Travel.LovePoland December 2020
Dear Readers,
As befits the winter issue of the magazine, we encourage you to get to know and visit various parts of Poland. We show you round the most famous places, such as Gdańsk or the Tatras (in Łukasz' beautiful photographs), but we also encourage you to get to know the less known ones, such as Tylicz or Ochodzita or the Herbst Museum in Łódź. As usual, we devote a lot of space to Polish nature. This time in two articles: Magda and Łukasz take you on the Biebrza, and Włodzimierz Stachoń invites you to get to know wild birds. There must be also something about Christmas traditions. As always, Kasia Skóra will tell about many of them – but she won't be the only one. Get to know some secrets of Polish Christmas cuisine, including those described by Magdalena Tomaszewska-Bolałek. And almost at the end, we have for you a beautiful, in our opinion, photo gallery by Kamila Rosińska - kept in a very festive mood.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Good New Year.
Dear Readers,
As befits the winter issue of the magazine, we encourage you to get to know and visit various parts of Poland. We show you round the most famous places, such as Gdańsk or the Tatras (in Łukasz' beautiful photographs), but we also encourage you to get to know the less known ones, such as Tylicz or Ochodzita or the Herbst Museum in Łódź. As usual, we devote a lot of space to Polish nature. This time in two articles: Magda and Łukasz take you on the Biebrza, and Włodzimierz Stachoń invites you to get to know wild birds. There must be also something about Christmas traditions. As always, Kasia Skóra will tell about many of them – but she won't be the only one. Get to know some secrets of Polish Christmas cuisine, including those described by Magdalena Tomaszewska-Bolałek. And almost at the end, we have for you a beautiful, in our opinion, photo gallery by Kamila Rosińska - kept in a very festive mood.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Good New Year.
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- Page 7 and 8: DecemberDecember 6thDecember 21st24
- Page 9: photo: fotolupaphoto: emicristeapho
- Page 13: St. Mary's BasilicaThe Church of th
- Page 17: Motława river embankmentvisit: www
- Page 21 and 22: Motława river embankmentvisit: www
- Page 24 and 25: Collection of Old Polish MastersPho
- Page 27 and 28: Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.pol
- Page 29 and 30: a book for childrenGET YOUR COPY AT
- Page 31 and 32: ELKS IN MARSH MARIGOLDS.WHAT IS BIE
- Page 33 and 34: story and photography by: Magdalena
- Page 35: story and photography by: Magdalena
- Page 41 and 42: WINTER SKIRMISHESTHE PEARL OF THE P
- Page 43: WINTER BIRDSMost of the birds that
- Page 51: photos: M. Ciszewski, polska.plAt t
M E D I A P A R T N E R
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w i t k a c y t h e a t r e i n Z a k o p a n e
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"Life makes most sense at the height of nonsense"
Witkacy theatre is one of the most cherished theatres in Poland.
It was founded in 1984 in tribute to a Zakopane legend,
Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz.
of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, December is a favourite month of many people in Poland. The name of the month – grudzień – comes from the Polish
Because
gruda, meaning frozen ground. The average temperature in December in Poland drops below zero: -0,16°C / 32°F. The average rainfall level in December in
word
D E C E M B E R & W I N T E R
I N P O L A N D
photo: Tomeyk
Poland is 38 mm (similar level to March and April).
text by Magdalena Piasecka
www.kidsinthecity.pl
Winter Weather in Poland
Wintertime in Poland: December – a month with the shortest day of the
year in Poland, January – the coldest month in Poland, February – the
least rainy month in Poland.
In 2020, astronomical winter begins on December 21 with the winter
solstice – is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in Poland in the
whole year. On a positive note – starting from December 22, the days in
Poland get longer and the nights shorter. The length of the day goes from
7 hours 42 min. on December 22 to 10 hours 50 min. at the end of
February.Winter in Poland is cold and usually snowy. To stay cozy in cold
weather in Poland, you will need a hat, coat, scarf, gloves, and winter
boots. The lowest temperature is recorded in eastern and southern
Poland. Remember that the temperature in the wintertime in Poland drops
significantly at night!
The weather during the winter in Poland differs. Usually, the
temperature is around freezing or a few degrees below, but it happens
that the temperature drops below -20°C (-4°F). Recent years have
seen an increase in average winter temperatures compared to
previous years. Trends also indicate that we can start getting used to
relatively warmer December in Poland and winter shifting for the
period from January to March. Because of Christmas and New Year’s
Eve, December is a favourite month of many people in Poland. The
name of the month – grudzień – comes from the Polish word gruda,
meaning frozen ground. The average temperature in December in
Poland drops below zero: -0,16°C / 32°F. The average rainfall level in
December in Poland is 38 mm (similar level to March and April). Sunset
on December 1: 3.27 pm, December 31: 3.32 pm.
January is the coldest month in Poland. The average temperature in
January in Poland is -1,5°C / 30,2°F. The average rainfall level in
Poland in January is 37 mm. The Polish name for January – styczeń –
comes from the word stykać meaning to connect old and new year.
Sunset on January 1: 3.33 pm, January 31: 4.20 pm. The average
temperature in February in Poland is still below 0 (-0,3°C / 32°F).
February is the least rainy month in Poland. The average rainfall level
in Poland in February is 31 mm. What does the word luty – February –
mean in Polish? The word luty in the old Polish language meant fierce,
very cold. Sunset on February 1: 4.21 pm, February 28: 5.14 pm.
06 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
December
December 6th
December 21st
24th December
25th December
26th December
St. Nicholas’ Day
(Mikołajki)
The name Mikołajki comes from
Mikołaj (Polish for Nicholas), meaning
little Nicholas. Children usually
receive little treats – candies or toys.
One of the traditions is to hide treats
in shoes. Children should clean them
the night before and the next
morning (on Mikołajki day) they
would find inside their shoe a small
Winter
The beginning of astronomical winter
and the shortest day of the year.
Christmas Eve (Wigilia)
Christmas Eve is not a public holiday
in Poland. However, most shops and
businesses are open no longer than 2
pm. Christmas Eve Dinner – kolacja
wigilijna – is the most important
Christmas celebration in Poland. The
Christmas Eve traditions include
waiting for a first star, the Christmas
wafer (opłatek), 12 meat-free
courses, an extra seat for an
unexpected guest, hay under the
tablecloth, a special midnight mass
(pasterka).
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is a national holiday in
Poland to celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. It is a festive event and
many people have the day off work
and school.
Banks, government offices and most
private businesses are closed.
Second Day of Christmas
Official public holiday to celebrate
the second Day of Christmas. Also
known as St Stephen’s Day or
Holy Szczepan, part of the
Christmas holidays. Churches host
special services on Boxing Day,
which is also a day for families to
meet up and spend time together.
Day activities include reenacting
scenes of the Nativity in a play, as
well as caroling with a crib
(szopka) or star to homes.
January
surprise.winter timeline
December 31st-January 1st
New Year’s Eve / Saint
Sylvester's Day (Sylwester)
New Year’s Day
(Nowy Rok)
Start of the carnival season in
Poland. People usually go out to
parties and balls. At midnight or
even before, fireworks shows
start, arranged by the city
authorities but also outside of
apartments, in parks,
playgrounds, etc. Stores are
usually open no longer than
5-6pm.
February
January 1st
New Year’s Day
(Nowy Rok)
A public holiday in Poland –
stores, malls, shopping centres
are closed, only some smaller local
convenience stores can be open
(eg. Żabka). You can do basic
shopping at gas stations.
January 6th
Epiphany / The Three Wise
Kings (Trzech Króli)
A public holiday in Poland, stores are
closed. Christian holiday
commemorating the three wise kings’
visit to infant Jesus. In towns and
cities, there are street parades.
There is a tradition to write with
chalk brought from the church above
the entrance of your home: K+M+B
(or C+M+B). The letters have two
meanings: they represent the initials
of Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar; it’s
also the abbreviation of the Latin
phrase Christus mansionem benedicat
(May Christ bless this house).
January 21 & January 22
Grandmother’s Day &
Grandfather’s Day (Dzień
Babci & Dzień Dziadka)
People visit or call their grandparents
to honor them. In kindergartens,
there are usually events for
grandparents.
February 11th
February 14th
February 16th
February 17th
Fat Thursday
(Tłusty Czwartek)
The last Thursday before the Lent
starts in Poland it’s a donut / pączek
day. In the morning, you can notice
long lines in front of bakeries and
cafes all over Poland. People all day
long eat pączki (donuts ) or faworki
(French dough pastry served with
powdered sugar) at schools, at work,
at home. There are contests for the
best pastry stores in the city and
some families have pączek eating
competition – who will eat the most
donuts on Fat Thursday.
Valentine’s Day
(Walentynki)
It’s a relatively new celebration in
Poland (not observed in Poland
during communism time before
1989), becoming more and more
popular. All restaurants are usually
full, you need to book your table in
advance;)
Last day of the carnival,
Śledzik (herring night),
Ostatki (last days of
carnival, Shrovetide
Tuesday)
The last chance to party (typically
with drinking and music) before the
start of Lent (which doesn’t mean
there are no parties during Lent in
Poland, just not as many). The party /
dinner is called in Polish Śledzik (little
herring) – during old-fashioned Polish
parties, it was a popular appetizer
washed down with alcohol.
Ash Wednesday (Środa
Popielcowa, Popielec)
The first day of Lent. People go to
churches where priests put ashes
(made from palm branches blessed
on the previous year Palm Sunday) on
people’s foreheads saying ‘Remember
that you are dust and to dust you
shall return’ (‘Z prochu powstałeś i w
proch się obrócisz’). It is a tradition
among the Roman Catholics in Poland
to avoid meat, alcohol, sweets, and
snacks on that day.
07 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Shopping Sundays in Poland in December 2020
In December 2020, there are THREE shopping Sundays in Poland:
December 6th, December 13th, and December 20th. On December
2nd, the Polish parliament adopted a new law introducing an
additional trading Sunday on December 6th. You can learn more about
Sunday trade ban in Poland in our post: shopping Sundays in Poland in
2020 and 2021. Since our readers are asking about online stores
offering home deliveries we have prepared a post with the a of online
stores in Poland delivering groceries to home.
Things you can’t miss to survive !
– Hide the candy in the shoe of the person you live withIn Poland, on
December 6th, St. Nicholas’ Day (Mikołajki) is celebrated. The name
Mikołajki comes from Mikołaj (Polish for Nicholas), meaning little
Nicholas. On the night of December 5-6th, small gifts are secretly
given to children while they are sleeping. One of the traditions is to
hide treats in shoes. Children should clean them the night before and
the next morning (on Mikołajki day) they would find inside their shoe
a small surprise. Chocolate Santas can be bought in Polish stores
already at the end of November.
– Prepare an extra place setting at your festive table. One of the
greatest Polish Christmas traditions is to prepare an extra seat at the
table. One place more than the number of people gathered is placed
on the festive table (including a plate and cutlery). According to
tradition, an additional seat at the Christmas Eve table is intended for
an unannounced and unexpected guest. The unannounced guest has a
symbolic meaning – it is someone in need, poor, lost, lonely or without
family. This tradition is to remind us and oblige us to think about
others, about those in need. And to help others during the holidays,
but not only. In this way, we can also express the memory of our
loved ones who have passed away. The empty plate can also
symbolise someone from family or friends with whom we cannot meet
this year…
– Accept the 12-course dinner challenge! The tradition in Poland
requires that the Christmas Eve dinner (on December 24th) includes
twelve courses. 12 dishes may include for example bread, side dishes
or desserts. Everyone who associates Polish cuisine with meat dishes
will be pleasantly surprised – all dishes served on Christmas Eve must
be meat-free. Typically, the dinner includes carp fish (karp), beetroot
soup (barszcz czerwony), mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa) or fish
soup (zupa rybna), dumplings with mushroom or cabbage filling
(pierogi), cooked cabbage with mushrooms (kapusta z grzybami),
herring salad, cooked vegetable salad with mayonnaise dressing
(sałatka jarzynowa). Desserts are included in 12 courses: noodles with
poppy seeds, honey, nuts, and dry fruits (kluski z makiem, makiełki), a
dry fruit compote (kompot z suszu), poppy seeds cake (makowiec),
gingerbread cookies (pierniczki), cheesecake (sernik), kutia – made
with wheat or barley grain, ground poppy seeds and honey.
