Poland's capital city, Warsaw, lies in the centre of the country that is located on the main international transit routes. Occupying both banks of the Vistula River, the city has a population of nearly 1.7 million. As the country's scientific and cultural centre, Warsaw is home to 18 colleges, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the 1,900-seat, neo-classical Grand Theatre of Opera and Ballet, drama theatres, libraries, art galleries and museums. Warsaw hosts cultural events of international renown such as the Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music and the Jazz Jamboree. Literally hundreds of historical monuments are to be seen in Warsaw - if one has time. Chief among them is the Royal Castle, the Palace on the Island in Lazienki Park, the Belvedere Palace and Wilanow Palace. Tours of these and 19 other museums, galleries and exhibitions draw most visitors to the city - not to mention the restored churches and the memorial to the heroes of the Jewish Ghetto Uprising of 1943. Warsaw's rebuilt Old Town reflects the country's will to survive and determination to thrive through dark times, including its leaps toward a market economy.