A report about Poland in geography is presented in this article.

Message about Poland

The Polish People's Republic is a state located in Central Europe. Poland borders Germany in the west, the Czech Republic in the south, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Lithuania in the east. The total length of the borders is 3496 km.

Capital of Poland— Warsaw.

Large cities of Poland– Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Lodz, Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin

Population of Poland- 38 432 99 people (2017). Urban population - 64%, rural - 36%.

Form of government of Poland- parliamentary republic

Relief of Poland

Lowlands are located in the west and north of Poland. They occupy more than ¾ of the country's territory. In the southeast and south, they pass into the Silesian-Małopolska Upland with low mountains and a flat upland. To the south are located the ridges of the Carpathians and Sudetenland.

The territory of Poland is crossed by such rivers as Vistula, Oder, Danube and Dniester, Neman.

The coast of Poland is washed by the Baltic Sea, where three main port cities are located - Szczecin, Gdynia and Gdansk.

Physiographic regions

• Sudetenland - in the southwest
• Carpathians - in the south
• Silesia - in the north
• Lesser Poland - in the north
• Central Poland
• Greater Poland
• Mazovia

Natural resources of Poland

• Rivers

The largest rivers in Poland are the Vistula and the Odra. The port of Szczecin is located on the shore of the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the Odra. Main river republic - the Vistula, on which the capital of Poland - Warsaw is located. Almost all rivers have a heavily silty bottom, so navigation is supported thanks to frequent cleansing channels.

• The soil

The soil in Poland is predominantly infertile, but varied.

In the north of Poland, podzolic and sandy soils are common, which require the application of fertilizers for agricultural use. Near the river valleys there are peat bogs containing humus.

Soils rich in humus are found in the south in Silesia. The soils in the mountains are infertile, since the humus layer in them is thin.

• Vegetation

In Poland, deciduous trees are common. Oak, beech, birch, maple grow in the middle zone of the country. Along the river wet valleys - willow, poplar and ash. On marshy and podzolic soils - birch.

Coniferous and mixed forests form large tracts, especially in areas of poor sandy soils in the north and east of the country.

Poland is the main producer of apples in Europe.

• Fauna

Since the area of ​​Poland has been plowed up and mastered by man, only an insignificant part of the natural, wild fauna has been preserved here. In the forests you can meet a deer and a wolf, near the rivers - a beaver, and in the Carpathian Mountains - a bear, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha - bison. Such birds as black grouse, capercaillie, partridge are common here. In the waters of the Baltic Sea, cod and herring are found, which are of industrial importance.

Climate of Poland

The country is characterized by east-west transfer of air masses, unstable weather conditions. Cloudy and wet periods often give way to clear and dry ones. Snow lies for three months of the year. Rivers in cold weather freeze up to 4 months. In the northern regions of Poland, the wettest time of the year is summer, and in the south, winter

In the sectoral structure of Polish industry, the fuel and energy complex, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical, light and food industries are of the greatest importance. The basis of the fuel and energy complex is coal. In terms of its production, Poland is one of the European leaders.

We hope that the above information about Poland has helped you. And you can leave your short story about Poland through the comment form.

The Republic of Poland is a state in Central Europe, bordering Germany in the west, the Czech Republic in the southwest, Slovakia in the south, Ukraine in the southeast, Belarus in the east, Lithuania in the northeast, in the north - with Russia ( Kaliningrad region). In the north, the coast of Poland is washed by the Baltic Sea. The capital is the city of Warsaw.

In the XIV century, having annexed the Principality of Galicia-Volyn to its possessions, Poland tried to seize Western Russian lands, weakened by the Tatar-Mongol invasion. In 1569, Poland united with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and formed a new state - the Commonwealth.

In 1610, the Polish army of General Zholkiewski defeated the Russian-Swedish army and moved to Moscow. Soon Moscow swore allegiance to the Polish prince Vladislav. However, as a result of a popular uprising led by Minin and Pozharsky in November 1612, the Poles were expelled from Moscow, and in 1634, under the Treaty of Polyana, they abandoned their claims to Moscow.

Poland experienced the last period of stability in its history under King Vladislav IV. In 1648 an uprising began Ukrainian Cossacks and peasants under the leadership of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, and from 1654 to 1667 the war with Russia lasted, which began after the reunification of Ukraine with Russia in 1654. Then the Swedes occupied most Poland, including Warsaw, King Jan II Casimir fled. In 1657, Poland was forced to abandon East Prussia, and in 1667 - from Kyiv and the territories east of the Dnieper.

Under Vishnevetsky Ottoman Empire took Podolia from Poland. It was only in 1683 that King Jan III Sobieski managed to stop the advance of the Turks into Europe.

The first division of the Commonwealth between Prussia, Austria and Russia took place in 1772. The second time the territory of Poland was divided between Prussia and Russia in 1793. In 1795, after the suppression of the national liberation movement, which began in March 1794, led by Kosciuszko, the third partition of the country took place between Russia, Prussia and Austria.

Under Napoleon, the Principality of Warsaw was created here, subordinate to France, and consisting of Polish lands taken from Prussia. The Poles took part in the Napoleonic War against Russia. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814-1815, Poland was again divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia. In 1815, the Kingdom of Poland as part of Russia gained independence, but in a volume that did not suit the Poles, and almost the entire 19th century was overshadowed by popular uprisings and riots. During the First World War, Poland was occupied by the troops of Germany and Austria-Hungary. During the war between Poland and the USSR 1919-1921 West Side Ukrainian and Belarusian lands passed to Poland.

In 1926, the nationalist regime of Jozef Pilsudski was established in Poland. In 1939, Germany, breaking the non-aggression pact with Poland, invades its territory. During the Second World War, a very diverse resistance movement operated on the territory of Poland, which included units of the government Polish Home Army, the Communist Guard of Lyudova, Ukrainian nationalist formations of the UPA, which exterminated the Polish civilian population, Soviet partisan detachments. Poland was liberated from the Nazi troops by the Red Army in 1945, after which the Polish Communist Party came to power. In the early 1980s, Poland experienced a period of socio-economic decline, ending with the rise to power of General Wojciech Jaruzelski. In 1989, the Solidarity party became the helm of the country. In 1997, Poland joined NATO, and on May 1, 2004, the European Union.

Today's Poland is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of tourists with an abundance of historical and architectural monuments and natural attractions.

How to get to Poland

Airplane

As a rule, tourists to Poland most often arrive by plane. Poland has international airports in Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Katowice.

Residents of Moscow can use the services of the national Polish air carrier LOT or Aeroflot, which operate daily flights to the capital of Poland. From St. Petersburg, you can get to Poland by LOT and Rossiya airlines. Citizens of Ukraine can fly by planes of Ukraine International Airlines, flying from Kyiv to Warsaw daily, or low-cost airline Wizzair, plying from Kyiv to Katowice. Flights Minsk-Warsaw are carried out by Belavia and LOT aircraft.

Eurolot, a low-cost subsidiary of the Polish carrier LOT, specializes in low-cost flights between major regional airports in Poland, but also operates flights to many European cities. In addition, you can get to Krakow and Warsaw with transfers in European capitals on board low-cost airlines easyJet, Ryanair, Germanwings.

You can choose a flight option, find out the price and buy a ticket in a few clicks using the form below.

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Bus

There is a bus service between Warsaw and the CIS countries. From Moscow and Minsk you can get to Warsaw and Poznan by Intercars buses. From Moscow and St. Petersburg, from Minsk, Gomel and Mogilev, as well as from Ukrainian cities - Kyiv, Donetsk, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Lvov - buses of the international transport company Ecolines run. Buses deliver guests of Poland to Bialystok, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow.

In addition, there are many private bus companies in Ukraine, whose flights connect Ukrainian cities (Kyiv, Lviv, Truskavets, etc.) with Warsaw and Gdansk. Information can be found on the E-travels and Infobus websites.

A train

You can also get to Poland by train. Direct train 009YA Moscow - Warsaw ("Polonaise") follows from the Belorussky railway station daily, the travel time is about 20 hours. Train 019M (St. Petersburg - Berlin) runs from St. Petersburg to Poland, following through Vitebsk, Minsk and Brest to the Polish cities of Warsaw and Poznan.

Train 069Ж (Saratov - Berlin), connecting Saratov, Ryazan, Belarusian Minsk and Brest with the capital of Poland - Warsaw and the city of Poznan, also has trailer direct cars from Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Samara, Omsk, Rostov and Novosibirsk.

During the summer period, the movement of the train 008CH Kaliningrad - Gdynia is resumed, following through Gdansk, Malbork and Sopot. Detailed information is on the Russian Railways website.

Train 067K runs daily from Kyiv to Warsaw via Lublin and Kovel, with a trailer direct car from Donetsk. Trains depart from Lviv to Krakow several times a day. Additional Information- on the website of the company "Ukrzaliznytsya".

The main Polish railway company Polish State Railways (PKP) provides passenger services on EuroCity trains between Poland and other European countries. The main routes link Warsaw with Berlin, Cologne, Vienna, Budapest and Prague.

Ferry

Sea transportation between Poland and Scandinavian countries Sweden, Denmark and Finland are operated by Pol Ferries. The company owns two ferry terminals in Poland: in Gdansk and Swinoujscie. From Gdynia to the Swedish port of Karlskrona, a Stena Line ferry departs daily. The ticket price depends on the city from which the ferry departs and the country where it goes, and is usually about 65 euros.