COVID-19 - always check for updates before travelling.
Current COVID-19 regulations and restrictions in Poland
Restrictions in Poland from November 28th to December 27th:
On December 24th (Christmas Eve, stores are usually open until 2pm), there will
be NO “senior hours” (stores from 10am to 12am open only to seniors 60+) in
stores.
Re-opening of libraries (1 person/15m2).
Events/meetings organised at home – with a maximum of 5 people/guests (the
limit of 5 people does not include the host and people who live with the host).
Re-opening of stores in shopping malls and furniture stores (including Ikea)
from November 28th. There is a limit of people in shops and shopping malls – a
maximum of 1 person/15 m2. The exception are playrooms in shopping centres
which remain closed.
Schools are closed (remote learning) until December 22nd (from December
23rd until January 3rd there is a holiday break – no online classes). This applies
to all primary school grades (grades 1-8; children 7+) and high schools. The date
of the winter school break in Poland has been changed. Usually, the winter
break (ferie zimowe) times differ for each Polish province/voivodship each year.
However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government has decided that in
2021, winter break throughout Poland will be in the same 2-week period:
January 4-17, 2021. This means that the children will be at home until January
17th, 2021 (either with online classes or as part of the Christmas and winter
break).
Kindergartens and nurseries remain open.
Travel by international trains outside the EU's external borders is suspended
(rail traffic within the European Union’'s internal borders remains unchanged).
Restaurants, bars, pubs closed. They can only sell take-away meals.
Hotels are closed (hotels available only to guests on a business trip). Night clubs
and discos closed. Cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, cultural centres are
closed. Swimming pools, aqua parks, gyms are closed. Amusement parks and
recreational parks are closed.
Beauty, hairdressing and tattoo parlors remain open in accordance with sanitary
rules.
From 8am to 4pm (Monday to Friday, on school days), children up to 16 years of
age are not allowed to be outside alone without an adult. This rule does not
apply on weekends and when the child goes to school or comes home from
school.
Public transportation: 50% of the seats or 30% of the total number of seating
and standing places. The limit of people in shops. 1 person/15 m2.
It is forbidden to organise weddings, funeral banquets, first communion
receptions. The limit of people in churches: 1 person/15m2. Sporting events
without an audience. Trade fairs, congresses and conferences can be organised
online.
Shopping hours for seniors. From 10am to 12am, from Monday to Friday, the
stores (grocery stores, drug stores, pharmacies) will be open only to seniors
60+. They apply to post offices as well. “Hours for seniors” do not apply to
clothing stores, household appliances stores, furniture stores etc.
08 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photo: fotolupa
photo: emicristea
photo: martin-dm
photos:
On
page 5: Kraków
page 6: Kraków
page 9: top: Wrocław Old Town, photo: B. Budzo, in the middle: food market in Kraków, bottom left: Warszawa Old Town, bottom right: Market Kraków)
09 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
The Długa Street and the Długi Targ Street
The Długa and Długi Targ Streets which are also known as
Trakt Królewski (the Royal Route) rank among the most
beautiful streets in Gdańsk. The wealthiest Gdańsk
patricians used to live there and almost every tenement
house has its own interesting history to tell. The oldest
preserved houses date back to the Middle Ages, but most of
the buildings were erected in modern times. Tenement
houses on Długa Street are typical Gdańsk houses with
narrow facades topped with gables or attics, richly
decorated with coats of arms, allegoric figures and
silhouettes of ancient heroes. The most important secular
buildings - the Hall of the Main City and the Artus Court are
located on Długi Targ Street.
The Neptune Fountain
The Neptune Fountain has stood in front of the Artus Court
since 1633 and is a symbol of Gdańsk. It was built on the
initiative of the Mayor of Gdańsk, Bartłomiej Schachmann.
The model was prepared by Peter Husen and Johann Rogge,
and it was cast in 1615 in Augsburg. The design of the whole
fountain was prepared by Abraham van den Blocke. The
ornamented grill surrounding the fountain dates back to
1634. In the years 1757-1761 Johann Karl Stender
redecorated the basin and the base of the fountain in the
Rococo style, by adding a large array of sea creatures.
According to one of the Gdańsk legends it was Neptune
himself who contributed to the creation of the famous
Gdańsk liqueur called Goldwasser. He got angry at people
throwing golden coins into the fountain and hit the water
with his trident so hard that the gold fell to pieces, forming
small golden flakes which now shine in the herbal liqueur.
Main Town Hall
Built for over a century in the Middle Ages, the original
Gothic town hall, after a fire in the mid sixteenth century,
was rebuilt in Renaissance style. It was coped with a natural
size statue of King Zygmunt August. The full, lavish interior
in the style of Dutch mannerism: The Great Council
Chamber, the Small Council Hall called the Winter Hall as
well as the Great Hall of Court called the White Hall testify
to the power of Gdańsk at that time and its role in Europe.
The characteristic sundial located in one of the corners calls
to mind the relentless passage of time with the Latin maxim
“The shadows are our days”. This is the most impressive
secular building in sixteenth century Gdańsk enriched with a
wonderful chime.
Today, the Main Town Hall is famous for its replica of a set
of 37 wonderful concert bells. Gdańsk is the only city in
Poland boasting the possession of chimes, not just one, but
two (the second is located on the tower of St. Catherine’s
Church. Entrance to the observation gallery lets you enjoy a
beautiful view of the city with music ringing from the bells
every hour.
The Golden House
It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Gdańsk. It was
erected in 1609 by the Jan Speyman, the Mayor of the city
and at the same time a wealthy merchant and an openminded
patron of the arts, and his wife, Judyta (from the
Bahra family). The construction was based on a design
prepared by Abraham van den Blocke, who was also
responsible for a part of the sculptural decorations which
were completed in 1618. The house is famous for its richlydecorated
façade.
The legend goes that from time to time the corridors of the
house are frequented by a luminous creature. It is a ghost of
the beautiful Judyta Speymann whispering “Act justly, fear
no one”.
The Golden Gate
Built in the years 1612-1614 according to a design drafted by
Abraham van den Blocke, in the Renaissance style. Stone
sculptures adorning the attic date back to 1648 and they
were carved by Piotr Ringering. They present an allegory of
citizen’s virtues: Prudence, Justice, Piety and Harmony.
The building adjacent to the Golden Gate is the Manor of the
St. George’s Guild, erected by J. Glotau in the years 1487-
1494, in the late-Gothic style.
The Crane
The Crane over the Motlawa River is the most characteristic
and unmistaken symbol of Gdańsk. Back in the Middle Ages
it was the largest port crane in Europe handling cargo and
putting up ship masts.
It also served as an uncommon city gate. The reconstructed
driving mechanism inside, still in working condition, is an
immense wooden wheel originally propelled by men literally
walking in it.
Today the majestic Crane, a fine specimen of the historic
port facilities, sets an excellent background for the rich
collection of the National Maritime Museum.
11 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
St. Mary's Basilica
The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the largest brick
church in the world, went through several stages of
development over the period from 1343 to 1502. Its interior
displays many exquisite pieces of Medieval and Baroque art,
including the stone Pieta from about 1410, a copy of the
Last Judgement by Hans Memling, the original canvas dating
back to 1472, the astronomical clock built by Hans Düringer
between 1464 and 1470 and the main altar put up between
1510 and 1517. The church is 105 m long, including the tower
battlements, and the vaults soar 29m above floor level. The
solid main tower is 77.6m high and it is crowned with a
viewing gallery which enables visitors to enjoy a panoramic
view of the city. In order to get there it is necessary to
climb almost 400 steps!
St. Mary's Street
It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful streets of
Gdańsk. It leads from the St Mary's church to the Long
Embankment with the Medieval St Mary's Gate. The street is
an exquisite example of historic Gdansk urban planning with
terraced entrances and narrow, richly decorated facades of
houses which once belonged to affluent merchants and
goldsmiths. The picturesque scenery of the place has always
inspired writers and painters.
The Royal Chapel
It was founded on the initiative of King Jan III Sobieski to
serve as a temporary place of worship for the Catholics of
St Mary's parish church, which at that time was held by
Protestants. It is a masterpiece created by Barthel Ranisch,
erected between 1678-1681, according to the design of the
royal architect, Tylman of Gameren. The Baroque sculptures
on the facade were carved by Andreas Schlüter.
The Hall of the Old City
Erected in the period from 1587 to 1595 by Anthony van
Obbergen. The building displays the classic features of high
quality Mannerist Flemish architecture. The interiors feature
17th century allegorical wall paintings by Adolf Boy, and
allegoric ceiling paintings painted by the disciples of the
Herman Han's school.
The Grand Mill
Built around mid-14th century on the Radunia canal, it was
the largest Teutonic investment in Gdańsk. The structure
combined three functions: that of a flour mill, a granary, and
a bakery. It was equipped with 18 overshot water-wheels,
each 5 m in diameter, which represented a great technical
achievement for that time.
St. Catherine’s Church
It is the oldest parish church of the Old Town, erected
between 1227-1239. First founded by the princes of Gdańsk
Pomerania, it was substantially expanded in the 14th
century. Until 1944 the church used to daze visitors with its
internal decor brimming with Gothic, Mannerist, and Baroque
treasures. Unfortunately it was destroyed in 1945. This
historic building is now fully restored. Once inside, take a
look at the paintings by Anton Möller and Izaak van den
Blocke. A tombstone of the famous astronomer, Jan
Hevelius, dating back to 1659, can also be found here. The
76-metre high church tower supports a fine carillon. The
tower of the Church hosts the Museum of Tower Clocks.
The Oliwa Cathedral
This Holy Trinity, Blessed Virgin Mary, and St Bernard's
Church was first erected as a Cistercian shrine back in the
13th century. Reconstructed in 1350 after a great fire, it reemerged
in the Gothic style and has remained almost
unaltered ever since.
The Gothic interior was extremely damaged in the 1577 fire
and was replaced with the Baroque fixtures we can admire
today. Structurally, the cathedral is a triple-aisle, vaulted
basilica built on the plan of the Latin cross. The Oliwa
Cathedral is 107m long, which makes it the longest church in
Poland. Its splendid decorative gems include the Rococo
organ, dating from the period between 1763 and 1788.
The organ was manufactured by Jan Wulf and Frydryk
Rudolf Dalitz and when built, the instrument was considered
the largest in Europe.
Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers
Three majestic crosses with anchors – symbols of hope –
have been erected to commemorate the bloody victims of
the workers' strikes in December 1970. The demand relative
to erecting this monument at the shipyard’s gates was one
of the most important postulates of the shipyard workers
who went on strike in August 1980.
The crosses are 42 m high and weigh 140 tons. All official
delegations visiting Gdańsk lay flowers at the foot of this
monument.
