Barat Church.^[5][6] Additionally, in 1995, Grabów Cemetery was founded at Poloneza Street. It is located in the nearby neighbourhood of Wyczółki, near the boundary of Grabów.^[7][8]

On 8 September 1939, Grabów was captured by the German forces during the siege of Warsaw in the Second World War.^[9]

On 14 May 1951, Grabów, Grabówek, and Krasnowola were incorporated into the city.^[10]

In 1980, at 20 Korowodu Street was opened the Christian Mission Centre of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and the Salesian Mission Museum, with over 3000 exponates.^[11]

In the 1980s and 1990s, the housing estate of Grabów, composed of terraced houses, was built between Puławska Street, Mączyńskiego Street, Taneczna Street, and Grabów Canal. It was designed by Zbigniew Panek, Krystyna Szedna, and Andrzej Wolski, and developed by the Grabów Intercompany Housing Association (Polish: Międzyzakładowa Spółdzielnia Mieszkaniowa „Grabów”).^[1][12]

In 1998, the district of Ursynów was subdivided into the areas of the City Information System, with Grabów becoming one of them. The area included Grabów, as well as Grabówek, and Krasnowola. In 2000, its boundaries were modified, with an area between Wyczółki Street, Puławska Street, Poleczki Street, and Galopu Street, being incorporated from North Ursynów.^[13][14]

In 2016, the Advanced Materials and Technologies Centre was opened at 19 Poleczki Street, becoming one of the largest high tech research facilities in Poland.^[15][16]