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Weather in Poland

Poland has 3 climatic zones.

The climate of the Baltic coast is maritime, with January temperatures of -4 o C - +3 o C, and an average July temperature of +17 o C degrees. Average rate annual precipitation here is about 600 mm, their maximum amount falls in July and August, and the minimum - in March.

In the central part of Poland (plains) and in elevated areas, the climate approaches continental: the average temperature in January is -2 o C, in July - +14 o C - +28 o C. The annual rainfall in this area is 520-540 mm. The rainiest month is July, while the driest months are February and March.

The mountainous regions of Poland are characterized by snowy and sunny winters and cool summers. Average January temperatures in the mountains reach -8°C, July - +10°C. The mountains receive the most precipitation. So, in the Tatras their annual number is 1800 mm. The rainiest month is July and the driest month is January.

Cities and regions

Poland is divided into 16 voivodships, voivodships, in turn, are divided into powiats (308 zemstvos and 65 urban (cities with the rights of poviats)), and powiats are divided into gminas (2489 gminas).

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Parks and recreation areas

Leisure

Transport

Private guides in Poland

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Poland in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Things to do

Ski resorts in Poland

Bus stations are usually located in city centers. Tickets can be bought at bus station ticket offices in advance (recommended) or directly from the bus driver, but it will cost a little more.

Trains

Rail traffic in Poland is highly developed, operated by the Polish Railway Company. Traveling by train from Warsaw to other major cities of the country (Krakow, Katowice, Poznan, Gdansk) takes less time than by bus or passenger car. A ticket is bought for a direction, it does not always indicate a place. The ticket is valid up to two days.

Depending on the class, Polish trains are of the following types:

• Osobowy (Os) - slow daily regional train;
• Pospieszny (P) - fast train (day or night);
• InterRegion (IRN) - daily fast train with mandatory seat reservation;
• Express (Ex) - daily express with mandatory seat reservation;
• InterCity (IC) - express with an increased level of comfort and with mandatory seat reservation;
• EuroCity (EC) - international express with mandatory seat reservation;
• Nocny-Express (NEx) is a non-stop night sleeper train.

The ticket price depends on the route, the type of train and its class. Almost always on the RRC website you can find promotions and discounts.

Car rental

You can rent a car at all airports, at large stations and in cities from rental companies. The most convenient way to rent a car is an advance online booking. You can rent a car to drivers who are 21 years of age or older and have a driving experience of 1 year, with a valid passport and a valid driver's license. You will also need a plastic card or a deposit in cash. In Poland, there are car rental points of such well-known international companies as,.

Taxi

Taxis in Poland are available in every city. They can be found at special parking lots at railway stations, airports and near hotels. Each taxi car has the inscription Taxi and the telephone number of the taxi company. You can call a taxi by phone. On weekends, when traveling outside the city and at night (22:00 - 6:00), the fare increases. It is also worth remembering that Polish taxi drivers often turn on the meter from the place where the order was received by phone - thus, the client also pays for the car's journey to the landing site. In the absence of a meter, you should agree on a price in advance.

Urban transport

Urban modes of transport in Poland are buses, trolleybuses, trams, in Warsaw there is a metro.

Buses, trolleybuses and trams run through Polish cities from 5:30 to 23:00. Buses run strictly according to the schedule. Timetables and routes are available at every stop. In the cabin vehicle a special board displays the route, date, time, name of the next stop.

You can enter the transport through any door, land after sound signal forbidden. To notify the driver of the required stop, you must first press the red Stop button in the vehicle interior.

Tickets for all modes of transport are the same. You can buy them at the box office of railway stations, newsstands and from the driver. There are tickets for an unlimited number of trips for one hour, one and a half and two hours. On working days from 9:00 to 14:00, the fare is cheaper. Tickets should be punched at the entrance to the transport. Travel on express buses (pospieszny) costs twice as much - they compost two tickets at once. After 23:00 there are night buses, tickets for them are even more expensive. Convenient for tourists are daily and weekly tickets. Tickets for public transport in one city are not valid in another city. Ticketless travel is subject to a fine of 120 PLN.

National cuisine of Poland

Communication in Poland

Telephone

You can make a call in Poland using one of the payphones, which are widely available on city streets and in post offices. Payphones are powered by telephone cards (karta telefoniczna). Phone cards can be bought at all newsstands, gas stations, post offices. They are denominated in 25, 50 or 100 "pulses". Depending on the type of call and the time of day, one "pulse" can be equal to 3 minutes (local call 8:00 - 22:00), 6 minutes (local call 22:00 - 8:00), 43 seconds (long distance call 8: 00 - 18:00), 87 seconds (long distance call 18:00 - 8:00). When calling to a mobile phone, the cost is calculated according to the international tariff.

The main mobile operators in Poland are,. You can buy SIM cards of any operator in the office of companies or in stores cellular communication upon presentation of a passport. The average cost of international calls to Russia is 50 euro cents per minute.

The international dialing code for Poland is 48.

To call from Poland to Russia, dial:

• from a landline phone: 00 - 7 (Russian code) - your city code - phone number
• from mobile to landline: +7 - your city code - phone number

To call from Russia to Poland, dial:

• from the city: 8 - beep - 10 - 48 (Poland telephone code) - area code - phone number
• from mobile: +48 - area code - phone number

To make a long-distance call within Poland, dial:

• 0 - area code - phone number

Emergency numbers

Internet

The Internet in Poland is very well developed. Wi-Fi hotspots are available in almost all major public areas. Warsaw has a city free Wi-Fi network covering the neighborhood of Nowy Świat Street, Trzech Krzyży Square, Warsaw University Library, the territory Science Center Copernicus, Kosciuszko embankment, Bracka and Francuska streets, the territory of the National Stadium (Stadion Narodowy).

3G connection in Poland is also present in almost all large, medium, and sometimes small settlements. The cost of 1 MB of mobile Internet in Poland is about 1 euro.

Security

Poland is quite a safe European country for tourists. However, you should remember the basic safety rules. You should not carry large amounts of cash with you, it is advisable to refrain from walking at night in the suburban and railway station areas. Valuables or important documents it is better to store it in a hotel safe; you do not need to leave personal belongings on the seats of a parked car.

and .

Poland - the most detailed information about the country with a photo. Sights, cities of Poland, climate, geography, population and culture.

Poland

Poland is one of the largest states in Central Europe. The country is located between the Baltic Sea in the north, the Sudetes and the Carpathians in the south, in the basin of the Vistula and Oder rivers. Poland borders Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast), Slovakia and Ukraine. This is a country with a rich history and wonderful culture, ancient cities, picturesque landscapes and extraordinary historical sites. Despite all the troubles that Poland endured in the 20th century, it has restored its rich heritage, traditions and economy.

Useful information about Poland

1. The population is 38.4 million people (36th in the world).
2. The area is 312,679 square kilometers.
3. The language is Polish.
4. Currency - Polish zloty.
5. Time - Central European UTC +1, summer +2.
6. Visa - Schengen.
7. Poland is a Catholic country. Poles are very religious. Many major holidays are church holidays.
8. Public holidays in Poland: New Year (December 31 and January 1), Epiphany or Three Kings (January 6), Easter (on lunar calendar, usually March-April), Easter Monday, May Day (May 1), Constitution Day (May 3), Pentecost (seventh Sunday after Easter), Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15), All Saints Day (November 1), National Day independence (November 11), Christmas (December 24-26).
9. Poland is a safe country. So that nothing overshadows the trip - just follow the elementary rules of behavior and safety.

Geography and nature

Poland is located in the northeastern part of Central Europe and borders the Baltic Sea. Most of the territory is on the plain. The Polish lowland occupies about 2/3 of the country's territory. In the north is the Baltic Ridge, in the south and southeast - the Lesser Poland and Lublin Uplands, along southern border the largest mountains of Poland stretch - the Carpathians and the Sudetenland. The country is rich in lakes and rivers. Major rivers- Oder and Vistula. Forests cover almost a third of the territory.

Climate

The climate is temperate, on the Baltic coast - maritime. Winters are quite mild with slight frosts and warm summers. The continentality of the climate in Poland is felt much less than in neighboring Belarus and Ukraine. Winters in Eastern Poland are colder.

Best time to visit

The best time for visiting Poland - May-September and the period of the Christmas holidays.

Story

At the beginning of our era, Germanic tribes lived on the territory of Poland. Then they were replaced by the Goths. In the middle of the first millennium, the Slavs came to these lands: the western glades (they gave the name to the country), the Lendzyans (the word “Polyakhs” came from the name of the tribe), the Kuyavyans, the Pomeranians, the Mazovshans, the Vislyans, the Slensyans. Gradually, on the basis of these tribes, principalities were formed in the region of Krakow (Little Poland) and Poznan (Greater Poland).

In 877 Lesser Poland was conquered by Moravia. Greater Poland became the center of the Polish state. The first ruler of the state is Mieszko I from the Piast dynasty. His son Bolesław the Brave became the first king of Poland. Under him, the state reached real power. He conquered Lesser Poland and even occupied Kyiv. Mieszko II later lost all his father's conquests. The power of the Polish kingdom was restored under Bolesław II. After the death of Bolesław III in 1138, the feudal fragmentation. Principalities are formed: Kuyavia, Mazovia, Silesia, Pomerania.