13 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Gdańsk New Port Lighthouse
A lighthouse in New Port is one of the most beautiful
lighthouses of Baltic Sea. It was commissioned in 1894, and
it showed the entrance to Gdańsk port till 1984. In its
interiors, beautifully kept historical optic devices and
exhibition “Gdańsk lighthouses within years”. Also the view
from its tower to Gdańsk Port, Westerplatte and the whole
Gdańsk Bay, Gdynia and Hel, is very attractive. 27 meters
lighthouse in New Port was built as a famous lighthouse
erected in 1871 in Cleveland (USA). It was used for three
purposes: as a lighthouse, tower of port pilots and basis of
time sphere, removed in 1929. The last was an unusual
instrument. Its rise and fall at noon, enabled precise setting
of marine chronometers, necessary for a precise navigation,
for the captains of ships being on roads. The lighthouse is
open for the visitors from May to September. You will get
more information at: www.latarnia.gda.pl
Monumental Painting Collection in Gdansk Zaspa – 54
murals
Zaspa is one the largest residential areas in Poland. Built in
the 1970s, the neighbourhood was to be the quintessence of
the modernist vision of a perfect housing estate. The first
murals were created in Zaspa thanks to Rafał Roskowiński,
who organised in 1997 the international festival of murals
commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Gdańsk.
The idea of creating a collection of murals in Zaspa returned
in 2009 in the context of Gdansk bidding for the title of the
European Capital of Culture 2016 and the organisation of
the Monumental Art festival curated by Piotr Szwabe aka
Pisz.
The collection today comprises 54 big-scale murals and 10
vestibules. The motifs vary: famous people, history, big
themes like love, freedom, or crisis. That is the oldest and
the biggest collection of murals in Poland.
Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre
The modern, multifunctional building designed by the
Venetian architect Renato Rizzi is the new pride of Gdańsk.
The stage can be transformed in Elizabethan, central or
Italian and the retractable roof, thanks to which
performances can be held in daylight, offers immense
possibilities for staging. The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre
provides impresario activities, presenting outstanding
performances from Poland and around the world as well as
conducts extensive educational activities. It is also an
interesting place on the tourist route: unique attractions for
visitors are not only the retractable roof, modern stage
machinery or the mysterious alleys inside the theatre, but
also the walking trail surrounding the theatre’s walls and the
museum in the basement.
The Last Judgement
The Archangel Michael weighing good and evil, the saved
ascending to heaven on crystal stairs, devils throwing
sinners into the fires of hell. The bothersome vision of
judgement day by the brush of the great Dutch artist was
obtained accidentally, captured as the spoils of war by
Gdańsk's famous privateer Paweł Benecke. Hans Memling's
triptych “The Last Judgement” is the most valuable exhibit
of the National Museum in Gdańsk and his only work in
Polish collections. The painting, considered to be Memling’'s
crowning point (his authorship was not determined until the
mid nineteenth century!), is of an impressive size (height
242cm, width 360cm), with technical perfection and artistic
beauty, and its dramatic fate intrigues both with its
message and its rich symbolism, understandable only to
insiders. You can admire a copy of the work at St. Mary's
Basilica, where the original was first donated to the church.
European Solidarity Centre
Polish Baltic Philharmonic
The European Solidarity Centre is important institution on
the freedom trail in a new, experimental form: it is not only
a museum dedicated to the history of Solidarity and anticommunist
opposition in Poland and Europe, but also a
centre of dialog in the modern world; a meeting place for
people who are close to the values of liberty and democracy.
The heart of ESC is a grand exhibition arranged which
narrative allows everyone to find their own meaning and
emotions. The ESC is also a library, reading room, archives
and an education and creative workshops for young people.
The Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic is the largest
music institution in the northern Poland, visited not only by
local music-lovers but also by people from all over Poland
and all over the world. This is a place for the ones who
desire to enjoy the art of the highest quality.
There are organised symphonic concerts, recitals, and
chamber music soirées performed by the most prominent
Polish musicians as well as worldwide-known artists.
Awarded in Polish and international contests and polls, as
one of the Europe's „must see” locations.
15 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Motława river embankment
visit: www.gdansk.pl/en/
photo: Anton Aleksenko, Getty
Motława river embankment
visit: www.gdansk.pl/en/
photo: Badahos, Getty
Motława river embankment
visit: www.gdansk.pl/en/
photo: macniak, Getty
Herbst Palace Museum
B R A N C H M U S E U M O F A R T , Ł Ó D Ź
P R Z Ę D Z A L N I A N A 7 2 , 9 0 - 3 3 8 Ł Ó D Ź
Collection of Old Polish Masters
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
The collection includes a series of famous works of
Polish painters, in particular from the 19th and the
turn of the 19th/20th centuries, including several
paintings considered the masterpieces of Polish
painting, e.g., Portrait of the Artist’s Mother by
Henryk Rodakowski, Napoleon on a Horse by Piotr
Michałowski, Sleeping Mietek by Stanisław
Wyspiański, and also one of the earliest history
paintings by Jan Matejko Sobieski in Częstochowa.
The collection provides a representative overview of
the Polish painting starting from the Sarmatism
(Sarmatian portrait 17th–18th centuries by, e.g.
Józef Faworski) and Stanislaus Augustus era
(artworks by Marcello Bacciarelli, Jan Piotr Norblin)
through the mainstream of 19th-century arts (e.g.,
paintings by Wojciech Gerson, Witold Pruszkowski,
Józef Chełmoński, Aleksander Gierymski, Leon
Wyczółkowski) until the period of Młoda Polska
(Young Poland) (paintings by, e.g., Olga Boznańska,
Stanisław Wyspiański, Józef Mehoffer, Jacek
Malczewski, and a sculpture by Ksawery Dunikowski).
Valuable part of the collection includes the paintings
by the so called Polish artists in Munich, inter alia,
Maksymilian Gierymski, Józef Brandt, Alfred
Wierusz-Kowalski, and Jan Rosen. The collection also
presents the artworks of the artists of the 19th and
early 20th centuries connected with the emergence
of artistic community in industrial Łódź, also Jewish
artists (e.g. paintings by Leon and Samuel
Hirszenberg, Maurycy Trębacz, Leopold Pilichowski,
sculptures by Henryk Glicenstein); the group includes
a precious acquisition of a painting by Witold
Wołczaski, nowadays a little known painter, who ran
one of the first artistic schools in Łódź. Beginnings
of the collection date back to the period 1930–39. It
all started with a family collection of Kazimierz
Bartoszewicz, Kraków historian and publicist
donated to the city over the years 1928–30. The
donation included, inter alia, artworks by Jan Piotr
Norblin, Artur Grottger, Aleksander Kotsis, Witold
Pruszkowski, Józef Chełmoński, Jacek Malczewski,
and Vlastimil Hofman.
The core of the initial collection was supplemented
with a a few works from the former City Museum
and City Art Gallery, from the collection of Łódź
Municipality; the works of, e.g., Michał Elwiro
Andriolli, Kazimierz Sichulski, Aleksander Lesser,
Juliusz Kossak, Maurycy Trębacz, and Natan Spiegel,
added on to the collection were purchased by the
Municipality.
24 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
Another valuable contribution to the pre-war collection of Polish
painting was the gift of the Łódź industrial tycoon, Karol Eisert,
who donated the following paintings: Alchemist Sędziwój and
King Sigismundus III by Jan Matejko, Intermezzo by Jacek
Malczewski, and a Wounded Cuirassier and a Girl by Wojciech
Kossak. The list of donors includes also other names of Łódź
industrialists, such as, e.g., Stanisław Silberstein, Jakub Brat-Kon
or the heirs to Henryk Grohman. Collection of the newly
established museum was also expanding as a result of
subsequent acquisitions. Among the most precious purchases of
the pre-war period we can mention two portraits by Olga
Boznańska, the famous Portrait of the Artist’'s Mother by Henryk
Rodakowski, and the Self-Portrait by Piotr Michałowski. After
the war the collection was constantly expanded with donations
and purchases but also as a result of many transfers. Currently,
it is composed of more than 700 artworks, out of which almost
450 are oil paintings. Major sets of works are graphics by Jan
Piotr Norblin (84 works) and the paintings by Marian
Wawrzeniecki (28 oil works and gouaches). Latest acquisitions
include Adolf Herstein painting, considered lost, Landscape with
Peasants/Prayer, 1900 – purchased in 2007.
The Herbsts. Unfinished Stories
Newly discovered archive materials used to prepare the
exhibition allowed us to tell the history of two generations of
the Herbst family, which exerted significant impact upon the
development of Łódź. The exhibition in Herbst Palace Museum
unconventionally leads us through the history of palace owners
set against the background of the history of Łódź at the turn
of the 19th and the 20th centuries. The title „Unfinished
Stories” makes references to both family links with the city
broken by historic events and to still continued studies on the
history of industrial Łódź. The flourishing of the Łódź industry
turned a small settlement into one of the most powerful
industrial cities in Europe. Such a dynamic development
enabled some families, the Herbsts included, accumulate huge
fortune within a relatively short time. The Herbsts were not
only active by taking care of their business and amassing
wealth. Both Edward and Matylda engaged themselves in public
and charity activities. They supported new hospitals, donated
significant amounts for the construction of churches of
various religions and were involved into the life of the city.
25 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
charming book about love for your country with a captivating story that will interest children
A
Polish as well as English.-A. Gradzka, a pediatrician, mom of Ania, Tomek and Ola.
learning
MAMO, JAK
DALEKO JEST
POLSKA? MOM,
HOW FAR IS
POLAND?
Written and illustrated by:
Aga Blue
About
A bilingual book for kids who live away from their homeland. Beautiful illustrations,
short comic book dialogues, and everyday situations used as a starting point in
teaching important values such as family and patriotism. ‘Bartek lives abroad and
sometimes misses Poland... He doesn't know what kilometres are, but loves to eat
pierogies. How far is Poland and can you measure that distance in pierogies? Bartek
thinks Poland is far, but his mom says it's actually really close…’
Available on Amazon worldwide.
a book for children
GET YOUR COPY AT:
Hardcover: 36 pages
Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.25 x 11.02 inches
Publisher: Aga Blue (November 15, 2020)
Language: English & Polish
Reading level: 3 - 7 years
29 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
winter wildlife Biebrza
book available at:
empik.com, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie,
Świat Książki.
Please note: the book has been
published in Polish only.
ELKS IN MARSH MARIGOLDS.
WHAT IS BIEBRZA SILENT ABOUT.
s t o r y a n d p h o t o g r a p h y b y : M a g d a l e n a S a r a t
a n d Ł u k a s z Ł u k a s i k
How it Started - the begining.
We wrote a book on nature photography. "Elks in marsh
marigolds. What is Biebrza silent about?" This could actually
be the beginning and end of this text because the title
speaks for itself. But the matter is not as simple as it seems,
for one reason only. For us, nature photography is not only a
way of spending free time, it is our philosophy and our whole
life. "Fotoczaty" is a team of two people from opposite ends
of Poland: Silesia and Podlasie. How did it happen that we
met? The reason was a passion for photography. For many
years we have both been fascinated by nature photography,
mainly mammals and birds, although we do not despise the
beautiful landscape. We both used to track our dream shots,
often in the same places. So it was only a matter of time
when we ran into each other. Actually, it happened in the
Biebrza swamps. Since then, we have been creating a
photographic couple privately and professionally. We visited
probably the majority of the most interesting corners of the
country in search of adventures. Today we laugh that the
book began to write itself, from our first meeting, although
we didn't have such an idea then. Each of our photographic
challenges involved many hours of preparation. Lugging
heavy and uncomfortable equipment, sitting in lookout points
for hours. Waiting for the dream shots. We often came home
with nothing or gaining only additional bruises or scratches.
We got entangled in bushes, stumbled over sedges, or poured
water out of our wellingtons. We fought an uneven battle
with the alarm clock and swore ‘never again’. But, whenever
there was a chance to go out into the field, we did all of this
over and over again. In the meantime, we wrote about our
adventures in various nature newspapers. We described the
species we photographed and introduced the readers to their
behaviour and habits. Finally, a sizeable library developed out
of it. The idea emerged to write a real book, but not just any
book. We wanted the one that will encourage readers to
learn about our nature, arouse their interest, expand their
knowledge, and make them smile. One that will show how
much we love our nature and how much it is needed. Two
more years have passed since the idea for the book
appeared. There were lots of photography trips, workshops,
and just a lack of time to write. In fact, we even forgot about
it for a while, and new materials were accumulating on
computer disks. It was only the pandemic that stopped us.
