Poland tourist attractions

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Poland -tourist attractions

• Tomek J.

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Warsaw , the capital and Polands largest city,
plays the prominent economic, cultural and
educational role in the country. Although it was
almost completely destroyed during World War II,
it followed a massive and thorough reconstruction
to restore the grandeur of many monuments to
life. Thus the city can boast of Old Town (Stare
Miasto), which was authentically renovated. Apart
from over 20 museums one can admire Zamek
Krolewski, the reconstructed Royal Castle The
Wilanow Palace with a spectacular collection of
old paintings and furniture the massive post
communist Palace of Culture and Science with a
wonderful view of the whole city, The Lazienki
Palace
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In the north lies Pomerania (Pomorze), a region
with a well-developed tourist base. The area is
well known with holidaymakers for its landscape
diversity, consisting of beaches, lakes, hills,
numerous rivers and forests as well as the
grandeur of its cities. In the past, there was an
amber route crossing over here followed by Roman
merchants. The Baltic Coast offers sandy beaches
for most of its length and many interesting
places e.g. Swinoujscie, Miedzyzdroje, Kamien
Pomorski, and Kolobrzeg, each of them being a
renowned spa. Kolobrzeg is the biggest and
best-known spa boasting its dozens brine springs.
The Slowinski National Park, an exotic natural
attraction with 44-metre tall movable sand dunes
at the banks of Lake Lebsko, is an important
biosphere reserve and a haven for rare bird
species.
Swinoujscie
Miedzyzdroje
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The capital of Eastern Pomerania is Gdansk, one
of Poland's three major seaports, a marvelous
city with a thousand years of history and plenty
of priceless monuments. With Sopot- a resort best
known for its wide wooden pier and the Open-air
Opera Hall ( Opera Lesna) and a classic seaport
of Gdynia , Gdansk makes up a metropolis known as
the Triple City (Trojmiasto). More to the east
the Hel Peninsula stretches, marked with quiet
and pleasant seaside resorts Jurata, Jastarnia,
Chalupy, and Hel, all with clean, wide beaches
sheltered by dunes and pine groves.
Sopot
Gdansk
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The Pomeranian Lakeland region includes two lake
districts, the Kashubian and Drawa Lake
Districts, and the vast areas of the Tuchola
Forest, which are some of the biggest natural and
tourist treasures in Poland, easily accessible
and gorgeous. The Kashubian vicinity is inhabited
by Kashubi, an interesting nation, which
maintains its cultural identity, has own
language, customs and even literature and
occupies itself with fishing. In Malbork
(Marienburg) there is the biggest in Europe
Teutonic medieval brick castle built originally
in the 13 th century. Some other mediaeval-style
elements may be found also in Gdansk, Pelplin,
Kwidzyn, Tczew, Slupsk and other towns.
Malbork
Kaszubi
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To the east of Pomerania spreads the Mazury Lake
District, a huge, thinly populated area of lakes,
dense forests and swamps, often named "a land of
a thousand lakes" however, the real number of
lakes is about four thousand. It is rich in
wildlife, including wild bison and Europes
largest herd of elks, and provides every form of
outdoor activity sailing, canoeing and camping.
Most lakes are linked by rivers and canals, the
main tourist attractions of which are the
Augustow and Elblag canals, the latter being a
masterpiece of the 19th century Prussian
engineering.
Mazury
Augustow
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The medieval walled town of Torun, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site with the striking Gothic Town Hall,
is the birthplace of the astronomer Copernicus.
Poznan , is the serene provincial capital with
interesting sights such as the Italianate Town
Hall in the Old Market Square, the Gorki Palace,
the 12th-century Church of St John and Przemyslaw
Castle. The National Museum stores one of the
countrys few displays of old master paintings.
The Poznan International Trade Fair takes place
here every year.
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The modern city of Wroclaw is cut through with
90km of canals and tributaries of the River Oder
and there are more than 100 bridges. The city
boasts a very large Old Town with 15th-century
Town Hall, the Royal Palace and the Cathedral
built on 7 islands.
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To the southeast of the capital lies a charming
medieval university city of Lublin, which
shelters many buildings designed by Bernardo
Morando of Padua, and by many Armenians and
Greeks who once settled down here. Not far from
Lublin a unique artistic town of Kazimierz Dolny
is situated, with its a romantic castle ruin,
Baroque churches, winding streets and unspoiled
atmosphere is a top attraction of Poland. Another
interesting site is Zamosc with its well
preserved Academy, beautiful tenement houses and
fortification walls. The unique site was founded
in the 16th century by the chancellor Jan
Zamoysky as a town in ideal shape. It has
preserved the original layout and a large number
of buildings that feature Italian and central
European architectural traditions. Its Old Town
has been acknowledged a UNESCO World Heritage
status.
Zamosc
Kazimierz Dolny