In the 12th century, German expansion to the east begins. Part German Empire includes Pomorie. To fight the Germans, the Poles call on the Teutonic Order. In 1241 Polish troops were defeated by the Mongol-Tatars. At the end of the 13th century, Přemysl II assumed the title of king, but was soon killed. In 1320, the prince of Kuyavia Vladislav Loketek was crowned in Krakow and moved his capital there. In 1384, Jadwiga became queen of Poland. As a result of her marriage to Lithuanian prince Jagiello a powerful Polish-Lithuanian state arose. In 1410, the Teutonic Order was defeated at the Battle of Grunwald.

In 1454 Poland became a republic ruled by the Sejm. The Jagiellonian dynasty ended in the 16th century. In addition, Poland was drawn into a long Livonian war with Russia. As a result of the Union of Lublin, the state united with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to form the Commonwealth. The new state was headed by the Sejm, which elected the king.

Marienburg - the largest Teutonic castle in Europe

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Commonwealth carried out an intervention in Russia. After some time, the decline of the Polish state begins. Poland lost several wars, and during the Northern War Warsaw was occupied by the Swedes. In the second half of the 18th century, the country became a battlefield in the Seven Years' War. In 1772, the first partition of Poland between Prussia, Austria and Russia took place. The second and third partitions ended the existence of an independent Polish state.

After the First War, the Polish Republic was proclaimed. Jozef Pilsudski became head of state. September 1, 1939 Poland was invaded German troops. World War II swept through the country like a firestorm, destroying ancient cities and a huge part of the historical heritage, writing several terrible pages in its history. After the war, Poland becomes communist. In 1989 there is a change in the political system. Since that time Poland has been a parliamentary republic.

Poland is divided into 16 provinces. Voivodeships are divided into powiats, which, in turn, are divided into gminas.

Voivodeships of Poland:

1. Warmian-Masurian - Olsztyn.
2. Greater Poland - Poznań.
3. West Pomeranian - Szczecin.
4. Kuyavia-Pomeranian - Bydgoszcz and.
5. Lodzskoe - Lodz.
6. Lublin - Lublin.
7. Lubuskie - Gorzow Wielkopolski and Zielona Góra.
8. Mazowieckie - Warsaw.
9. Lesser Poland - Krakow.
10. Lower Silesian - .
11. Opole - Opole.
12. Subcarpathian - Rzeszow.
13. Podlasie - Bialystok.
14. Pomeranian - .
15. Świętokrzyskie - Kielce.
16. Silesian - Katowice.

Population

The population of Poland is about 40 million people. It is one of the largest countries in the European Union. The Polish Republic is a mono-ethnic state. Almost 97% of the population are ethnic Poles. They speak in Polish, which belongs to the West Slavic group of languages.

Poles are quite polite, patriotic, often very traditional and religious. They love to complain. Despite all the stereotypes, they are friendly, thrifty and friendly people. Strangers in Poland address each other as You. Men are called pan and women pani. Men shake hands when they meet.

Transport

The country's largest airport is located in the capital - Warsaw. Airports are also located in Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan, Katowice, Rzeszow, Bydgoszcz, Lodz, Lublin. Most European carriers fly to the country.

Poland has rail connections with many European capitals: Moscow, Kyiv, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest. There are many international bus lines that connect to major Polish cities and most major European cities.

Highways link Poland with Germany and the Czech Republic. Roads of this type also connect Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Krakow, Poznan, Lodz.

Cities of Poland

The most interesting cities in Poland:

• Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. Old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an example of restored historical heritage. Warsaw is museums, culture and entertainment.
• Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland and probably the most beautiful city in the country. Its center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is filled with old churches, historical and cultural monuments. Here is the largest medieval market square in Europe and the ancient residence of the Polish kings - Wawel Castle.
• Lodz - Polish Manchester. One of the centers of Polish industry boasts 18th-19th century architecture and Europe's longest boulevard.
• Wroclaw is the capital of Silesia, a city of stunning beauty with a rich history and a picturesque historical center. The old city is located on 12 islands. In terms of the number of bridges, Wrocław is second only to Venice, Amsterdam and Hamburg.
• Poznań is an ancient city that is considered the cradle of the Polish people. The historic center is an amazing mixture of architecture from different eras.
• Gdansk is one of the most beautiful cities on the Baltic coast. An ancient trading port, which was a member of the Hanseatic League.
• Szczecin is one of the most important Polish ports with a huge harbor full of Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, parks and museums.
• Bydgoszcz is an old market town with beautiful architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries and a picturesque quarter by the Brda River.
• Lublin is the capital of Eastern Poland. An old town with typical Polish architecture and a compact historical center.
• Torun is one of the oldest cities in Poland, the birthplace of the great Copernicus, full of medieval Gothic buildings.
• Malbork is a small town and the former capital of the Teutonic Order.

Attractions

Most of the main attractions of Poland are the medieval cores of ancient cities, historical and cultural monuments of the same period. The number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is 15. Many sights were significantly damaged during World War II or even completely destroyed.

The most interesting city for tourists in Poland is Krakow. This is the ancient capital of the Polish kingdom, whose legacy survived the crucible of World War II. The historical center of Krakow is a UNESCO site. Its main attraction is Wawel - the royal castle on a hill. This is a complex of medieval buildings that have been political center Poland.

Mary's Church in Krakow

You should definitely visit the Main Market - the largest market square in Europe. On it is St. Mary's Church - one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Poland, many historical buildings with a wide variety of architecture.

Wieliczka is an ancient salt mine that has been in operation for 700 years. This is one of the most famous sights in Poland. It is a mysterious labyrinth of 300 kilometers of halls and corridors carved in pure salt (the deepest layers of the mine are located at a depth of 372 meters underground). Tours show only a short section, including a salt lake, caves and a beautiful chapel.

Auschwitz is the largest concentration camp of the Nazis, a witness to great evil and pain. This terrible and tragic place reminds all people of the horrors of World War II. Auschwitz is located in a small town near Krakow.

Wroclaw has a huge old town spread over several islands that are connected by over 100 bridges. The historic center impresses with its completeness of Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture.

The Old Town of Gdansk, the sea capital of Poland, impresses with its size, architecture and atmosphere. Here is the largest brick Gothic church in the world.

One of the old town ancient cities Poland - Poznan, famous for its ancient architecture, market square and historic churches.

Torun is often referred to as the "Krakow of the North". The medieval historical center is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In the small town of Malbork in the Middle Ages, the capital of the Teutonic Order was located. The knights built an imposing red brick castle here, which is the largest Gothic fortress in Europe.

Masurian lakes - more than 3000 picturesque lakes. Paradise for lovers of nature and water sports.

Kazimierz Dolny is the most famous of the small Polish towns with a historical center of the Renaissance, the ruins of a romantic castle, a baroque church.

Czestochowa is located in the heart of the Krakow-Czestochowa Upland in a region with picturesque Jurassic cliffs. For most Poles, this important place pilgrimages.

Zamość

Zamość is a small town in eastern Poland, famous for its renaissance historical center.

Accommodation

Prices for hotels in Poland have recently been close to the average European prices, especially for popular tourist centers. The tourist infrastructure of the country is constantly developing. In most cities, finding accommodation is not a problem if you do it in advance.

Kitchen

Traditional Polish cuisine is simple, rich in meats, sauces and vegetables. Poles are very fond of pickled vegetables and cabbage salad. Among the soups, it is worth highlighting barzcz czerwony (borscht), zupa ogórkowa or grzybowa (cucumber or mushroom soup), żurek (rye soup, usually served with sausage and egg), kapuśniak (similar to cabbage soup). Other traditional dishes: pies (our dumplings), bigos (stew with vegetables), jabłecznik (apple pie). In Poland, you can buy excellent traditional products: sausage, cheese, pastries.

"Poland will be brilliant, powerful, independent!" - F. Chopin wrote in his diary when he learned about the suppression of the uprising for the independence of Poland. Today these words have become a reality.

Brief description of modern Poland

Official name
It borders with Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany. It is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea.
Capital- Warsaw.
Largest cities- Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin.
Form of government- parliamentary republic.
head of state- the president.
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Territory- 312,679 km².
Population– 38 383 809 people Poland is considered one of the most mono-ethnic states in the world: 96.74% of the country's population are Poles.
Climate- temperate, transitional from maritime to continental with mild (cold in the mountains) winters and warm (cool in the mountains) summers.
Administrative division– 16 voivodeships, which are divided into powiats (districts), and powiats are divided into gminas (communities).

Economy is an industrial and agricultural country. The main industries in Poland are mechanical engineering, ferrous metallurgy, coal, textile and chemical industries. Automotive and shipbuilding, the production of fertilizers, oil products, machine tools, electrical engineering and electronics are developing. Stone and brown coal, copper, zinc, lead, sulfur, natural gas, salt, logging is underway.
Poland has a highly developed Agriculture. AT agriculture horticulture predominates. Main crops: rye, wheat, barley, oats.
Poland is a major producer of sugar beets, potatoes and cabbage. The export of apples, strawberries, raspberries, currants, garlic and onions is of great importance.
The leading livestock sector is pig breeding; dairy and meat cattle breeding, poultry farming, and beekeeping are developed. Sea fishing and reindeer husbandry (deer and red deer in the Lublin Voivodeship).
Poland exports fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products, and imports wheat, feed grains, and vegetable oil. The country is a major producer of potatoes, sugar beets, rapeseed, grains, pork and poultry in Europe.
Currency- Polish zloty.
Religion - The most influential religion in the country is Christianity (Roman Catholicism), which is practiced by 75 to 95% of the population. The 264th Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla) was a Pole.
Sport- popular and developed. The greatest successes at the Olympics compared to other sports have been achieved by Polish athletes and boxers.