We spent this not-so-good time in the Biebrza swamps,
hidden in the complete wilderness or in front of the
computer, writing down everything that happened to us
during our photo sessions. Since we do not like to sit only in
front of the computer, our second "child", Siubaya, was
created just by coincidence (also related to nature, but this
time with handicrafts). This year we have combined two
passions – photography and handicrafts. See for yourself how
it went!
A Real Cunning Fox
A fairy tale about Foxy Loxy has already been written. All my
life I have believed in the literary fiction of this cunning, until
suddenly, the clash with reality happened. Spring was
supposed to be feathery, as every year. A man would
traditionally chase feathers that come down at a specific time
and place. Species that are predictable with their behaviour
would be the first choice. Later on, those quite unpredictable,
and finally the pipe dream category. The first successes and
euphoric states would therefore gently turn into a phase of
disorientation and frustration. The end result, in the form of
an emotional breakdown, would traditionally close the spring
season and gently lead us into summer laziness. A known
pattern, unchanging, and not causing cognitive anxiety. After
such a prelude, there are always some interesting photo shots
on the memory card and motivation for the next year in mind.
31 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
As it often happens in nature, you should never, ever take
anything for granted. The first thing to break out of the pattern
were the feathers. The feather friends came as they wanted,
which was completely different from what I expected. Then the
fatal idea came to my mind to get on with fur. If I had suspected
how it would end, I would have been sitting in the swamp waiting
for the birds as long as possible.Topic number one: elks in marsh
marigolds. That is easy. Elks- there were some. Marigolds- there
were some as well. You need to know that the rhizomes and
leaves of these plants are a real delicacy for the four-legged
inhabitants of swamps, which they consume in delight, wading
among the spring backwaters. The only obstacle was the fact that
despite all my struggles, I could not meet them in the same place
and at the same time. As a result, the marsh fawn faded and elk
moms hid in inaccessible swamps to give birth to the next
generation of weirdos in peace. I will cover the subject of the
teddy bear expedition with a veil of silence, saying quietly that I
could not go on it... grrr. The only thing left for me to do was to
bravely fight with the foxies, which was the thing I had a huge
appetite for. After less than an hour of searching, we found a
beautiful burrow in a flowery meadow. We didn't even have to
wonder if it was inhabited. Right at its entrance, two red balls
were playing delightfully. There was nothing else to do but wait
for the afternoon light and start shooting. The redheads were still
so small that they should not be afraid of our discreet presence.
In front of the burrow, single feathers and remains of bones
littered around clearly indicated that the toddlers were feasting
on the prey brought by their mother. Over time, this mess will
become bigger and bigger. This is what distinguishes a fox from a
badger, which is exceptionally clean and regularly tidies the area
around its apartment. After an almost perfect order around the
burrow of extreme littering, you can probably guess who its
owner was. Emotionally, we completely ignored the first sign that
it would not be easy. The second one gave us a bit of food for
thought, but was quickly muffled by the vision of wonderfully lit
foxes playing on a small hill among flowers. The third was lurking
behind our backs to finally finish us off, but more on this later.The
afternoon lookout session ended in a total bust. The little foxies
scuttled into the burrow. And although we hypnotised the
entrance with all our power, no one dared to show up again.
Maybe if an ant, a mosquito, or a black fly tingled me, I would
somehow move. But there was nothing. I froze motionlessly.
Breathless, probably, and certainly totally thoughtless. Nothing!
We gathered our cameras and with the tails between our legs,
swearing like sailors, we decided to return at dawn. At four-thirty
the alarm clock ruthlessly roared to the whole house I'll Go
Barefoot (that's the title of a pretty popular folk song). I only
managed to tell it that it must be crazy, as it's still too cold to go
barefoot anywhere. So, I got up. On the way between the bed and
our Honda, I managed to put my shoes on, and off we went for
National Geographic-worthy photos.
A few minutes after five, I sat down at the set-up camera, with
my teeth chattering rhythmically. After an hour I was able to
chatter the whole gamut, after another thirty minutes I mastered
half the anthem. Still nothing in front of the camera! When the
first rays of the sun finally began to heat us gently, something
quivered. A nose appeared in the hole, then an eye, and then the
red ball moved towards us with a decisive step. One and a half
meters in front of the lens, the redhead stopped and placed a
good-sized poo. Then, by the same route, only a little faster he
returned to the burrow. It's simply fantastic – I already have the
Wildlife Photographer of the Year in my pocket. Winner in the
wildlife category of ‘Fox Toilet’. Or actually ‘A Fox in the Toilet’.
The subtle dawn passed like a golden dream and on the memory
card. It is a shame to talk about.At half-past seven we were
disturbed by a slight movement. The little ones, surprisingly,
decided to tilt their heads out of the ground. One by one they
stuck their noses towards us, pricked their ears, and after a
while, they ran to the hill we had noticed before to play. It took a
while for all six of them to take their plump bumps into the sun.
As we usually do, we only rubbed our hands and threw ourselves
to the cameras with the intention of filling up the cards, when the
foxes, after the initial play and stretching, left our dream scene
one by one. After a few moments, the little ones spread across
the meadow like ants. One crawled almost like an earthworm on
our legs, the other, Indiana Jones, boldly rammed the bushes. Two
more jumped up after their siblings. Only the sloths were left,
curled up in the sunlit hole and even their ears could not be seen.
However, this did not put us off at all. After all, how long can such
youngsters stay away from the safe den? They will probably be
disturbed by something and will run back to its vicinity.Meanwhile,
we watched as all four explorers frolic playfully in the meadow.
Unfortunately, completely beyond the range of our lenses,
something was clearly wrong! Delighted by the discovery of the
burrow, we didn't even check where the other exits were. After
all, it is always the case that the fox apartment has a number of
emergency exits! From one living room, which can be up to three
meters underground, these clever animals lead a whole complex
of corridors and spare exits. The fox was once called cunning for
a reason. It also outsmarted us and in what a style! I was entitled
to an award for wool-gathering, not for my photos.I will not
describe what the foxes did in the vicinity of the second entrance
to the burrow, because it makes my blood boil. Let me just
mention that immediately after this revealing thought, we started
crawling to the frisky kids. Did this work? Well, I was successful
right after I almost knocked my teeth out with a tripod and
blackened my eye with the camera while crawling, sweeping
everything I found beneath me with a net on the way. As a result,
I reached the foxes as a decent scum of all weeds. Additionally,
huffing and spitting with ants and various meadow vermin. There
is nothing like a quiet, relaxing rest and hobby in nature!
32 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
story and photography by: Magdalena Sarat and Łukasz Łukasik
33 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Elks in marsh marigolds. What is Biebrza silent about.
story and photography by: Magdalena Sarat and Łukasz Łukasik
China Moses fot. Sylvain Norget
34 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
story and photography by: Magdalena Sarat and Łukasz Łukasik
China Moses fot. Sylvain Norget
35 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
In the past few years, there were
different issues with winter. In the
mountains, one can say, there is winter
almost every year, however, in other
areas – different things happen.
Włodzimierz Stachoń
WINTER SKIRMISHES
THE PEARL OF THE POLISH WILDLIFE
WORDS & PHOTOS
Włodzimierz Stachoń
www.facebook.com/karpatymagicznakraina
Włodzimierz Stachoń - lives and works in Gromnik (Tarnów county). For almost 25 years, he has been involved in nature photography and
journalism. Over 5,000 photographs of his authorship have been published in over 20 national magazines (nature, forest, fishing, hunting,
sightseeing and others). The next thousand photos can be found on the pages of six albums showing the beauty of nature in south-eastern
Poland. More about the author's creative work on www.wlodzimierzstachon.pl on the profile of Karpaty – Magiczna Kraina.
In the mountains, one can say that there is winter
almost every year, however, in other areas different
things happen. Regardless of the intensity of the
phenomena typical of the winter season, there
comes a time in nature (approximately from
November to March) when animals compete more
intensively with one another for food, since at that
time there is much less of it than in other times of
the year. Food competition intensifies with the
advent of snow and frost. Attracting numerous
amateurs, the food found then is the cause of
arguments and often spectacular skirmishes, which
are probably the easiest to be observed among
some birds of prey. Perhaps the behaviour of
common buzzards would be the best example of
this type of winter habit. These birds not only look
for live prey in winter, but also eagerly eat carrion,
which they can locate surprisingly quickly in their
vicinity. Since such a discovery is usually announced
to all and sundry with a characteristic exhortation,
other winged competitors appear soon after the food
is found. This is when spectacular fights most often
occur. They are not dangerous for the birds, but delay
the satisfaction of their appetites. The moments when
common buzzards fight is not time wasted in nature.
They create occasions for other birds to catch a bite
of nutritious food – on these cold winter days it can
save their lives. With a bit of luck, less common
species can also be observed near the carrion.
Sometimes an easy prey will attract the majestic
white-tailed eagle or a trained eye will spot a
newcomer from the north, a rough-legged buzzard,
flying among common buzzards. Yet other times, a
Northern goshawk, which usually leads a secret life
under the cover of the forest, will sit in front of the
camera lens. For a nature photographer stuck in the
frost in the hideout, these are the moments that allow
you to forget about the inconvenience and freezing
cold. They are inseparable companions of winter
photos taken from hideouts.
From year to year, it is
becoming increasingly less
common to admire birds in
truly winter scenery.
41 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photos: Włodzimierz Stachoń
Top photo: A winged patrol in the river valley: the arrival of the white-tailed eagle causes panic among wintering waterbirds.
Middle left: A buzzard repels the attack of an incoming competitor.
Middle right: A feature typical for buzzards is a large variation in colour. This time an individual with very bright plumage appeared in front of the lens.
Bottom left: Wings, claws, and beaks go into action when the game is about nutritious bites
Bottom right: A characteristic feature of a rough-legged buzzard are feathered legs, clearly visible in the birds taking off to fly.
WINTER BIRDS
Most of the birds that decide to migrate leave our
country between September and November.
However, for some of them, Poland is the final
destination. Although we will not see swallows and
storks for a few winter months, other species
occupy their place. Some of them can be observed
even in the cities, especially in parks and gardens
where they often look for food. To see a little more
special species, however, you have to go to more
secluded places where nature dominates over
urbanised life. During the winter you can observe
birds at feeders, to which you can lure over 20
species, including such rarities as the hawfinch,
bullfinch, brambling. At this time, we are also visited
by the birds which cannot be seen at any other time
of the year, as waxwings or bramblings. Winter is
also a great time to photograph birds of prey.
White-tailed eagles, buzzards.
On photo: Long hours spent in the hideout result in
new photo shots of various species in different
sceneries. One morning, during a snowstorm, a
common buzzard appears in front of the lens.
Another time in the same place, I photograph a
much less common visitor from the north, a roughlegged
buzzard.
photos: Włodzimierz Stachoń
www.facebook.com/karpatymagicznakraina
43 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
AUSTRIAN-RUSSIAN WAR
CEMETERY NO.51 ROTUNDA
PHOTOS KRYSTIAN KIWACZ
www.krystiankiwacz.pl
www.facebook.com/Krystian-Kiwacz-Fotografia
This war cemetery contains 54 war graves: 42 Austro-Hungarian and 12 Russian soldiers
who fell in March 1915.
Lesser Poland, low Beskid
War Cemetery No. 51 at Rotunda is a historic cemetery from the First
World War. The necropolis, one of the most beautiful in the Low
Beskids, is located on the top of Rotunda (between Regetówka and
Zdynia valleys).
