Warsaw lies in east-central Poland about 300 km from the Carpathian Mountains and about 260 km from the Baltic Sea, 523 km east of Berlin, Germany. The city straddles the Vistula River. It is located in the heartland of the Masovian Plain, and its average elevation is 100 metres above sea level.
The Vistula River is the specific axis of Warsaw, which divides the city into two parts, left and right. The significant element of the relief, in this part of Warsaw, is the edge of moraine plateau called Warsaw Escarpment. It is 20 to 25 m high in the Old Town and Central district. It goes through the city and plays an important role as a landmark.