Sights of Poland: overview, features and interesting facts

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Poland is one of the most beautiful and mysterious countries in Central Europe. This state is especially popular with tourists because of its local cuisine, a huge selection of hotels and, of course, a large number of attractions! Poland can host guests throughout the year. So, in summer, tourists can relax on the sandy beaches of the B altic Sea, a great option for a winter holiday is a trip to the so-called Polish Alps. Separately, it is worth mentioning that 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located here. We bring to your attention the top 7 attractions in Poland that are worth a visit.

Castle Marienburg

The main attraction of the Polish city of Malbork is considered to be Marienburg Castle. This is a magnificent example of brick Gothic! In addition, the castle is recognized as a World Heritage Site of mankind. The history of this landmark of Poland began 7 centuries ago: then Prince Konrad of Mazovia turned to the knights-the Teutons. He asked them for help in liberating the Polish lands from pagan Prussian tribes.

It was after this that the knights began building border fortresses on the Polish lands that belonged to the order. In 1274, the foundation stone of the castle, later named Marienburg in honor of the Virgin Mary, was laid. During the Second World War, the castle, which had stood for more than one century before, was destroyed almost to the ground! Today, this object, rebuilt anew, again appeared before tourists in all its grandeur. There is a museum on the premises of the castle, often craft fairs, theatrical performances and concerts are held here.

Warsaw Old Town

What other objects attract tourists to the Republic of Poland? The landmark of the state can safely be called the Warsaw Old Town. It was founded in the 13th century. It is here, in the heart of the Polish capital, that popular squares are located - Market and Castle, Historical and Literary Museums. The main Catholic church of the country, the Church of St. John the Baptist, is also located in the Old Town.

Around this sight of Poland for thousands of years the life of the whole city revolved. Landowners and merchants also came here not only from this state, but also from all over Europe. In the Old Town, witches were once even burned at the stake! Today, monuments, museums and old houses remind of the historical past. Experienced tourists recommend visiting this place slowly, best of all in the evening. For example, you can get into a horse-drawn carriage and ride along the old cobbled streets.

Tatras

Speaking of the sights of the Republic of Poland, one cannot fail to mention the highest part of the Carpathians - the Tatras. The Tatras are simultaneously located on the territory of Poland and Slovakia. It is worth noting that for the Poles the Tatras are the same as the Alps for the Austrians.

And indeed, these mountain formations have a lot in common: beautiful valleys, meadows covered with fragrant herbs, ski slopes. All this makes the Tatras extremely popular for vacationers. And here you can also see mountain lakes, caves and the Velka Siklava waterfall, falling from a 70-meter height!

Wawel Castle

The most important architectural monument and the main attraction of Krakow (Poland) is the Wawel Castle. Scientists say that already in the X century there was a fortified settlement in these places. By the way, until the 17th century, it was Krakow that was the capital of the Polish state, and therefore, from the 11th to the 17th centuries, it was in the Wawel Castle that the royal residence was located. This building played the role of the center of life - spiritual, political and, of course, cultural.

The Royal Castle has been repeatedly restored after fires and destruction. So, the first large-scale restoration was carried out in 1905, a lot of work was carried out after the Second World War. Today, this castle houses an amazing exposition that introduces guests to the life of Polish kings.

MuseumAuschwitz-Birkenau

"Death Factory" - this is how the infamous place in Auschwitz is called today. From 1940 to 1945, a whole complex of concentration camps and death camps was located here. In 1947, a museum called Auschwitz-Birkenau appeared here. Two years later, the UNESCO organization took the museum under its protection. Visitors enter the museum through a gate with the inscription Arbeit macht frei, which can be translated as "Work sets you free."

In this museum you can see more than a dozen brick blocks where prisoners were once kept! There is also a chilling exposition made up of items that the Nazis took away from the victims. It is worth mentioning that at least one million tourists from all over the world visit this sad landmark of Poland every year.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is located on the border of Belarus and Poland. The description of the attraction and its photo are amazing - the total area of protected lands is more than 150 thousand hectares of primeval relic forest! This place is distinguished by a huge population of bison and incredible landscapes! By the way, in 1979 the Polish Bialowieza National Park was included in the UNESCO list. What can be visited here? First of all, there is the "Place of Power" - a place of worship for pagan Slavic tribes, various attractions that are associated with the Romanov dynasty.

The park has both hiking and cycling trails. points where you canrent a bike, a lot. Vacationers note that the Polish forest is different from the Belarusian one - there is a water park here, and the level of service is much higher.

Wroclaw Cathedral

One of the main attractions of the city in Poland Wroclaw is the Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. By the way, the current church is already the fourth of those that were erected on this site. The first one was built in the 10th century. It was later replaced by a larger building. The new basilica was also destroyed, and a large Romanesque church appeared in its place. At the end of the Mongol invasion, this church also changed its appearance. Actually, vacationers see this brick Gothic building today.

In 1540 there was a fire that completely destroyed the roof of the cathedral. It was restored only 16 years later, however, in a different style. Another fire broke out in 1759. Then the roof and towers were seriously damaged. Restoration lasted about 150 years! In the 19th century, the interior of the cathedral and its western part were redesigned in the Neo-Gothic style. However, in the last days of World War II, almost the entire building was destroyed. Those parts of the interior that managed to be saved were placed in the Warsaw National Museum. The reconstruction took place in two stages. The first lasted until 1951, when the church was re-consecrated. The second stage was completed only in 1991: all this time, the towers were returned to their original conical shape, the interior of the cathedral was restored. Where is this landmark of the state located? In the Republic of Poland, the cityWroclaw, between the botanical garden and the Odra River.