The facility was established by the Austrian authorities in the years
1915-1918, in the region of Galicia. Among all the military cemeteries
from World War I, located in the Low Beskids, the one in Rotunda
certainly deserves special attention. It results from the extraordinary
beauty of the necropolis, its location, history, and the atmosphere of
mystery and uniqueness that surrounds the monument.
Rotunda
Rotunda Hill, Regietow 38-315, lesser Poland
Open:
all year long, open air, free entry
Duration of the visit: about 30 minutes
Trekking or sport shoes recommended. Access to the site is
not easy, as there's at least 1:30 hour walk on from west
(Regietów) side or less steep but much longer walk from
east (Zdynia) side.
Reaching the cemetery is not easy and finding it may take a long
time. The monument is hidden among trees, thick grasses and
shrubs. Perhaps, it is the whole aura and surroundings that make
the necropolis even more intriguing – and thus it makes a huge
impression on tourists. The necropolis was designed by Duszan
Jurkovic and it is the most impressive and most interesting of the
group of 31 necropolises created by this architect, in the so-called
Żmigród district.
50 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photos: M. Ciszewski, polska.pl
At the war cemetery No. 51 at Rotunda, 42 soldiers of Austro-Hungarian
origin were buried. They belonged to: 1st Imperial Tyrolean Rifle Regiment,
36th Infantry Regiment of Mlada Boleslav, 59th "Rainer" Infantry Regiment,
1st and 25th Landwehra Infantry Regiments. There were also 12 soldiers of
Russian origin buried there, serving in 193rd Swijażaski Infantry Regiment.
Originally, the cemetery was built on a circular plan and was surrounded by
a stone rampart wall. A wooden gate in the form of a shingle roof on poles
led to the necropolis from the east. In the centre of the cemetery, there
were five tall wooden towers covered with shingles. At the top of each of
them there was a huge wooden cross, additionally covered with semicircular
canopies, which were attached to the arms of the cross. The roofs
of the towers were "slender shingled, broken at the base, with small shed
eaves at 2/3 of the height." The tower that stood in the middle was 16
meters high. Four lower towers surrounded it, "arranged in a square with
diagonals coaxial with the central tower". There were 20 tombstones
around, as well as 4 mass graves. On the graves, there were simple, wooden
beam crosses, "one and two-armed, with the upper arm covered with a
small board roof". In addition, at the intersection of the arms of the
crosses, there were wooden shields, rectangular in shape and with
truncated lower corners. In 1980, the war cemetery No. 51 at Rotunda was
the first among the Beskid necropolises to be entered into the national
register of monuments. Unfortunately, it does not go hand in hand with the
"appropriate" condition of the cemetery, where no thorough works have
been carried out, and even the simplest protection has not been provided.
It should be emphasized that originally the monument was visible from a
considerable distance, because the top of the mountain was not forested.
Currently, the top of Rotunda – and therefore also the
cemetery, is surrounded by numerous trees and shrubs.
Cleaning works in the necropolis were organised for several
times and they mainly involved the removal of unnecessary
vegetation, and cleaning up trees and shrubs. The stone wall
surrounding the historic area was also cleaned. Thanks to these
works, the outline of the graves as well as the remains of
several crosses were revealed. Only the skeletons of the
structures have remained of the wooden towers till now.
Additionally, one of the towers was completely destroyed. It is
important that the inscription stone with a forged Maltese
cross is in good condition.
There is an inscription on the board in German written by Hans Hauptmann.
„Klagt nicht daß unser Grab der Sturm umheult
Auf dieser einsam menschenfern Höhe,
Hier sind dem Ruf der Ewigkeit wir näher,
Und früher wirft allmorgendlich die Sonne
Ihr Purpurbahrtuch leuchtend über uns.”
The translation of the inscription is as follows:
Do not cry that we lay here, so far away from people, and the storms have taken their toll on
us more than once - after all, the sun wakes us up here earlier every morning and covers us
sooner with the purple of its glory.
In 2004, thanks to the efforts of the Social Committee for
the Reconstruction of the War Cemetery at Rotunda, as
well as the financial support of the Austrian Red Cross, 24
new tombstone crosses, plaques with the names of the
murder victims, and an architectural project for the
reconstruction of the cemetery were made.
51 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Ochodzita
by
Michał Piorun
www.facebook.com/piorunografia
56 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
In the north-east, below, there is the Żywiec Valley, closed by the
range of Beskid Mały (one can distinguish, among others, the
highest peak of the Andrychów Beskid- Łamana Skała). To the east
and south-east, there is the Żywiec Beskid range with Romanka,
Lipowski Wierch, and the dominant Pilsko, occluding Babia Góra. To
the right of Pilsko, there is the border ridge of the Żywiec Beskid.
Above the deep depression of the Glinka (Ujsolska) Pass and in
favourable weather conditions, the panorama is completed by the
soaring wall of the Tatra Mountains. Closer, you can see Mańcuł,
covered with forests. To the right of it, there is Rycerzowa with its
two summits and behind it, spreading Rachowiec. Velka Raca rises
to the south. The horizon is closed by the Lesser Fatra with the
dedicated to John Paul II. The ceremonial opening took place on
August 11, 2010, during the Second World Congress of Polish
Highlanders in Koniaków. The commemorative plaque is a gift from
the highlanders to Pope John Paul II on the 10th anniversary of the
World Congress of Polish Highlanders, which took place in Koniaków
in 2000. It was consecrated by priest Damian Suszka, the chaplain of
the Department of Silesian Highlanders from Koniaków. It is worth
sitting on a nearby bench to enjoy the panorama. In the
neighbourhood there is a statue of John Paul II, built in 2018 to
commemorate the 40th anniversary of the election of the Polish
Pope. Next, there is a cross. The Chapel of Our Lady of Beskids -
Queen of the Mountains is hidden in the trees. The initiator of its
highest peaks – Rozsutec, Stoh, and Veľký Kriváň. On the northern
slope of Ochodzita, in the 1950s, as a result of heavy rainfall, a great
landslide emerged. Its dimensions, considering the Beskid conditions,
were impressive - 150 meters wide and 450 meters long. Traces of it
can be seen in the field to this day. A stay at the top of Ochodzita
should not be limited only to the views. It is worth spending a few
quarters of time to take a closer look at the attractions nearby. On
June 28, 1990, at the top of Ochodzita, a 34-meter-high RTV
transmitter was built. Just below the peak there is a small chapel,
the work of Ludwik Kubaszczyk, a folk artist from Koniaków. A bit
further, a T-bar lift. On the southern slope there is a beautifully
carved Wallachian gate, which is a point on the Wallachian Culture
Trail. Next to it, there is an obelisk with a commemorative plaque
construction was Fr. Romuald Waldera. In May 1972 it was completed
by Jan Waszut and Józef Legierski. The figure of the Mother of God
was made by a local artist, Jan Krężelok. In 2000, the chapel was
extended and solemnly consecrated. A short walk around Ochodzita
should end at the very top with a short rest on a bench, admiring the
panorama.
Ochodzita is easily accessible to every tourist. You can get to its top
dome by provincial road No. 943 from the villages of Laliki, Koniaków
and Istebna. It is best to leave the car near the Ochodzita Inn.
Further on, there is a convenient road lined with concrete slabs. It
takes less than 15 minutes to complete this part of the way.
However, this is not the end of Ochodzita tourist attractions. It is
worth mentioning that many films were made in the shadow of
58 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
the mountain. In Tri-Village, the scenes of the last episode of
Czterej Pancerni (Four Tank-Men and a Dog), a famous TV series
from 1969, were filmed. In the landscapes of Rajcza, a village
situated nearby, a fabular movie "Nauka latania" (Flying lessons)
was recorded, while in Ujsoły in 1983 they filmed "Żeniac". Also in
Ujsoły, as well as in Sopotnia Mała, Rycerka Dolna and Rajcza, in
1984 the film "Sprawa się rypła" (Things go sideways), was made.
The aforementioned Rajcza reappeared in the frames of the
document about Fr. Józef Tischner from 2012, entitled "Jego
oczami" (In his eyes). However, the most beautiful Beskid
landscapes of Istebna with Ochodzita are presented in the comedy
"Oh, Karol 2". In the film, you can also admire a little church
The young count lost his mind out of longing and burned down the
castle on the hill. Nobody heard of him anymore. They say that in a
nearby quarry, at night, you can hear the cries of a young man who
weeps after losing his beloved.
There used to be a sandstone quarry on the north-west slope of the
Koczy Zamek hill. Currently, at the top, there is a cross and a stone
dedicated to the soldiers of the Polish Army, the Home Army and the
Grey Ranks, who died during World War II.
A short hike around Ochodzita is just an incentive to get to know the
nearby tourist attractions. It is worth visiting the capital of Polish
lace, Koniaków, for a walk to the so-called Trzycatka, the border
between Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
in Stecówka. In addition, some scenes were also recorded on the
road and in the tunnel in Laliki.
Being in Ochodzita, it is worth spending several dozen minutes to
visit the neighbouring peak called Koczy Zamek. It is situated only
1.5 km eastwards, above the road from Koniaków to Laliki. The
origin of the name of this mountain is interesting and it is told in
one of the legends. It mentions a Hungarian count named Kocsi,
who left his homeland because his father tried to match him up
with a not-so-pretty, albeit rich maiden. Wandering around the
Beskids, the young man met and fell in love with a beautiful
highlander girl, native to Koniaków. He married her and built a
small castle. The news reached his father who, out of rage,
decided to kidnap and murder his daughter-in-law.
Finally, climb up Barania Góra, from where the Vistula flows out. I
invite you to discover this picturesque corner of the Silesian
Beskids on your own.
Ochodzita
Michał Piorun, December 2020
59 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
PLACES AND CUSTOMS
by Katarzyna Skóra
Katarzyna lived almost all her life in the Low Beskids. She is particularly interested in everyday
life in the former Lemko region. The imagination plays an important role in her life, helping to
feel the atmosphere of the visited places. She is into handicrafts, and specifically crocheting.
Working on various projects allows you to relax, in a sense it has become a way of life. She is
also passionate about photography. She tries to capture in her frames inanimate nature,
landscapes and the transience, in the broad sense of the word. Weekly photo trips have
already become a tradition.
Old Lemko traditions and Christmas Customs
www.magurskiewyprawy.pl
Living in their mountains, the Lemko community was often cut
off from the world by snow or rain. Due to limited interaction
with outsiders, their old rituals and customs were more easily
preserved for longer and in a fuller form. The most important
among all Lemko’s holidays was Christmas, called Rizdwo. It is
recognized as one of the twelve great holidays. Preparations for
this holiday began well before January 7th (Christmas in the
Eastern rite is celebrated then, due to the use of the Julian
calendar). In the period preceding this great feast, during
Advent, people used to gather to spin flax together. These
meetings were called weczirky. As a precursor to the holiday
itself, there was a game called Łomanyk. According to the rules
of this game, boys used to join the girls gathered at the flax
spinning, dressed as Jews, Gypsies, bears, and rams. The youth
had fun in such a way that the boys grabbed the girls lying on
the floor by their legs and dragged them back and forth. A
particularly important day was Christmas Eve, or Światyj Weczir.
There were many traditions associated with this day and one
had to be careful not to omit any. It was believed that the
disregard of the prohibitions and orders would cause fate to
take revenge on people or the entire household the following
year.
First, Lemkos used to fast on this day, just like we do. It was
forbidden to eat fresh vegetables and fruit as they were
believed to cause ulcers. Particular care had to be taken when
lighting the fire, as blowing on the fire could cause pimples in
the coming year. Some would go to the forest or to their
neighbours to steal wood. It was not about stealing in the literal
sense, but about bringing at least a stick hidden, so that no one
would notice it on their way back home. It was also believed that
borrowing money from a Jew on that special day was a
guarantee of happiness.While cooking Christmas Eve dishes,
women made sure that their children did not steal anything
from the pots, as it was believed that wolves would snatch
sheep in the summer. When the bread was put into the oven, the
hostess took out a few coals and assigned the names of grains
to each of them. The piece of coal with the thickest layer of ash
was regarded to be a forecast of the abundance of that
particular grain in the upcoming harvest season.