National Stadium in Warsaw

Education. Preschool education - up to 7 years.
Secondary education is compulsory until the age of 18. The basis of the education system is the 12-year school, in which the first 8 grades constitute the primary level. Four senior classes form a lyceum. There are two types of lyceums: general education and technical. Particular attention is paid to the development of handicraft and technical schools. Lyceum Diploma - necessary condition for university admission.
After 1989, numerous non-public elementary and secondary schools were opened. These include private and parochial schools, as well as "public" schools, which are paid in part by financial donations.
The state system of higher education includes classical universities and specialized universities. There are differences between these two types of higher schools when it comes to newly created or small higher education institutions that do not have the right to confer doctoral degrees. Special place occupies the Catholic University in Lublin, which was previously recognized, funded and supported by the state.
As in other European countries, universities are more prestigious among universities. The largest number of universities is located in Warsaw, Krakow, Breslau and Poznan.

State symbols of Poland

Flag(national) - consists of two equal horizontal stripes, the upper stripe is white and the lower one is red. The ratio of the width and length of the flag is 5:8.

The national flag of Poland also has a coat of arms in the center of the upper stripe.

Coat of arms- an image of a white eagle with golden claws and a beak, in a golden crown, on a red background.
The appearance of the coat of arms was approved by the constitution of the Republic of Poland in 1997.

Famous Poles

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)

“While the Earth remained motionless, astronomy also remained motionless,” G. Lichtenberg said about Copernicus.

Monument to N. Copernicus in Warsaw by Thorvaldsen

N. Copernicus- Polish astronomer, mathematician, mechanic, economist, canon of the Renaissance. He is best known as the author of the heliocentric system of the world, which marked the beginning of the first scientific revolution. In addition, Copernicus was a doctor and free of charge treated everyone who turned to him for help.
He also developed a monetary system for Poland, dealt with the fight against the plague, organized the successful defense of his bishopric during the war with the crusaders, etc.
He also dealt with issues of monetary circulation and wrote in 1519 a treatise "On the minting of coins", where for the first time he formulated the economic law that "worse money will crowd out the best": according to this principle, money that is more stable in its exchange rate (for example, gold) will be forced out of circulation, as people will accumulate savings in them, and "worst" will participate in real circulation ( for example, copper) money (this effect is observed only if the state has set a fixed exchange rate for gold to copper or silver).

Maria Skłodowska-Curie (1867-1934)

Polish-French experimental scientist (physicist, chemist), teacher, public figure. Twice laureate Nobel Prize: in physics (1903) and in chemistry (1911), the first twice Nobel laureate in history. She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and Warsaw. The wife of Pierre Curie, together with him was engaged in the study of radioactivity. Together with her husband, she discovered the elements of radium and polonium (from the Latin name for Poland, Polōnia, a tribute to the homeland of Maria Skłodowska).

Janusz Korczak (1878-1942)

Monument to J. Korczak in Warsaw

An outstanding Polish teacher, writer, doctor and public figure. Real name Ersh Henrik Goldschmit. He took his pseudonym in 1898, when he began to publish.
Born in Warsaw in an intelligent family. He devoted his whole life to children: he worked in children's hospitals, summer camps, founded the "House of orphans" for Jewish children, ran orphanages. In 1940, together with the pupils of the Orphanage, he was moved to the Warsaw ghetto. He turned down all offers to take him out of the ghetto and hide him on the "Aryan" side. In the ghetto, he gave all his strength to caring for children, heroically obtaining food and medicine for them. In August 1942, an order came to deport the Orphanage. Korczak went with his assistant and friend Stefania Wilczynska, other caregivers, and about 200 children to the station, from where they were sent in boxcars to Treblinka (a concentration camp in Poland). At the last minute, he was offered freedom, he refused it and chose to stay with the children, accepting death with them in the gas chamber.
Korczak owns over 20 books on parenting, the main of which are How to Love a Child and The Child's Right to Respect.

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Great Polish composer and pianist. World renowned composer who contributed huge contribution into the world piano art, combining in his works the depth and sincerity of feelings with grace and technical perfection.
F. Chopin is to this day perhaps the most performed composer. In his polonaises, ballads, mazurkas, nocturnes, Chopin talks about home country, Poland, about its beauty and tragic past. In his works he uses folk Polish melody, his music is very pictorial, exceptionally original and lyrical.

Krzysztof Zanussi (b. 1939)

Polish filmmaker.
Zanussi is called an impassive researcher of the manners of the modern Polish intelligentsia, prone to posing the most difficult problems.
He made films such as Crystal Structure, Protective Colours, Spiral, Constant, From a Far Country, Pope John Paul II, Imperative, Year of the Calm Sun, Wherever you are.. .", "Touch of the hand", "Brother of our God", "Persona non grata", " Black Sun”, “Heart in the palm of your hand”, “Repeated visit”, etc.
K. Zanussi works not only in cinema, but also on television, he has staged a number of theatrical and opera performances in various countries: Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Russia and Switzerland.

Andrzej Wajda (b. 1926)

Polish theater and film director.
During the war, he worked as a draftsman, loader, cooper's apprentice, storekeeper in German workshops: this saved him from theft on forced labor to Germany. After the war he studied painting at the Academy visual arts in Krakow, but without completing the course, he entered the directing department of the Lodz Film School. She laid the foundation for the Polish School of Cinematography. He touched upon the topics of the war in the films "Flight", "Samson", "Landscape after the battle", "Korchak", "Ring with an eagle in the crown", "Holy Week", "Katyn".
He worked a lot on screen adaptation: "Shadow Line" based on the novel by D. Conrad, "Siberian Lady Macbeth" based on N. Leskov, "Demons" based on the novel by F. Dostoevsky, "Pilate and Others" (based on the novel by M. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita" ), "The Promised Land" based on the novel by V. Reymont, "Pan Tadeusz" based on the poem by A. Mickiewicz.
When A. Wajda received the Kyoto Film Prize in 1987, he donated the entire amount to the creation of a museum of Japanese art in Krakow. The project was created for free by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The Mangha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology was inaugurated on November 30, 1994.

Stanislav Lem (1921-2006)

Polish writer, satirist, philosopher, science fiction writer and futurist. His books have been translated into 40 languages ​​of the world. He anticipated the creation virtual reality(fundamental work "The sum of technology"), artificial intelligence, developed the ideas of human autoevolution, the creation of artificial worlds, and many others.
He was studying medicine at Lviv University when World War II began. Then he studied medicine at the Jagiellonian University. Stories began to write in his spare time to earn money in difficult times. postwar period. The first literary success came after the publication of the novel The Astronauts in 1951.
S. Lem wrote about the difficulties of human communication with extraterrestrial civilizations far from people, about the technological future of mankind. His later works are devoted to an idealistic and utopian society and the problems of human existence in the world, which is lost in it due to technological development.
The most famous works of S. Lem: "Man from Mars" (1946), "Hospital of the Transfiguration" (1948), "Magellan Cloud" (1955), "Invasion from Aldebaran", "Return from the Stars", "Manuscript found in the bath (1961), Solaris (1961), Cyberiad (1965), Absolute Void (1971), Imaginary Value (1973), Peace on Earth, Megabit Bomb (1999), etc. .

Jan Matejko (1838-1893)

Polish painter, author of battle and historical paintings. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Krakow, the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and Vienna. From 1860 he worked in Krakow, where he died.
From his youth, he studied the details of historical life, continuously sketched them, and later compiled the “History of the Polish Costume”. I considered it my calling religious creativity. He is the author of multi-figure paintings depicting key episodes in the history of Poland, and portraits of the heroes of the past.
His paintings are kept in the National Museum (Warsaw), the National Museum (Krakow), the Lviv Art Gallery, etc. He painted cardboard for stained-glass windows, in particular, stained-glass windows of the cathedral in Lvov were made on his cardboard.

Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855)

famous Polish poet, political publicist, leader of the national liberation movement. They were granted big influence on the formation of Polish and Belarusian literature in the XIX century. In Poland, he is considered one of the three greatest Polish poets of the Romantic era (along with Yu. Slovatsky and Z. Krasinsky), in Lithuania they consider him a Lithuanian poet.
Born in Novogrudok district (modern Belarus). He graduated from Vilna University, served as a teacher in Kovna.
In Russia, he became close with the participants of the Decembrist movement K. Ryleev and A. Bestuzhev, with prominent Russian writers and poets A. Pushkin, A. Delvig, I. Kireevsky, D. Venevitinov, E. Baratynsky. Mickiewicz had especially friendly relations with the poet and journalist Prince P. Vyazemsky, who became the first translator of the Crimean Sonnets into Russian. For many years he lived and worked in exile. Mickiewicz concentrated the spirit of his people in himself, he was the first to give Polish poetry the right to have its own voice among other voices of Europe. He is the author of poems, sonnets, and his largest work is the epic poem "Pan Tadeusz", which he wrote in 1832-1834. The poem creates a nostalgic and humorous image of colorful, but historically doomed gentry customs. This poem is considered a Polish national epic and a masterpiece of word painting.

Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916)

K. Modrasevich "Portrait of G. Senkevich"
Polish writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in 1905 "for outstanding services in the field of epic." Graduated from the Medical and Historical-Philological Faculty of the University of Warsaw. For some time he lived and worked in Europe. Author of the historical trilogy "With Fire and Sword" (1883-1884), "The Flood" (1884-1886), "Pan Volodyevsky" (1887-1888). In the epic novel "Quo vadis" ("Kamo to come"), the struggle of early Christians against the despotism of Nero is depicted. The novel "Omut" (1909-1910) touches upon the events of the Russian Revolution of 1905-1907. G. Sienkiewicz during his lifetime became one of the most famous and popular writers in Poland and abroad. His work played an important role in the history Polish culture and received worldwide recognition.

Julian Tuwim (1894-1953)

One of the greatest Polish poets, prose writer. Born into a Polish Jewish family in the city of Lodz. He graduated from school there and in 1916-1918. studied jurisprudence and philosophy at the University of Warsaw. In poetry, he often used colloquial, everyday language. He was one of the founders of the experimental literary group Scamander in 1919. From 1924, Tuwim wrote a weekly column in the Literary News newspaper. Sharply criticized fascism. After the outbreak of World War II, Tuwim fled from Poland to Romania, then moved to France, Portugal, Brazil and the United States. In 1946 he returned to Poland.
He translated works of Russian and Soviet literature into Polish (“The Tale of Igor's Campaign”; “Woe from Wit” by A. S. Griboyedov; poetry by A. S. Pushkin, V. V. Mayakovsky, B. L. Pasternak). He is better known to Russian readers for his poems for children translated by S. Marshak and S. Mikhalkov.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland

Historic city center of Krakow (ancient capital of Poland)

It belongs to the historical and geographical region of Galicia and historically is one of its capitals along with Lviv.
The city consists of the inner city and 7 suburbs. Here are the remains of a 15th-century fortress; 39 churches, many chapels, 25 monasteries, 7 synagogues.

Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas

Cathedral of the Krakow Archdiocese of the Catholic Church of Poland. On the site of the current temple, there were two other buildings: the Cathedral of St. Wenceslas (built in 1020 and destroyed by the Czech prince Bretislav in 1038) and the three-aisled church of the bishop and holy great martyr Stanislav Shchepanovsky, consecrated in 1142. This building also fell victim to a fire in 1305, leaving only the crypt of St. Leonard.
A few years later, they began to build a third, already Gothic temple. Since Krakow remained until 1609 the capital of Poland, Cathedral served simultaneously as a court temple, and the kings of Poland were buried in underground tombs.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Catholic parish church of Gothic architecture. The first Romanesque stone church was founded in 1221-1222. Bishop Ivo Odrovonzh on the site of the former wooden church. Soon the church was destroyed as a result of Tatar raids.
In 1290-1300, partly on the previous foundation, an early Gothic hall church was built, construction work continued until the 1320s. As a result of the earthquake of 1443 (or 1442), the vault of the temple was partially damaged. At the end of the XV century. the church acquired one of its main decorations - a sculptural masterpiece of late Gothic - the Great Altar (sculptor Wit Stwosh).

Czartoryski Museum

Art collection in the National Museum in Krakow. Founded in 1878 as a continuation of the first art museum in Poland, founded in 1796 by Princess Isabella Czartoryska on the squares of the Czartoryski residence in Puławy. Significant exhibits were brought to Puławy from Italy by Isabella's son, Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, in 1798. These include Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" and Raphael's "Portrait of a Young Man" (lost during World War II). The painting is the only work of da Vinci in Poland and is a matter of national pride.

Jagiellonian University

One of the university buildings
The building of the Krakow Jagiellonian University also houses the Academy of Sciences. The Jagiellonian Library has about 300,000 volumes and 5,000 manuscripts.

Salt mine in Wieliczka

The rock salt deposit in the city of Velichka, which was developed from the 13th to the 20th centuries. The mine reflects the development of salt mining methods and technologies over seven centuries. It consists of corridors and galleries on seven underground levels at a depth of 57 m to 198 m with a total length of more than 200 km.

Auschwitz

The main gate of the Birkenau camp (Auschwitz 2)

Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp - complex German concentration camps, located in 1940-1945. near the city of Auschwitz, which in 1939 was annexed to the territory of the Third Reich by Hitler's decree, this is 60 km west of Krakow. In world practice, it is customary to use German title"Auschwitz", not the Polish "Auschwitz", since it was the German name used by the Nazi administration.

Crematorium ovens

About 1,300,000 people, of which about 1,000,000 were Jews, were killed in Auschwitz in 1941-1945. Auschwitz was the largest and longest-lived Nazi camps destruction, so he became one of the main symbols of the Holocaust.
On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops under the command of Marshal Konev entered Auschwitz, in which at that moment there were about 7.6 thousand prisoners.
A museum was created on the territory of the camp in 1947.

Historic center of Warsaw

The symbol of Warsaw is the mermaid Sava
The center of Warsaw was almost completely destroyed by the Nazis as a result of the bombing of 1939 and the suppression of the uprising in 1944. Warsaw was liberated on January 17, 1945 by Soviet troops as a result of the Vistula-Oder operation. The Warsaw Old Town is an exception in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as it is the only architectural ensemble almost completely restored after the destruction. The restoration work was so successful that it earned recognition from the international community. One of the sights of the Old City is the Royal Palace.

Royal Palace

The palace was built in 1598-1618. King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Vasa on the site of the medieval castle of the Dukes of Mazovia. It was erected on an artificial elevation, had the shape of a pentagon and stood out against the backdrop of urban development with a 60-meter Sigismund Tower, the prototype of which, according to some authors, was the fortifications of Smolensk.
After the Second World War, the place where the castle once stood was empty until 1971, when the Seimas finally decided to restore the palace using the preserved fragments and photographs. Restoration work continued until 1988.

Old part of Zamość

Market Square
The city was founded in 1580 in the era of the Commonwealth by the State Chancellor and Grand Hetman Jan Zamoyski as the center of his hereditary latifundia. It was built according to the project of the Venetian architect Bernardo Morando, who gave the city the style of the Italian Renaissance. For this, the city was called "North Padua". In 1594, Jan Zamoyski opened an Academy in the city on the model of Italian universities, but in 1774 the Academy was turned into a lyceum by the Austrian government.

Castle of the Teutonic Order in the city of Malbork (Marienburg)

The Marienburg order castle gave rise to the city of the same name. It served as the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1309 to 1456. This is the largest medieval brick castle in the world, one of the standards of brick Gothic.
The castle in honor of the Virgin Mary was founded by the Teutonic Knights on the banks of the Nogat (the mouth of the Vistula) in 1274.
In 1410, during the Battle of Grunwald, Malbork was besieged by the Polish-Lithuanian troops led by King Vladislav II Jagiello.
In 1457, during the Thirteen Years' War, the castle was sold Polish king Casimir Jagielonn.
During the Napoleonic wars, an arsenal and barracks were located in Marienburg.
The Second World War left smoking ruins on the site of the castle.

Medieval city of Torun

The city has preserved vivid examples of brick Gothic: Church of St. Mary, Torun Town Hall, Castle of the Teutonic Order, House of Copernicus, bourgeois houses. In 1853, a monument to Copernicus, a native of Torun, was erected in the center of the Old Town.
The city originates from the 13th century, when the Teutonic Order built a fortress here for the Christianization of Prussia. The settlement near the castle was named Torun and acquired the rights of the city in 1233. In 1250-1260. Franciscans and Dominicans settled here. In the XIV century. the city joined the Hanseatic League.
The old city is separated by a moat and a river, and the city walls with numerous gates have been preserved. In the center is the Old Market Square with the town hall.

House of Nicolaus Copernicus

This house is considered the most likely birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. The modern buildings of the museum were built in the late Gothic style. House number 17 between 1464 and 1474 was owned by the Copernicus family. The father of Nicolaus Copernicus around 1480 carried out rebuilding in the late Gothic style. Subsequent reconstructions of the facade and interior took place in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Museum "House of Nicolaus Copernicus" was opened on June 5, 1960. After the opening of the museum in 1960-1963. restoration work was carried out in building number 17, which returned the building to its original medieval appearance.

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: monastery architectural and park complex

Religious complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, including Mannerist buildings, gardens and a park. Erected in the 17th century.
The construction of the complex was supposed to represent the appearance of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus. 24 chapels represent the Passion of Christ and 14 stations of the Way of the Cross, connected by a road through the forest and marked with crosses. These crosses in 1605-1632. were replaced by chapels in the mannerist style inherent in the Lowlands of that time. In 1632, the complex was surrounded by a wall, and a network of paths was laid connecting 10 chapels associated with the theme of the Virgin Mary.
Later, 9 more chapels were added, and the "Bridge of Angels" was replaced by a building in 1907.

