Warsaw has two historic districts, called Old Town and New Town. They are adjacent to each other and the newer section is almost as old as the Old Town. It lies just north of the Old Town and is connected with it by Freta Street, which begins at the Barbican.Warsaw's Old Town (Polish: Stare Miasto, "Starowka") impresses tourists with its quaint, cobbled streets and unique old architecture. It is the oldest part of the city of Warsaw and one of its most prominent tourist attractions. The heart of the area is the Old Town Market Place, with its unique traditional Polish restaurants, cafes and shops. Surrounding streets feature medieval architecture such as the city walls, barbican and St. John's Cathedral. Warsaw's Old Town has been placed in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites as "an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century."Warsaw's New Town (Polish: Nowe Miasto) was initially established to curb the unchecked growth that had snowballed beyond the city walls. Hence the New Town, founded in 1402, was given its own charter and corporation along the lines of its elder brother. A market square and town hall were built and a number of churches and monasteries sprung up. It was not fortified in contrast to the Old Town. The New Town was merged with the rest of the city in 1791.
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