When it was getting dark, the whole family would go barefoot to
the river or stream to wash in it, "to be as healthy and as swift as
the water current". Sometimes they even went naked during such
dips! Consider the fact that in the past, the winters were harsh and
cold, not like today. These days, if someone decided to take such a
bath that was supposed to bring health, they would most likely get
sick! Then, from the cold deluge, people used to hold water in their
mouths on the way back home, and after entering the house, they
spit it out on the stove. All of that was to avoid suffering from a
toothache during the coming year! To protect the animals’ health,
they were given bread with garlic to taste in their stable.While
preparing for the supper, an unthreshed oat sheaf was placed in
the corner of the room. The host would spread hay on the table,
then sprinkle it with oats, so that there would be a lot of money in
the house. Then, a tablecloth would be put on the table prepared in
this way. There had to be a few loaves of bread on the table, salt
on the plate, garlic, and a pot with all kinds of grains and a candle.
Under the table, the host put a scythe, an axe (so that the legs
would not hurt) or other objects. The items under the table were
supposed to bring good luck. For example, the flail was there to
ensure abundant crops to thresh next year. Twelve dishes were
then cooked for the supper. Three spoons of each dish were placed
in the milk pail (dijnyczok) and later given to the cows, so that the
witch would not take the milk from them. The hostess would cut a
lot of bread and place it on a plate in a pyramid so that the host,
sitting on the other side of the table, would not be seen through
the bread slices. He would say, "May nobody see me in our crops in
the fields."During Christmas Eve, the Lemokos would first eat
cloves of garlic dipped in salt and then the family members drank a
glass of vodka for all the present and absent ones. Next, they
served cabbage, noodles (called bobalki) with poppy seeds, cabbage
rolls with mushrooms, whole potatoes, potatoes with yushka
(Lemko dried fruit compote), baked apples, peas, broad beans,
beans, pearl barley, groats with plums, and Lemko sour soup called
kiesełyca (made of oat leaven). The dishes were served with homemade
oil and, of course, they were eaten from one bowl. There
were also a few rules to follow. First of all, it was not allowed to sit
down at the table with unpaid debts, and one could not lean on the
table so that the grain would not "collapse".
60 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
The first day of Christmas, or Rizdwo, started the weather
forecast for the whole year. Each subsequent day was supposed
to forecast the weather for one month of the year. Interestingly,
in the foothills area, the elderly still practice such weather
forecasting. Every year my grandmother writes down the weather
for 12 days after "Russian holidays". Does the forecast come
true? Maybe in a small part, but what matters is the tradition and
the willingness to continue it.
On the first day of Christmas, Lemkos washed their faces with
water, into which they had previously thrown small coins.
This custom was to ensure wealth. There is also such a tradition in
Pogórze, but this ritual is performed on Christmas Eve. In some
villages, the farmer would bring a sheep or a horse into the room
in memory of the adoration of the new-born Jesus by animals.
Among Eastern Rite Catholics, carollers are very important on the
first day of Christmas, they used to visit homes early in the
morning.
The second day of Christmas was called wymitny (which may be
translated as "swept") because on that day, for the first time since
Christmas Eve, it was possible to sweep the floors. This was
supposed to be done very early in the morning. Girls threw garbage
from the floor in the least frequented place in the orchard and
there, while pouring it out, they used to cry out in a special way,
used by shepherds (which was called hiłkanie). The echo was
believed to indicate the direction from which her future fiancé would
come. It is difficult for me to say what the Lemko holidays look like
now, but their Christmas tree is certainly a little more modest than
ours. There must be lights, candies and nuts on it. There is no
nativity scene in the church, but an icon of the Nativity of Christ.
Each believer bows in front of it and kisses it as well. Such icons are
also hung at homes.After the appearance of the first star, the head
of the family begins a prayer and then shares prosphora with
everyone, which is an unleavened kind of bread, blessed in the
church, which serves as the Christmas wafer that we know.
www.magurskiewyprawy.pl
61 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
www.magurskiewyprawy.pl
The custom of sharing prosphora in homes has emerged recently as
a result of the influence of Western culture. During the Christmas
season, the faithful take part in church services. Lemko and
Pogórze traditions are very similar. Hence, I have known many of
them since my childhood. We also gave a little bit of every dish to
the cows and we also used to have an axe under the Christmas Eve
table. During the supper, it was forbidden to get up from the table
or put the spoon away (because we used a spoon for each dish). We
ate and we still eat from one bowl. We always have a sour soup for
Christmas Eve and it has always been made on oat leaven. To make
leaven for such a sour soup, we need about half a kilogram of
wholemeal oat flour, which we pour over with warm, boiled water
(some people add bread crust to it). We set it aside for a few days
in a warm place. After about 2 days, it should start to bubble. Then,
we boil about 2 liters of water with a bay leaf, allspice, and of
course garlic and dried mushrooms. Then, mixed leaven is poured
through a sieve into the boiling water and here it is necessary to
watch it so that it does not bubble away from the pan. This is not a
recipe for an original kiesełyca, but for an oat sour soup
traditionally prepared in my family home. When I was a child my
mother would always say, "Like Christmas Eve, like the whole year.”
She used to repeat that we should be polite and not to disobey or
argue if we do not want to do this throughout the coming year.
This, of course, also had a purely practical advantage - peace of
mind when preparing the supper. It is a pity that with time many
traditions either disappear or lose their serious character, turning
into something funny, a reason for jokes and mockery. As for
Lemko traditions, customs and annual rites, they were cultivated
until the end of World War II. On the other hand, the subsequent
turmoil and displacement had an impact on the Lemko culture.
Today, probably some of the aforementioned customs, especially
superstitions or omens, are forgotten. Even those Lemkos who
returned to their former neighbourhood no longer subscribe to
these ancient practices. Seeing this, it is no surprise that our
traditions disappear, although we have not encountered difficulties
related to displacement or otherwise.
Katarzyna Skóra
www.magurskiewyprawy.pl
church in Berest, photoKEMSAB
church in Nowica, photo J Kadaj
62 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
church in Smolnik, photo M Jucha
63 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Tylicz TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Text: www. en.krynica.pl
Mineral waters – highly carbonated waters with high calcium were
known here several hundred years before but not until they were
investigated and described by L. Zejszner, their full potency was
realized. In the 90 s of twentieth century A special mine area ”Tylicz”
was created here and “Multico” company obtained a concession to
exploit local mineral water in world wide scale. All sources and wells of
local mineral waters as well as symptoms of exhalation of CO2
concentrates in the area on the left bank of Muszynka, Bradowiec and
Syhowny streams. Only one source is permanently adapted to wider
usage. It is the well on left riverbanks of Muszynka, down below historic
Greek Catholic church in the park. It is the source already mentioned of
highly carbonated mineral water with high calcium and iron content very
much valued by inhabitants. There are several more temporarily
adjusted for tourist (for example two sources can be found on the
educational path “Na Rakowsku”).
Educational path of nature ”Na Rakowsku” It is one of the first initiative
of the whole program which aims to protect and use better the specific
microclimate of forest around Krynica. The local government and the
management of the forest want to protect it’'s unique environment as
well as use it more productively and create high standard conditions for
tourists who would like to see the forest in it's natural beauty. Another
aim is to promote ecology. The path leads through southern side of
“Bradowiec” mountain to it's peak.
It starts next to the small spring situated about 2km from market place
in Powroźnik direction (next to “Multi Vita” factory). There is a board
with all sorts of information about the path, the map with places of all
interesting objects marked by Arabic letters on it. The path is easy to
follow. For anyone interested there are brochures and folder available in
local libraries or at the forestry.
Tourist's trials
Tylicz - Szwarcowa - Huzary (863 m above sea level) – Pulaski’'s Mound.
Total time: 2 hours for going there and 1h 40 minutes for come back.
The route starts at the end of bp Tylicki’'s street. It leads onto country
road in north direction, at places quite steeple up the hill. After reaching
the first peak we can observe a beautiful panorama of Tylicz, Muszynka,
Tylicz Pass and Lackowa mountain. We can also notice the mountains in
Slovakia on the horizon. Later the route leads through the forest, at the
beginning quite easy, but closer to the top of Huzary mountain it is
more steeple at places. After passing the Peak of Huzary we enter the
yellow track from Jakubik Mountain and it leads us down in bends to
asphalt road and the Pułaski's Mound next to it. From this place we can
go to the centre of the Krynica or follow the yellow signs to the
Parkowa Mountain.
photo: Konrad Rogozińksi
Cross-country skiing trails:
In Tylicz, on the grounds of ‘Huts in the Forest’ Tourist Settlement there are two trails: 2.5 km and 4 km long. They are dedicated to beginners and intermediate skiers. It is worth mentioning that the trails are regularly groomed
with a trace. There is a car park for cars and coaches, a modern rental of cross country skis (Rossignol) and a cross country skiing service.
65 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Tylicz – Szalone – Bradowiec – Rakowskie – Powroźnik – total
time 3 hours. The track goes across the peaks which surround
the town from the west. It starts in the Krynica Centre or at
the Parkowa Mountain. It goes mostly trough the forest and
peaks about 800m high. Near Bradowiec where the woods
aren’t so thick we can admire the view with Greek Catholic
church and numerous ski lifts near Tylicz. The track ends in
Powroźnik at the bus station.
Muszynka- Kamienny Horb (827m) – Wojkowa – total time 3
hours. The track starts in the village south – east from Tylicz. At
first it leads up the hill across the pastures then through the
woods which are the historic reserve “The Trenches of
Confederates of Bar” then along the Poland border. On the way
there are several places where you can observe beautiful
panorama of the Slovak Mountains. The route ends in Wojkowa
village, 8 km away from Krynica.
Muszynka
Muszynka is a former Lemko village, situated at an altitude of
650 meters above the valley of the same name, located just 2
miles from the Tylicz Pass. It was established in 1356, by King
Casimir III, the Great. In XIV and XV centuries it played a very
important role due to it's location at the busy trade route
because it was situated on the way to Hungary. After WWII 70%
of Lemkos were moved by force to The Soviet Union. In the
middle of the village stands Greek Catholic church of old under
the name of St. John, the Evangelist. It is wooden, built in
Orthodox style in 1689, roof covered with metal sheet. Inside in
one of the altars there is a picture of St. Barbara which was
brought here from the Confederates’ Camp. Iconostasis is
connected with side doors and dates from eighteenth century.
Until 1947 the church was a Lemko’'s parochial church, but
nowadays it is a filial church of Catholic parish in Tylicz.
The historic reserve “The Trenches of Confederates of Bar”
requires also some attention. It memorise the presence of the
troops of Kazimierz Pułaski here in the end of eighteenth c.
which resulted in Partition of Poland and lack of independence.
The Confederates fought in those woods against enemy's
armies and lost. The yellow trail leads to the top of Jawor,
past the obelisk commemorating the Confederates and further
leads through high Berest to Wojkowa. The red track goes
along the Poland’s frontier starting at the Tylicz Pass and
leading in direction of Dzielec and Laskowa peaks.
Sights
Greek Catholic church of SS Kosmas and Damian situated next
to the road to Muszynka. It was built between 1738-1744 and
renovated in 1780, 1938 and 1982. It's wooden of framework
construction, timbered. The tower is partly covered with
wooden tiles and partly with sheet metal.
Market Square in quadrangular shape with perpendicular
streets – is a reminder of former Tylicz glory – all the market
gatherings were held here and in the Town hall the Criminal
Court used to preside (nowadays a Rural House of Culture
stands here). Not long ago you could still observe eaves of
houses in the form of arcades characteristic for this type of
architecture, but unfortunately they do not exist here any
more. From centuries the surface of the market square was
paved with so-called “cobblestones”. In the park near the
church stands small brick shrine from 1808.