Peace Churches in Javor and Svidnica

The churches of the world are the largest wooden sacral buildings in Europe. The churches of the world were built in the second half of the 17th century. after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Under pressure from Protestant Sweden, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III of Habsburg (a Catholic by religion) granted the Silesian Evangelical Lutherans the right to build three churches on the territory under his direct control.
The emperor's consent contained a number of additional restrictions:
churches were to be built only from short-lived materials (wood, straw, clay, sand);
churches could be built only outside the city, but no further than a cannon shot from the city walls;
churches were not supposed to have towers, bells, and also had a traditional form;
the churches were to be built within one year;
the construction was to take place exclusively with the money of the Protestants;
churches were not allowed to open parish schools.

In total, three churches were built: in Glogow, Jawor and Swidnica. Two of them have survived to this day: the church in Głogów burned down in 1758 after being struck by lightning.

Wooden churches in Southern Lesser Poland

Wooden churches of the south of Lesser Poland - a group of historically valuable and architecturally interesting wooden churches located in the south and east of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.
Most of the churches were built in the form of a log house and represent architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance, Baroque and more modern styles. The style of some buildings was influenced by the proximity of the Greek Catholic and Orthodox worlds: many of them have characteristic domes and are built in the form of a Greek cross.
The earliest objects were built in the 14th century. The churches have survived to our time in good condition and are the second oldest cluster of wooden churches in Europe after the Norwegian frame churches.

Muzhakovsky Park in Lenknitz (Prince Pückler Park in Bad Muskau)

New Palace in Bad Muskau

The largest English landscape park in Central Europe, on the border between Germany and Poland. Two-thirds of the park is located east of the border river Neisse and since 1945 belongs to the Polish Lenknitsa. Both parts of the park are connected by a bridge across the Neisse.
Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau wanted to decorate his city with a magnificent and large park. To do this, he went to England, where he studied the latest trends in park art. The decoration of the park began in 1815. Later, Pückler's pupil Eduard Petzold took care of the park, since already in 1845 Prince Pückler was forced to sell Muskau for debts.
Today, on the territory of the park there is the Muskau Palace renewed by Pückler - the New Palace, the Museum of Renaissance Architecture - the Old Palace, the ancient Tropical House with cacti, the Cavalier's House for the placement of the courtyard, which now houses the mud clinic, the bathing and mountain areas of the park, the palace park, as well as the built Moorish-style greenhouse.

Centenary Hall in Wroclaw

The Centennial Hall, or the People's Hall, is a visual and sports hall located in the Szczytnicky Park in Wroclaw in honor of the centenary of the battle of peoples near Leipzig in 1813. Built in 1911-1913. designed by the architect Max Berg in the early modernist style. At the time of its creation, the Hall was an exceptional object. It had the widest reinforced concrete floors in the world. The hall had a height of 42 m, and the dome crowning it was 67 m in diameter. The Centenary Hall survived World War II without major damage, but the organ was damaged.
Large fairs are held in the Hall, opera performances(in October 2006 the Wagner Opera Festival was held), for several seasons the Hall was used for basketball competitions. In 1997, it hosted the Eucharistic Congress with the participation of Pope John Paul II.

Natural sights of Poland

Tatras

The highest part of the Carpathians, located in Slovakia (3/4 area) and Poland.
Both the Polish and Slovak side of the mountains are protected by the Slovak and Polish Tatra National Reserves, which have been cooperating since 1954. In 1993, the Tatras were included in the list of UNESCO biosphere reserves.
Now the Tatras are open for tourist travel and skiing. The tourist center on the Polish side is the city. He is considered the most high city Poland, it is a popular ski resort. Zakopane has the largest ski jump in the country - Wielka Krokiew.

Bieszczady

Mountains in Poland and Ukraine, part of a large "bow" of the Eastern Carpathians. Bieszczady is home to the Bieszczady National Reserve, the third largest national park Poland. Forests cover about 80% of the territory of Bieszczady and mostly retain their virgin appearance. About 780 species of vascular plants, 250 species of mosses, 500 species of lichens and 1000 species of fungi grow in the territory of the Bieszczady Park. 30 species are endemic to the Eastern Carpathians. There are more than 230 species of vertebrates. Mammals such as brown bears, wolves, wild boars, beavers, lynxes, bison are in abundance (about 100 individuals live in Bieszczady).
The territory of the park is sparsely populated, which provides animals with free movement.

Oytsovsky (national park)

National park in southern Poland. Created on January 14, 1956. The smallest park in Poland with an area of ​​​​only 21.46 km², of which more than half is occupied by forests. The park is known for its rock formations. One of these formations (“Mace of Hercules”) is a limestone column 25 m high. There are about 400 caves in Oytsovsky Park.
About 4600 species of insects, 35 species of birds and 15 species of bats live here. Mammals: beavers, stoats and badgers.

lynxes

A mountain located on the Polish-Slovak border in the High Tatras. It has three peaks, of which the highest is the middle one, it is located on the territory of Slovakia (2503 m), and the northern one is the highest point in Poland (2499 m).

Masurian Lake District

A lake plateau in northeastern Poland, forming the southeastern part of the Baltic Ridge between the lower reaches of the Vistula River and the middle part of the Neman River basin. The glacier-accumulative relief prevails with a large number of moraine hills up to 317 m high and intermorainic basins, often occupied by lakes (about 2,700 lakes in total), connected by numerous rivers. The most famous are the Masurian Lakes.

Greater Poland (national park)

National park in central Poland. It was established in 1957. The current area is 75.84 km², of which 46.17 km² is covered by forests; 4.62 km² is occupied by inland waters (mainly lakes) and 25.05 km² is occupied by other types of land. About 70% of forests are pine. There are about 190 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, 5 species of reptiles and all types of amphibians in Poland.

Other sights of Poland

Majdanek

The death camp of the Third Reich on the outskirts of the Polish city of Lublin. Currently it is a museum institution.
The order to create the camp was given on July 20, 1941 by G. Himmler. It was about creating concentration camp, designed for 25-50 thousand prisoners, who were supposed to work on the construction of buildings for the SS and police. After the capture of a huge number of Soviet prisoners of war surrounded by Kyiv, the plans were changed: "According to the order from Berlin, in Lublin and Auschwitz, prisoner of war camps for 50 thousand each must be immediately created ...". About 150,000 prisoners visited the camp, about 80,000 were killed, of which 60,000 were Jews.
The mass extermination of people in gas chambers began in 1942. Carbon monoxide was first used as a poison gas ( carbon monoxide), and since April 1942 - Zyklon B. Majdanek - one of the two death camps of the Third Reich, where this gas was used (the second is Auschwitz).
The death camp was liquidated by the Red Army on July 22, 1944.

Ergo Arena

Covered multifunctional arena. It is located on the border of the cities of Sopot and Gdansk. It was opened on August 18, 2010. The capacity is about 15,000 seats.

Palace of Culture and Science (Warsaw)

Tallest building in Poland. Built on the model of "Stalin's skyscrapers" as a gift from the Soviet Union to the Polish people (built with Soviet money by Soviet builders). Today the palace is in the top ten highest skyscrapers European Union, and from 1955 to 1957. he was tallest building Europe. The author of the project is the Soviet architect Lev Rudnev. The architecture of the building is a mixture of art deco, socialist realism and Polish historicism.
The height of the 42-storey skyscraper is 167.68 meters, together with the spire - 230.68 meters. The building has 3288 rooms. On the 30th floor of the building (at a height of 114 m) there is a free-to-visit terrace with an observation deck from which a panorama of the city opens.
Today it is an office building and Exhibition Center, the headquarters of a number of companies and government agencies. It houses cinemas, museums, bookstores, scientific institutes, swimming pools, a theater and the largest conference hall in Poland, designed for 3,000 people.

Westerplatte

A peninsula on the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea near Gdansk (Danzig), where from 1 to 7 September 1939 the heroic defense Polish military transit warehouse. Germany's claims to the city became the main reason for the attack on Poland. On September 1, 1939, the Germans announced the inclusion of Danzig into the Reich and proceeded to liquidate all Polish institutions on its territory. Chief among these were the Polish Post Office and the Military Transit Warehouse, which were the first targets of the German offensive in World War II.

National Museum (Warsaw)

Museum of Art. Founded in 1862 under the name "Museum of Fine Arts". In 1916, the museum became the property of the city of Warsaw and was named the National Museum.
The museum building was built in 1927-1938. designed by architects Tolvinsky and Dygat,
During the Second World War, the Nazis took out a significant part of the collection. During Warsaw Uprising In 1944, a significant part of the remaining exhibits was destroyed.
In 1961-1964. Polish scientists led by prof. K. Michalovsky conducted archaeological excavations in Faras (northern Sudan), from where they brought a rich collection of art of ancient Coptic Christians.
Currently, the museum's collection is a collection of works of art from antiquity to the 20th century.

St. Anna - a fresco from a Coptic temple in Faras (Sudan)

Polish theater in Warsaw

It arose in 1913, when Warsaw was still part of the Russian Empire. It became the property of the state only in October 1945 (before that it was a private theater).

