POLAND -UNESCO HERITAGE SITES

UNESCO HERITAGE SITES

1.       OLD TOWN in Krakow (placed onto the UNESCO WORLD NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE LIST IN 1978).

The heart of Krakow is the  Main Market Square, the largest medieval town square in Europe, with St. Mary’s Basillca in which one can admire the breath taking Gothic altarpiece by Velt Stoss, the Renaissance Cloth Hall and the remnants of the defence walls: St Florian’s Gate and the Barbican. The Square is also home to the Town Hall Tower, churches, tenement houses and a monument of the national bard, Adam Mickiewicz. From a window in St Mary’s tower, a trumpeter plays a broken bugle call at the top of every hour. Other witnesses of Krakow‘s glorious past are the Renaissance Royal Castle Wawel with its Gothic Cathedral where most of Polish kings are interred , the Jagiellonian University or the Franciscan Monastery with a unique stained glass window by Stanislaw Wyspianski.The old Jewish quarter the Kazimierz, once a separate town, is also an important historical area. Its quaint streets are a testimony of the long and rich history of Polish Jews. These days Krakow is known as one of the most charming cities in Europe.

2.       ROYAL SALT MINES IN BOCHNIA AND WIELICZKA

These mines are among the oldest such facilities in the world and they reflect all the historical stages of the development of mining techniques and technologies from the 13^th to the 20^th century. The underground tourist route in Wieliczka (the mine was inscribed onto the UNESCO list in 1978) is captivating journey through a maze of corridors carved in salt with numerous chambers decorated with sculptures and bas reliefs. The most beautiful chamber is St King’s Chapel , where even the chandeliers are made of salt. The mine has a cinema room, a restaurant and a spa and it hosts balls, theatre performances and concerts. The mine in Bochina feature spectacular chambers with a characteristic shape and geological layout, such as example the Wazyn Chamber. It is the largest man made underground cavity in Europe, with a microclimate which is beneficial for one’s health. An amazing example of medieval architecture and its relation to the European salt mining, preserved to this day in the urban landscape of Wieliczka, is the Saltworks Castel ( Zamek Zupny)

3.       AUSCHWITZ – BIRKENAU – THE NAZI CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMPS (ENTERED ONTO UNESCO LIST IN 1979).

Preserved as a memento and a warning, today Auschwitz- Birkenau is a very important museum and a symbol of the mass genocide carried out by Nazi Germans. In 1940, by order of Heinrich Himmler, a complex of camps was built in the suburbs of the town of Oswiecim (German: Auschwitz). 1.5 million People, most of them Jewish, perished there. The museum exhibits personal belongings of the prisoners. It is also a monument of the human spirit and its strength.

4.       THE OLD TOWN IN WARSAW (UNESCO LIST IN 1980) is the historic centre of Warsaw, reflecting the long history of the city; from the Middle Ages until present day. The heart of it is undoubtedly the Old Town Market Place, with the sculpture depicting the Warsaw Mermaid. The colourful tenement houses around the square add to its charm. Other places one cannot give a miss when visiting the Old Town are: the Castle Square with the Royal Castle, Sigismund’s Column, St John’s Cathedral and the Barbicam. During World War II and after the Warsaw Uprising, around 85% of Warsaw‘s historic centre was destroyed by Nazi troops. After the the war, an enormous effort was undertaken to rebuild the capital’s centre. Today the Old Town is a shining example of reconstruction following war damages on such a huge scale. It is also the only reconstructed monument on the UNESCO list.

5.       THE OLD TOWN IN ZAMOSC ( INSCRIBED ONTO THE UNESCO LIST IN 1992)

Is referred to as the pearl of Renaissance thanks to its beautifully preserved original street layout with splendid buildings reflecting Italian and Central European architectural traditions. Dominating in the Old Town is the Town Hall with its double fan shaped stairway and its tall clock tower, from which a trumpeter sounds a bugle call at noon. The Gallery above the clock is an excellent viewpoint. Among the most picturesque and best preserved tenement houses which once belonged to wealthy burghers one can name: the WILLCZKOWSKA House with numerous bas –reliefs, the Rudomiczowska House, the houses Under the Angel, Under the Marrried Couple and Under the Madona. At present, the first four of these are home to the Museum of Zamosc.

6.       THE MEDIEVAL OLD TOWN COMPLEX OF TORUN ( ON THE UNESCO LIST SINCE 1997)

It is one of the most beautiful and most precious places in Europe, in which we can admire an opulent architectural complex featuring mid-13^th century solutions in urban planning. The Gothic gems of Torun are the numerous tenement houses, granaries, palaces, the impressive Old Town Hall and the soaring church spires. The castle of the Teutonic Knights in the Chelmno land is worth a visit. One can also see the house where the great astronomer Copernicus was born. No sightseeing is complete without trying the traditional gingerbread biscuits, a pride of the local bakers for 700 years.

7.       THE CENTENNIAL HALL IN WROCLAW ( the UNESCO LIST SINCE 2006)

It was built in 1913. Not only was it one of the first public venues built of reinforced concrete, but it’s also one of the largest in the world. At the same time its massive structure surprises the onlooker with its lightness and harmony. Designed by architect Max Berg, the hall represents the expressionist style and is one of the most important architectural achievements of the 20^th century. Thanks to its enormous frame and its lighting system, the dome of the hall is reminiscent of the interior of the pantheon in Paris. Parts of the complex are also the Four Domes Pavilion, a pond surrounded by a semicircular colonnade called the Pergola, the Japanese Garden and the Zoological Garden, which together make the perfect place for relaxed leisure.