The church of SS. Peter and Paul founded by Bp. Piotr Tylicki
and built in 1612. Entirely wooden and boarded, with sheet
metal roof. It consist of one narrow nave and presbytery in
triangular shape, next to which the vestry is attached. The
tower was attached in 1936 over the old vestibule.
photo:Konrad Rogozinksi
Tylicz - always good but in winter time the best!
Tylicz is a place located in the south of the Beskid Sądecki. In summer – the richness of forests, walking trails and natural mineral water springs. In winter – ski stations and a plethora of cross country skiing trails in the
vicinity. Tylicz is an excellent starting point to do this sport - professional equipment rentals, service stations and regularly maintained trails attract more and more cross country skiers.
66 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photo:Konrad Rogozinksi
Tourist Settlement "Huts in the Forest’" (Domki w Lesie) Tourist Settlement is located 6km from the center of Krynica-Zdrój, in a picturesque valley in Tylicz, in the Poprad Landscape Park protection zone. The huts are surrounded with trees
and the vicinity of cross country skiing trails and a high standard are the main values of the Settlement. On the grounds of the Settlement, there are two trails: 2.5km and 4km long. You will find out more about them on the next page. There
is also the only in the region cross country skiing school and you will find necessary equipment, also for the youngest ones, in a nearby rental. You will find essential details at www.domkiwlesie.pl.
67 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photo: Konrad Rogoziński
www.odkryjbeskid.pl
www.facebook.com/odkryjbeskid
photo: Konrad Rogoziński
www.odkryjbeskid.pl
www.facebook.com/odkryjbeskid
Tatra Mountains
by Łukasz Sowiński
To discover natural beauty of Poland at its finest, you
should head to Tatra National Park.
Tatra mountains are the most beautiful Polish
mountain range, visited by thousands of tourists each
year.
Tatra Mountains differ from the Alps for sure in
However,
of their lengthiness. At similar peak heights (circa
respect
metres) the mountain range is very short and narrow.
2300
length of Tatra Mountains as the crow flies amounts to 53
The
whereas the length along the main ridge on
kilometres,
entire length both along the tourist route as well as
almost
border between Poland and Slovakia, 80 kilometres. The
the
of the Tatra Mountains is "up to" 30 km. On the territory
width
Slovakia and Polish Podhale there are many places, from
of
it is possible to admire their full splendour with no
which
The impression of fairy-tale character of the
difficulty.
and the vastness of the mountains is enhanced by
scenery
peculiar geological landscape construction. Both on the
the
and on the northern side there are large tectonic
southern
with gentle 1000 meter hills behind them. Tatra
valleys,
seen from Podhale and lighted up by the morning
Mountains
actually constitutes the most beloved theme for Polish
sun
photographers.
landscape
TATRA MOUNTAINS ŁUKASZ SOWIŃSKI
RIDE THE WILD WIND
PHOTOS
Łukasz Sowiński
www.facebook.com/zsercaorawy
www.facebook.com/krajobrazysowinskifoto
We invite you to get to know the Polish Tatra Mountains in the photography of Łukasz Sowiński. You have already known his photos from
Orava, not only the landscape ones, but also those related to Polish and Orava traditions. This time, Łukasz will take you to the Tatra
Mountains.
On the shores of streams, on the outlet of big Tatra valleys,
there are both deciduous riparian-type forests as well as
beach wood forests with a dash of pine tree. They quickly
give place to spruce and fir forests, transforming into a
strip of dwarf mountain pine, alternating with rowanberry
and lofty Swiss stone pines, subsequently turning into
mountain pastures or large meadows used to pasture the
sheep and in winter serving as an excellent ski area. There
are no glaciers in Tatra Mountains. On the height where
there is actually cold enough during the whole year the
slopes are to steep, so that they could hold any larger
amounts of snow. The remaining of the ice age is a group of
200 unusually picturesque mountain lakes. Chochołowska
Valley – with crocuses. Because the whole area of the
mountains is protected by Poland and Slovakia in national
parks it is not possible to cross ridge on other way than on
foot or in winter on ski. However, It is possible to round
Tatra Mountains on a bicycle. This trip is about 230 km long
and due to stunning views belongs among the most
beautiful in Europe. Tatra Mountains have been the most
popular destination of wanders for more than 150 years.
Both in Polish and Slovak part the chain of tourist
shelters and ski slopes is well developed.
For skiers the most important thing is the recently
modernised cable-car railway from Zakopane to
Kasprowy Wierch as well as ski lifts complexes
located in Goryczkowa Valley and Gąsienicowa Hala.
They facilitate to do the ski slope on the highest
world level. Even though mountain rescue system in
Tatra Mountains is very well organised, still every
year there are many lethal accidents.
Due to the protection of nature and numerous
threats resulting from the difficult territory,
walking is restricted exclusively to the routes
designated by the administrative organs of
respective National Parks. It needs to bear in mind,
that routes in Slovak part of Tatra Mountains are
closed for winter.
One glance on the map of Tatra Mountains is
enough to tell, that the names of the valleys on
both sides of the main ridge of the Tatra Mountains
sound almost the same. Despite the fact, that Tatra
Mountains have been divided with a political border
"since forever", people dwelling Poland, as well as
the historical "Upper Hungary" have always been
close and related. Until the present day highlanders
from Slovakia use similar dialect and usually deal
with very similar branches and sectors of economy.
Regional, characteristic dairy products from Tatra
Mountains are smoked sheep milk cheese "oscypek"
– made in the Tatra Mountains and "bunc", and the
handicraft products are sheep's fur and hand-made
shoes called "kierpce" i.e. shoes with pointed toes
traditionally worn by Polish highlanders and vests.
73 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
We hope that you decide to go to Poland and spend your free
time in the Tatra Mountains – and of course you would like to
enjoy the snow and space. It is possible that your goal is not
only to exercise in the fresh air, but you would also like to
explore wildlife. On skis, snowshoes or just on foot (we write
about it in the next article).
There are many possibilities – the choice is yours. You will not
be alone. Think: three million tourists each year and only a
hundred of chamois. In the Tatra National Park, each animal has
many more opportunities to meet a human being than a man to
meet an animal. In order to observe animals without frightening
them, you need to remember some rules and precautions. First,
you need to know the laws that govern mountains in winter. It
is difficult for people to imagine how much effort it costs
animals to live in the mountains all year round and what
dangers await them. The difficult life of mountain animals is
worthy of our respect. By following a simple code, you can
enjoy your stay in the mountains without harming the local
nature.
Winter tourism and wild animals
After the tour you will return to a warm apartment. Chamois
and black grouse will stay in the mountains, trying to survive
the next cold winter. Their survival depends largely on one
thing: saving energy.
Snow covers the daily food of the animals. Both herbivores and
predators find it hard to find anything to eat. So animals have
to rely on the fat stored under the skin. Food is scarce and the
energy requirement is enormous - it is difficult to navigate in
deep snow, and the low temperatures and wind make the
necessity to maintain a constant body temperature really
energy-consuming. So even the slightest move comes at a cost.
Unnecessary energy consumption, for example as a result of
flight due to accidental scare, can lead to the death of the
animal from disease and exhaustion.
The animals, weakened by unnecessary escapes, also become
easy prey for predators.To save energy, the black grouse often
hide from wind and frost in a snow igloo. If you get too close,
you can disturb them and make them take off. It will cost them
to deplete their life reserves. One short flight may seem
harmless, but the total effort of frequent scare can be fatal.A
chamois, escaping through the snow, uses many times more
energy than when it was calmly nibbling on frozen lichens and
dry grass a few minutes earlier. Tomorrow, it may run out of
this lost energy.The man who scared the chamois, did not
intend to harm them, he only wanted to take a nice picture ...
Winter tourism and safety
The life of animals and plants in the mountains is difficult. But
of course, the laws that govern the mountains in winter also
apply to us. So we also have to think about our own safety.In
winter, the blue sky and beautiful sun can easily make us
forget that:
The temperature quickly drops by 10-15°C – after sunset,
when we enter the shade or when the wind breaks and the
spring thaw suddenly turns into a winter blizzard. The
weather can change rapidly in both summer and winter.
Therefore, take the appropriate equipment and clothing with
you in anticipation of changing conditions. Also, consider
taking a thermos flask with a warm drink and enough food to
replenish the calories lost during exercise and needed to keep
your body warm.Avalanche risk must be taken seriously. Don't
be fooled by the friendly landscape and wary even if the road
looks safe.In winter, the days are short and dusk falls quickly.
This is a very important factor when planning a trip. Don't
wait with going back home for the sun to set.
There are many guides where you can find more detailed
information on mountain safety. Remember to check the
weather forecast and the current avalanche report before the
trip. If in doubt, seek help from a qualified guide. Its task is to
help you discover the mountains safely.
The Tourist Information Point is located
at the Jana Pawła II roundabout
(the so-called ‘Kuźnickie rondo’)
in Zakopane.
The point provide all useful tourist information,
every day from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm.
You can also contact the Point
by phone: 18 20 23 300
or by e-mail: infotur@tpn.pl.
Feel free to contact Tourist Information Point
before you set off on the trail.
The tourist announcement on our website
is constantly updated.
74 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Near Kasprowy Wierch – waves
Łukasz Sowiński
www.facebook.com/zsercaorawy
www.facebook.com/krajobrazysowinskifoto
High Tatras, "unreachable"
Łukasz Sowiński
www.facebook.com/zsercaorawy
www.facebook.com/krajobrazysowinskifoto
view from Kasprowy Wierch
Łukasz Sowiński
www.facebook.com/zsercaorawy
www.facebook.com/krajobrazysowinskifoto
winter escape
active in tatra
Kraków
Tatra Mountains
84 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
in Poland, we encourage you to visit Zakopane and the Tatra
One
Recreation can be both active and calm, as well as full of
Mountains.
food and entertainment. There is something for everyone!
good
recent years, increasing numbers of tourists have decided to
In
the Tatra trails on skis. Ski touring, which can be described as
explore
combination of traditional cross-country and downhill skiing, is
a
popular. For people who love skiing, the Tatra Mountains
extremely
a very attractive place to spend their free time. The dense network
are
hiking trails and ski lifts enables everyone to choose what suits
of
best. Natural snow cover, long, interesting slopes, and unique
them
make the ski runs there excellent. Due to those factors, a large
views
of winter visitors to the park are skiers, mainly skiing in the
number
Zakopane and Tatra mountains:
something for everyone!
Ski Trail Markings
area of Kasprowy Wierch summit.
Winter in the Tatra Mountains is all about
skiing!
Ski tourism in the Tatra National Park can be practiced on
tourist routes and ski trails. A dense network of ski trails is
located in the upper part of the Bystra Valley, more precisely
in the Goryczkowa and Kondratowa Valleys. The next trail is
the former ski slope leading from the Gąsienicowa Glade to
Kuźnice. Yet another one is located in the Chochołowska
Valley. There are summer markings on hiking trails, which are
often invisible in winter. On forest trails, the signs can be
partially visible and their course can be easily guessed.
It is not that simple in the areas located above the upper
forest border. These routes are not maintained, nor
additionally marked or secured. Therefore, during the period
of snow cover, the use of trails located above the upper forest
border requires precise knowledge of their course.
The issue of the winter marking of the Tatra Mountains is not
new. The great ski lover Józef Oppenheim writes in his 1936
ski guidebook: "Szlaki narciarskie Tatr Polskich" all winter
marking are only indicative, showing the highest direction, but
cannot be strictly taken as in summer. Marking in the field,
where insolation, wind, and the variety of precipitation can
create unpredictably variable conditions every day, must be
treated by the skier as a signpost of the direction – never as a
route that must be slavishly followed. This issue was discussed
many times. Ultimately, a rule was adopted not to mark the
trails above the upper edge of the forest. Remember that in
Oppenheim's time, few people took up tourism in winter, so it
was easier to educate this group. Today, it is already known
that placing poles anywhere in the Tatra Mountains will cause
a string of tourists to follow the exact trail marked by them,
and that can be fatal. Ski routes, when they are made
available, are marked with orange signposts and pictograms.