Cloth Rows (Krakow)

The building, located in the center of Krakow's Rynok Square, was built as the shopping malls of the former capital of Poland.
In 1257, King Bolesław V the Shy built a double row of cloth trading establishments of stone in the middle of the market square. They have been rebuilt several times. In 1875-1879. cloth rows were rebuilt according to the project of the architect Prylinsky. Lancet neo-Gothic arches are attached around the building. The capitals of the arcade columns were designed by Jan Matejko.
Now on the top floor are exhibition halls National Museum of Krakow.

Yasnaya Gora

Catholic monastery in Polish city Czestochowa. The monastery belongs to the Pauline monastic order. The Yasnogorsk Monastery is famous for the Czestochowa icon of the Mother of God kept here, which is revered by Catholics as the greatest relic. Jasna Gora is the main object of religious pilgrimage in Poland.

Biskupin

An ancient settlement of the Lusatian culture, located on one of the peninsulas of Biskupinskoye Lake.
In 1933, archaeologists Yu. Kostzhevsky and Z. Raevsky discovered traces of an ancient settlement on one of the peninsulas of the lake. Wooden buildings dating back to around 550 BC. e., well preserved. This made it possible for archaeologists to recreate the appearance of houses, fences, and the technology of their construction.
The settlement of Biskupin took place from the middle of the Bronze Age, approximately from the 14th century. BC e. to the period of the Early Iron Age, or about the 5th c. BC e.

The settlement was surrounded by a high fence on an earthen foundation. The outer walls are made of wood, the inner part is filled with earth. Houses (they counted about 105) stood very close to each other and actually formed 13 long streets. Their arrangement was simple: a vestibule, a hearth in the center of the dwelling, and benches to the left. Cattle could be in the hallway in winter.
The finds indicate that the inhabitants were mainly engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, iron processing, fishing, hunting, gathering, etc.
During archaeological sites about 6 million different items were found: nets, looms, wheels, boats, a large number of various dishes, including ceramic ones. Some finds point to trade relations with the Scythian tribes of the Northern Black Sea region.
Now the Biskupinsk settlement is a museum under open sky. Here you can see the restored streets and houses of the settlement, exposed to the public for viewing archaeological treasures. Archaeological festivals are held here in summer.

Museum of the Polish Army

Hussar armor, 17th century

Dedicated to history armed forces Poland from the emergence of the ancient Polish state to the Second World War.
Founded by Jozef Piłsudski in 1920. It contains a rich collection of ancient weapons, banners of the Polish legions and uprisings from the period of partitions of Poland. Among the exhibits of the museum are the gilded helmet of a warrior from the times of Boleslav I, swords, saddles and armor of kings and generals, a Gothic reliquary - a trophy of Jagiello after the Battle of Grunwald, a genuine saddle of Napoleon I from the times Egyptian campaign and his hat, personal belongings of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, military equipment of the 20th century.
In the courtyard of the museum there is an exhibition of military equipment. There are branches: the Museum of Polish Military Technologies and the Katyn Museum in Cherniakovsky Fort (opened in 1993).

PGE Arena (Gdansk)

Football stadium in Gdansk, one of the arenas where the matches of Euro 2012 were held. The stadium's capacity is about 44,000 spectators.
Outside, the stadium looks like amber found on the Baltic coast.

Crooked House (Sopot)

It was built in 2004 in Sopot according to the project of architects Shotinsky and Zalevsky.
The architects were inspired by drawings by artists Jan Marcin Schanzer and Per Oskar Dahlberg.
The useful area of ​​the building is about 4000 m². This is part of the shopping center "Resident". On the ground floor there are retail premises, a restaurant and a slot machine salon. On the second floor - studios "Radio RMF FM" and "Radio RMF MAXXX".

History of Poland

At the beginning of our era, the territory of Poland was settled by the Germanic tribes of the Skirs and Lugii. Then - the Goths of the Wielbar culture. At the end of the 1st millennium, Western Polans, Lendzyans, Kuyavyans, Pomeranians, Mazovshans, Vislyans, Slensians, etc. were known on its territory. Gradually, proto-state associations arose on the basis of large tribal principalities.

Gniezno Poland (877-1320)

In 877, after the conquest of Lesser Poland by Great Moravia, Greater Poland remained the center of the formation of the Polish state, the capital was the city of Gniezno. The first known ruler of Poland was the Greater Poland prince Mieszko I of the Piast family (960-992); in 966 he accepts Christianity according to the Western rite. Under his son, Boleslav the Brave, Polish principality reached the pinnacle of power. Boleslav became related to the Kiev prince Svyatopolk the Accursed and, supporting him against his brother Yaroslav the Wise, in 1018 occupied Kyiv; in 1025 he takes the title of king.
Bolesław II the Bold (1058-1079) completely revived the former power of Poland and again accepted royal title; in 1068, supporting his relative Izyaslav Yaroslavich, he also captured Kyiv. He was overthrown in a conspiracy; but under Bolesław III Krivoust (1102-1138), the Old Polish state reached its last peak.

Jan Matejko "Portrait of Boleslav III"
After his death, as in the same years in Russia after the death of Vladimir Monomakh, feudal fragmentation began in Poland.

Krakow Poland (1320-1569)

In 1320, Prince Vladislav Loketek of Kuyavia, having annexed Greater Poland to his possessions, was crowned Polish king in Krakow. From now on, Krakow becomes the new capital of Poland. Under his successor, Casimir III the Great, Poland flourished. In 1349, Galicia was annexed to Poland.
In 1385, the Polish-Lithuanian union was concluded in Kreva, according to which Jagiello (Grand Duke of Lithuania) was baptized according to the Catholic rite, introduced Catholicism as the state religion in Lithuania, married Jadwiga and ascended the Polish throne under the name of Vladislav II.

Jagiello. Portrait by Marcello Bacciarelli

Thus, the Polish-Lithuanian state arose in the East of Europe. Under Jagiello, the infringement of the Orthodox population of the Russian lands occupied by the Poles began. Jagiello handed over to the Catholics Orthodox Cathedral in Przemysl, initiating the Catholicization and Polonization of this city.
In 1454, according to the Neszaw Statutes, Poland became a republic, where the supreme power belonged to the Sejm.
In 1505, the law Nihil novi was passed, limiting the power of the king in favor of the gentry. Since that time, common in relation to the Polish system state structure became the term Rzeczpospolita.
Since 1562, Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian alliance were drawn into a fierce, long and devastating Livonian war for both sides.

Rzeczpospolita (1569-1795)

According to the Union of Lublin (1569), Poland formed a united confederal state with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, headed by the Sejm and the king chosen by him. The state received the name "Rzeczpospolita" (Polish literally "republic"). The era of elected kings has begun. In 1586, the Poles elected the Swedish king Sigismund III Vasa.

Portrait of Sigismund III Vase by Jan Matejko
He soon lost the Swedish throne because of his Catholic fanaticism. Three important events are connected with his reign: the transfer in 1596 of the capital from Krakow to Warsaw; Union of Brest Orthodox and Catholic churches (1596), which put an end to traditional Polish religious tolerance and created the prerequisites for the Khmelnitsky uprising and Poland's intervention in Russia during the Time of Troubles.

Polish intervention in Russia during the Time of Troubles (1605-1818)

The Polish magnates Mniszeki supported the impostor False Dmitry and supplied him with an army of Zaporozhye Cossacks and Polish volunteers. In 1604, the army invaded Russia, the cities and the armies sent to meet him swore allegiance to the new tsar. In 1605, the impostor entered Moscow and was crowned, but was soon killed.
The impostor promised the Polish king Sigismund III to return Smolensk in payment for help. Sigismund in 1610 begins the siege of Smolensk. The army, Vasily Shuisky, was defeated by Hetman Zolkievsky, and the Poles approached Moscow, and the troops of the new impostor False Dmitry II besieged it from the other side. Shuisky was overthrown and subsequently extradited to Zholkevsky. The Moscow boyars swore allegiance to the young son of Sigismund Vladislav, and then let the Polish garrison into Moscow. Sigismund did not want to let his son go to Moscow and baptize him into Orthodoxy (as was supposed under the terms of the agreement), but tried to rule Moscow personally. The result was the unification of the former "Tushino thieves" - the Cossacks with the nobles of Shuisky against the Poles (beginning of 1611) and their joint campaign against Moscow, supported by an uprising in Moscow itself, which the Poles were able to suppress only by setting fire to the city. The siege of Moscow by the first militia was unsuccessful due to contradictions in its ranks. The campaign of the second militia, led by Minin and Pozharsky, put the Poles in a critical situation. Sigismund, who took Smolensk, disbanded his army, unable to support it. On November 1, 1612 (according to the new style), the militia took Kitay-gorod, the Poles took refuge in the Kremlin. On November 5, the Poles signed a capitulation, releasing the Moscow boyars and other nobles from the Kremlin, and surrendered the next day.

Khmelnytsky uprising (1648-1654)

N. Ivasyuk "Entrance of Bohdan Khmelnitsky to Kyiv"

The war was fought under the slogans of liberating the Orthodox population from social, national and religious oppression in the society of the Commonwealth.
The uprising was led by the hetman of the grassroots Zaporozhye Cossacks and Colonel of the Zaporizhzhya Army Bogdan Khmelnitsky. The uprising was supported by the Orthodox population of Ukraine and Belarus.