8.       KALWARIA ZEBRZYDOWSKA ( entered onto the UNESCO list in 1999)

The complex of architecture and natural landscape together with the aspect of pilgrimage form a unique mix of the spiritual and the natural. The architectural complex is composed out of the sanctuary and the Calvary laid out in the surrounding area. The stations of the Way of the Cross, along with the skillfully designed paths between them, blend in with the natural environment in a harmonious way. Most of the elements of the sacred place in Kalwaria  Zebrzydowska is the Basilica of Our Lady of Angels in the convent complex, with the miraculous painting of the Weeping Madona with the infant.

9.       THE WOODEN CHRUCHES OF SOUTHERN LESSER POLAND – BINAROWA , BLIZNE, DEBNO, HACZOW , LIPNICA , MUROWANA, SEKOWA ( ON THE UNESCO LIST SINCE 2003)

These churches represent almost all architectural styles beginning with Gothic, through Renaissance and Baraque, including even Art Nouveau. They are a tangible depiction of how Roman Catholic churches were built in the middle Ages. Most often they were made of logs. The oldest ones date back to the 14^th century and the exterior is most often Gothic.

10.   THE PARISH CHURCHES OF ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL IN BINAROWA.

It was built around the year 1500. It has the oldest wooden bell tower, dating back to 1596. The material used for its construction was fir wood. The church precious wall boasts a very precious wall painting from the 16^th and 17^th centuries as well as Gothic sculptures from the 14^th century.

11.   THE PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS IN BLIZNE

It is believed to have been constructed before 1470. In this church, consisting of a vestibule, a nave and a presbytery, there are also precious polychrome frescos from the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Of particular value are also : the painting on the rood beam depicting a Baroque Passion scene, the main altarpiece from 1700 and the side altars from the 17^th century.

12.   THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL IN DEBNO

It comes from the second half the15th century and has a magnificent silhouette which has not changed much since the church was built. The roofs as well as the walls of the tower and its tent roof are covered with shingle, while the boarding planks of the bell chamber are decorated with carved wooden lace.

13.   THE PARISH CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION OF THE HOLY VIRGIN AND ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL IN HACZOW.

It is one of the world’s largest wooden Gothic churches made of logs. It was erected in 1388 and expanded in the 17^th century. Its frame has not undergone any changes to this day, while the interior is painted with polychromy from the end of the 15^th century.

14.   THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST LEONARD IN LIPNICA

It is a small church with an interior decorated with splendid polychrome frescos depicting patron saints. The altarpiece currently used is a copy of the original which was moved to the diocese museum in Tarnow. An interesting curiosity is the wooden beam supporting the main altarpiece from behind – it is likely an old monument of the Slavic deity Svetovid.

15.   THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST PHILIP AND ST JACOB THE APOSTLES IN SEKOWA

It was built around 1520. This wooden church with stone foundations has an interior almost entirely devoid of any decoration. Among the interesting fittings one can list: the main altarpiece, the rood beam, the triptychs or the baptismal bowl.

16.   THE WOODEN TSERKVAS IN THE POLISH AND UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS ( ENTERED ONTO THE UNESCO LIST IN 2013)

It is a group of very precious wooden Orthodox churches with a characteristic architectural style. It includes 16 churches: 8 located in Poland and 8 in Ukraine.

17.   THE CHURCHES OF PEACE IN JAWOR AND SWIDNICA ( ENTERED ONTO THE UNESCO LIST IN 1999)

These multi storey wooden churches, built in the second half of the 17^th century, may look humble from the outside, but inside they are impressive when it comes to size. Everything about them is unusual: the circumstances of their erection, the speedy pace at which they were built, as well as their frame and their opulent interiors. It’s hard to believe the churches have stood for 350 years. Their interiors are beautifully painted. The basilica in Swidnik was built on the plan of Greek cross with a reduced transept and later on lodges with separate entrances were added and so was the sacristy and the 4 halls. The church in Jawor was built based on the classic hall design with 3 naves and no transept. The simple frame is decorated by staircases

leading to the lodges and the sacristy.

18.   MUSKAU PARK /PARK MUZAKOWSKI (ENTERED ONTO THE UNESCO LIST IN 2004)

It is the largest English garden in Poland and Germany. Established in the first half of the 19^th century, the park extends over 700 hectares . Its central part with the main building , the castle and gardens in the pleasure ground style are situated on the German side.The Polish side is composed largely of a vast naturalist park ( around 500 hectares ) .Both parts are connected by 2 park bridges: the Double Bridge and the English Bridge. The park can be visited all day and all night, whether on foot or by bike. One can also enjoy a ride in a stylish carriage or go kayaking down the Lusatian Neisse River, from Muskau Park to Zarki Wielkie.

19.   THE BIALOWIEZA FOREST ( ENTERED ONTO THE UNESCO LIST IN 1979)

It is a natural reserve shared by Poland and Belarus . It is the solitary vestige of the primaeval forest which once stretched across the central park of the European continent. The forest precedes any human intervention and natural processes have been continuing in it for thousands of years. The total surface exceeds 150 thousand hectares, out of which 62 thousand are in Poland. The Bialowieza Forest is home to many animal species, such as wolves, lynxes and otters, as well as plants which are not found anywhere else anymore. The animal justly called the king of this area is the largest European mammal: the bison. The Bialowieza Forest is the only natural formation in Poland inscribed onto the UNESCO list.