Russian-Polish war (1654-1667)

Military conflict between Russia and the Commonwealth for control over Western Russian lands. It began in 1654. At the first stage of the war, the Russian-Cossack army advanced to the west, almost accomplished the age-old goal of uniting Russia around Moscow and restoring the Old Russian state within its former borders.
But the invasion of Sweden into the Commonwealth and the Swedish-Lithuanian union led to the conclusion of a temporary Vilna truce with the Commonwealth and the beginning Russo-Swedish War 1656-1658 The war ended in 1667 with the signing of the Andrusovo truce by the weakened parties, which legally sealed the split of the Hetmanate along the Dnieper. In addition to the Left-Bank Ukraine with Kyiv, Smolensk went to Russia.
The invasion of the Swedes in the Commonwealth in 1655-1660. caused her enormous damage and led to the conclusion of the Vilna truce in Russian-Polish war 1654-1667 and the joint struggle of the warring parties against the threatening hegemony of the Swedes.
In the era Seven Years' War (1756-1763) Poland is turning into a battlefield between the Prussians and their opponents. Frederick II of Prussia cherished the hope of partitioning Poland. In 1764 Stanisław August Poniatowski was elected King of Poland under Russian pressure. In fact, a Russian protectorate is being established over Poland. Poniatowski was an educated and intelligent man, but he lacked the political will to act in such a difficult environment. Russia, with the support of Prussia, forced him to equalize the rights of Orthodox and Protestants with Catholics, to cancel the reforms that had begun; Catherine proclaimed herself the guarantor of the "liberum veto". The answer of the gentry was the unfolding guerrilla war against the Russian troops.

Partitions of Poland

In 1772, the first division of the Commonwealth between Prussia, Austria and Russia took place, according to which Galicia went to Austria, West Prussia to Prussia, and the eastern part of Belarus (Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Dvinsk) to Russia. In 1793 the Commonwealth was divided between Prussia and Russia. In March 1794, Kosciuszko's national liberation uprising began. Kosciuszko was defeated at Maciejowice and taken prisoner, the Warsaw suburb of Prague was taken by storm by Suvorov; Warsaw capitulated. After that, the third partition took place (according to an agreement between Russia, Prussia and Austria in 1795), and Poland as a state ceased to exist.
For more than 100 years, Poland did not have its own statehood, the Polish lands were part of other states: Russia, Prussia and Austria.

Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1813)

Napoleon, having defeated Prussia, created the Duchy of Warsaw, vassal to France, from part of the Polish lands that belonged to her. Russia recognized this principality, headed by the Saxon king Friedrich August, loyal to Napoleon, and received the Bialystok region. In 1809, after a victorious war with Austria (in which the Poles also participated), Lesser Poland with Krakow was annexed to the Duchy of Warsaw.
The next partition of Poland took place in 1814-1815. at the Congress of Vienna between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Most of the former Duchy of Warsaw was transferred to Russia, Poznanshchina - to Prussia, Krakow was declared a "free city".

Kingdom of Poland (1815-1915)

In 1815, Poland, as part of Russia, received its own constitution, which bound Poland and Russia with a personal union and allowed Poland to choose the Sejm, its own government and have own army. First, Kosciuszko's old comrade-in-arms, General Zayonchek, was appointed governor of Poland, then the tsar's brother, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. The constitution, relatively liberal at the beginning, later became restrictive. Legal opposition appeared in the Polish Sejm, secret political societies. In November 1830, the November Uprising broke out in Warsaw, suppressing which in 1831, Nicholas I canceled the constitution granted to Poland in 1815.

After the death of Nicholas I, the liberation movement rises with renewed vigor. During the Revolution of 1905-1907. in Russia, in the Kingdom of Poland, revolutionary uprisings also took place. Everything greater influence acquired by the Polish Socialist Party of Jozef Pilsudski, which organized whole line strikes and strikes at industrial enterprises of the kingdom of Poland.

World War I

After the outbreak of World War I on August 14, 1914, Nicholas II promised, after winning the war, to unite the Kingdom of Poland with the Polish lands that would be taken from Germany and Austria-Hungary into an autonomous state within the Russian Empire. In 1915 the territory Russian Poland was occupied by Germany and Austria-Hungary. On November 5, 1916, the German and Austro-Hungarian emperors published a manifesto on the creation of an independent Kingdom of Poland in the Russian part of Poland.

Polish Republic (1918-1939)

The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 transferred to Poland most of the German province of Posen, as well as part of Pomerania, which gave the country access to the Baltic Sea; Danzig (Gdansk) received the status of a "free city".
In 1919, the Soviet-Polish war began, which went on with varying success.
In 1926 after coup d'état In Poland, an authoritarian regime was established, led by Jozef Pilsudski.
On June 15, 1931, the USSR and Poland signed a Treaty of Friendship and Trade Cooperation. On January 25, 1932, the USSR and Poland signed the Non-Aggression Pact.
January 26, 1934 Poland and Germany signed a non-aggression pact for a period of 10 years. November 4, 1935 Poland and Germany signed an agreement on economic cooperation.
On March 21, 1939, Germany demanded that Poland transfer the free city of Danzig to it and open for it “ polish corridor» to ensure Poland's access to the Baltic Sea. Poland rejected all German demands.
March 28, 1939 Hitler broke the non-aggression pact with Poland.
August 23, 1939 Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact. According to the secret additional protocol to the agreement on the delimitation of spheres of mutual interests in Eastern Europe in the event of "territorial and political reorganization", it was envisaged that Eastern Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Bessarabia be included in the sphere of interests of the USSR, Lithuania and western Poland - in the sphere of interests of Germany.

The Second World War

On September 1, 1939, the troops of the Third Reich invade Poland. By September 16, the Germans are 150-200 km from the Soviet border. Warsaw is surrounded.
On September 17, Soviet troops invade Poland and occupy Western Belarus and Ukraine. On September 27, Warsaw fell and the Polish army actually stopped resisting. On October 5, the last major Polish unit of General Kleeberg capitulates.
The territorial division of Poland between the USSR and Germany was completed on September 28, 1939 with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Border between the USSR and Germany. As a result of the division of Polish territory between Germany and the USSR, the Soviet borders moved far to the west, and the USSR began to border on Lithuania.

Polish People's Republic (1944-1989)

In 1948, the Polish United Workers' Party, led by Bolesław Bierut, became the ruling party. In 1956, after the XX Congress of the CPSU, Bierut was dismissed, his place was taken by Vladislav Gomulka. In 1968, after the suppression of student demonstrations and the announcement of a chauvinist "anti-Zionist" campaign, after the rise in prices for consumer goods and the resulting strikes and riots in Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin, Gomułka was replaced Edward Gierek.

The Gierek government actively took out loans in the West and in the USSR, which initially contributed to economic growth, but by the end of the 1970s, having made the debt burden unsustainable, plunged the country into a socio-economic crisis. The government was losing control of the situation. In February 1981, the Minister of Defense, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, was appointed Prime Minister, and in October - General Secretary of the Party, concentrating in his hands three posts of the highest state importance. On December 12-13, 1981, Jaruzelski introduced martial law (valid until July 1983)

Modern Poland

The perestroika policy pursued by Gorbachev weakened the influence of the USSR on Poland, which led to changes in the country. Prime Minister T. Mazowiecki and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance L. Balcerowicz launched market and democratic reforms: price liberalization and privatization of state property. Jaruzelski became the President of the country.
In 1990-1995 under the presidency of Walesa, the main market institutions were created. In 1995-2005 - Presidency of Kwasniewski. Poland joined the European Union.

Capital of Poland. Warsaw.

Poland Square. 312,685 km2.

Population of Poland. 38,634 thousand people

Location of Poland. Poland is a state in Central Europe. In the north it borders on Russia, in the east - with, and, in the south - with and, in the west - with. Washed in the north.

Administrative divisions of Poland. Poland is divided into 16 voivodships, 373 powiats and 2468 communes.

Form of government of Poland. Republic.

Head of State of Poland. President elected for a term of 5 years.

Higher Legislature Poland. The National Assembly is a bicameral parliament (Seim and Senate), the term of office is 4 years.

Supreme executive body of Poland. Government.

Major cities of Poland. Lodz, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan.

Official language of Poland. Polish.

Currency of Poland. Zloty = 100 groszy.

Useful information for tourists

When entering the church, you should bow your head or kneel and cross yourself, therefore, when entering the interior, you should carefully monitor the parishioners walking in front so as not to bump into them. The service can be observed either from the back rows or from the side aisles. Filming in churches is not prohibited, but flashes or other devices that interfere with the service are not allowed - this is usually indicated by a special sign at the entrance to the church: a crossed-out camera with a flash. The only exceptions are mass celebrations (weddings, first communion, etc.), when all types of filming are officially allowed. In churches-museums with a paid entrance for shooting you need to pay separately. In museums, usually all types of filming are paid, for their implementation it is necessary to purchase special tickets for photo or video shooting (somewhat more expensive).

Almost all excursions are conducted in Polish (although you can pre-order service in Russian or English), so it's better to buy a guidebook or a special tourist map in advance. The crime rate is still high, so you need to be very careful in crowded places, in and in crowded areas. It is not recommended to carry large amounts of cash with you. Passport and securities should also be kept out of the reach of unauthorized persons.

Tipping in a restaurant is 10% of the bill, but if they are included in the cost of services, it is recommended to simply round up the bill. Tipping is not accepted in taxis.