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
85 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Cross-Country Ski Trails in Zakopane and the
Surrounding Area
Cross-country trail at the Krupowa Plain, in the very center of
Zakopane: This trail is in the vicinity of Krupówki and has
numerous twists that make up about 5km of an easy route,
ideal for beginners.Biały Potok (White Stream): This is a
picturesque, 5km cross-country trail (not always open) that is a
bit difficult, due to a few quite steep descents (beginners can
unbuckle their skis before the descent and go down on foot
next to the marked trail). The route begins and ends at ul.
Piłsudskiego just below the entrance to the Wielka Krokiew ski
jump.Ski- running route of the Central Sports Centre: This trail
is marked out in the area of the sports stadium and under the
jumps, along Bronka Czecha street. It is the perfect training for
more advanced runners. Note: Using the route is payable and
priority should be given to training athletes. It is best to ask the
caretakers of the facility in advance what times training takes
place on the route and come for a run when the athletes are
not there.Cross-country trail in Kościelisko: Kościelisko Chotarz
is THE BEST, well-prepared trail. It is 10km long, very varied,
and has a beautiful view of Giewont. The trail was created by a
group of ski enthusiasts from Kościelisko. Well done! Crosscountry
trail on Siwa Polana: This trail is a picturesque route
marked out around the mouth of the Chochołowska Valley, at
the glade called Siwa Polana (photo in the header) and on the
White Stream (Biały Potok) Clearing. Unfortunately, it was not
prepared last season, but if there is enough snow, you can go
for a cross-country walk to the Chochołowska Valley and go up
as far as the shelter. There are cross-country trails at the ski
centres Kotelnica in Białka Tatrzańska and in Jurgów.
Practical Rules and Recommendations
Ski tourism can only be practiced when the snow cover protects
the vegetation and soil from the effects of skiing.
The principle of right-of-way for pedestrians applies on hiking
trails open to ski tourism.
Tourist paths: Myślenickie Turnie, Kasprowy Wierch, and the
Gąsienicowa Valley (Dolina Sucha Stawiańska) Liliowe are
accessible only to the ascent because they are located near ski
runs, which can be easily used for skiing down.
It should also be remembered that from December 1st to May
15th, the following sections of routes are closed to tourists, and
therefore also to skiing:
Pass of Przełęcz w Grzybowcu- Wyżnia Kondracka
Tomanowa Valley – Chuda Przełączka Pass
The Valley of Five – Polish Ponds – Świstówka Roztocka –
Morskie Oko
Right-hand traffic applies on tourist routes. This is especially
true for the valleys where there is a lot of tourist traffic.
Before going to the Tatra Mountains in winter, you should
always check the current level of avalanche risk and read the
recommendations for hiking for a given level of risk. You should
also check the TPN tourist information. Wandering on the Tatra
trails in winter requires appropriate knowledge, the use of
equipment and accessories that enable movement in such
conditions, as well as the ability to assess the risk of an
avalanche in the field. You can also always use the services of
an authorised guide.
During the operation of the chairlift in the Goryczkowa Valley,
access to the lower station of the chairlift is made available for
pedestrians and skiers on the section between Gonciska –
Wyżnia Goryczkowa Plain.
During the operation of the chairlift in Dolina Gąsienicowa, the
winter variant of the tourist trail is available for pedestrians
and ski tourers on the section between the lower station of the
chairlift in the Sucha Stawiańska Valley (the Gąsienicowy
Cauldron) and Sucha Przełęcz.
On the ski and hiking trails available for ski tourism, the right of
ascent traffic applies.
Above the upper edge of the forest, ski tourism may deviate
from the course of summer trails, but only when walking along
the trail would endanger safety, mainly due to the risk of
avalanches.
Some of the ski trails are unidirectional and one must move in a
certain direction. The applicable regulations prohibit ascending
the slope, which is to be used only for the descent. Moving in
the opposite direction poses a danger to both the descender
and the person climbing up the slope.
You must use skis while on a ski trail.
86 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Tatra OUTDOOR
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
87 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
trails and areas available for ski tourism constitute a very
The
communication network and there is no need to designate
dense
The inaccessible areas of the park constitute a refuge for
more.
for which winter is a particularly difficult period.
fauna,
Ascending the Ski Run
Due to the great popularity among ski-tourists of Kasprowy
Wierch, the ski trail from the Niżnia Goryczkowa Plain to the
top of Kasprowy Wierch is marked when the ski slope in the
Goryczkowa Valley is available.
While ascending, follow the edge of the route, along with the
orange direction signs. It is not allowed to ascend using the
central part of the trail.
During the period of non-availability of the ski slope in the
Goryczkowa Valley for downhill skiing, ski tourism can be
practiced within the ski slope in the Goryczkowa Valley,
provided that there is snow cover protecting the vegetation
and soil against the impact of skiing. The use of this area
requires thorough knowledge of its boundaries, as the area
is not marked.
Note: Skiing is not allowed in all areas!
Other Activities
Walk: Palenica Białczańska to the Shelter at Morskie Oko
This activity is for complete novices and is aimed primarily at
beginners in mountain trekking. I must admit that we
followed this trail, but in the summer. In winter, Morskie Oko
itself did not encourage me to visit. The trail starts from
Palenica Białczańskie, where you can get to by your own
means of transport or by bus from the center of Zakopane
(one-way ticket costs about PLN 10 per person). In winter,
there are fewer buses, so it is worth hitting the trail as early
as possible and remember that around 4.00 pm it is already
dark (and cold!).
From Palenica, you take the red trail. It will take you 2 to 2.5
hours to reach the shelter. The trail runs for 9km along a
boring, asphalt, winding road covered in the winter with a
thick layer of snow (slightly uphill). With heavy ice, non-slip
pads/crampons will be useful. On the way, we pass boards
informing us about the avalanche danger in a section of
about 2km. We should neither stop in these places nor take a
trip on days with a high risk of avalanche. The return trip in
winter should not take more than 4-5 hours.
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
88 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Walk: Chochołowska Valley to the Shelter in the Chochołowska
Glade
The green trail to the shelter on the Chochołowska Glade
(Polana Chochołowska) begins its run from Siwa Polana. We get
there using our car or by taking a bus from the center of
Zakopane. The Chochołowska Glade itself is an extremely
beautiful place. The peaks of the western Tatras rise above it.
Wołowiec looks particularly impressive. We are about a good 2
hours walk away from Polana Chochołowska along the green
trail, which leads us successively through the Huciska Glade,
Dudowa Valley, Starorobociańska Valley, and Trzydniówka Glade,
reaching finally the Chochołowska Glade. Until the Huciska
Glade, the trail leads us along a boring asphalt road. Then we
walk along a flat gravel path, and then up a stone "sidewalk".In
terms of time, the trail is almost identical to the trip to Morskie
Oko from Palenica. In winter conditions it will take you from 4 to
5 hours.
Walk: Strążyska Clearing and Siklawica Waterfall
You can start the trip near Wielka Krokiew, at Cafe Roma, where
the entrance to the Strążyska Valley is located. A leisurely walk
from Wielka Krokiew takes 30 minutes to reach Droga pod
Reglami. There is also a small parking lot for cars. The Strążyska
Valley is one of the most popular valleys near Zakopane,
situated between the valleys of Dolina ku Dziurze and Dolina za
Bramką. It leads to the walls of Giewont massif. The trail goes
along a flat and wide road to the Strążyska Clearing, which,
according to the signpost, takes 40 minutes.
After a few minutes, we reach the first bridge over the stream
called Strążyski Potok. There, you can hear the soothing noise
which will accompany us at the bottom of the valley. In the
Strążyska Clearing, there are some chalets, a buffet for tourists,
and benches. Those willing can continue along the yellow trail
that will take them to the Siklawica Waterfall in about 15
minutes. The yellow trail leads slightly uphill over large stones.
They can be extremely slippery in winter, so we advise you to be
careful and use additional protection under your shoes.
Siklawica, a 23-meter waterfall, descends at an 80-degree angle
(13 meters high lower wall and 10 meters high upper wall). The
name of the waterfall is derived from Siklawa in the Valley of
Five Polish Ponds.
Walk: Kościeliska Valley, Smreczyński Pond, and the Shelter at
the Ornak Glade (Hala Ornak)
Another winter suggestion is a walk along the Kościeliska Valley
to the Smreczyński Pond (the only one in the western Tatras)
and on the way back, a stop at the shelter at the Ornak Glade.
We start the trip in Kiry, where again you can get to by your
own means of transport or using a bus, going from the center of
Zakopane. The trail is almost 13.5 km long and the estimated
time of its passage without breaks is only 4 hours. Remember to
add the obligatory relaxation time by the pond and a stay at the
shelter in Hala Ornak. The Kościeliska Valley, 8km long and 34
square km in area, is considered to be one of the most beautiful
in the whole Tatras.
Walk: White Stream Valley
Another suggestion is a walk through the White Valley along the
yellow trail, which begins not far from Wielka Krokiew and the
Strążyska Valley. As I mentioned earlier, both trips can be
connected to make a loop, visiting Sarnia Rock.
The valley is characterised by dolomite walls and numerous rock
gates, which gives it a unique mysterious character. Going
through the subalpine forest valleys is the shortest distance to
Zakopane. The trail continues along the White Stream and its
relaxing, humming sounds. The trip is not long, as it takes about
2 hours. An alternative is to extend the hike to Kalatówki and
the Kondratowa Glade on the way back to Kuźnice (or return
along the same route). This is an option for an approximately 5
hour walk with beautiful views.
Zakopane offers a lot of opportunities to relax for visitors. We
recommend to try:
relax after hiking
Sleigh Rides
Horse-drawn sleigh rides and evening sleigh rides in Zakopane
with torches, often ended with a bonfire with sausages, are a
very popular winter attraction in every mountain town.
Zakopane, unfortunately, does not have a prepared route on
which a horse sleigh could move freely without disturbing cars
or even pedestrians. The organisers of sleigh rides and the cab
drivers face a dilemma every year. That is whether to enter the
pavement, where there is usually a lot of snow, by breaking the
regulations or whether to tire the horses and sheer the
pleasure of passengers while riding down the normally snowfree
street. We recommend the Kościeliska Valley and the
Chochołowska Valley for sleigh rides in Zakopane.
Dog Sled Rides
For several years, dog sled rides have been very popular among
tourists visiting Zakopane in the winter. Both adults and
children enjoy this attraction. We recommend husky sled rides
to entire families spending their time in the Tatra Mountains.
Dog sledding is the best winter attraction for groups.
Aquaparks and Therms
Thermal baths and water parks in Zakopane are really
important places during trips for a reason. They are amazing
attractions for children who love to swim and parents who want
to amuse their toddlers.
89 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
W W W . M U Z E U M T A T R Z A N S K I E . P L
newest branch of the Tatra Museum
the
Zamoyskiego 25 Str.
Zakopane,
Zakopane
gallery art
T H E G A L L E R Y O F 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y A R T A T O K S Z A V I L L A
90 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
In both periods, Zakopane had its own original conceptions
and achievements in its quest for a national style; during the
period of Tatra Young Poland, it was Stanisław Witkiewicz's
Zakopane Style. In the interwar period this search for a
‘Polish’ style continued with the participation of the leading
artists of the time (Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, August
Zamoyski, Leon Chwistek and Rafał Malczewski) in the avantgarde
movements as well as Zakopane being established as
an interesting modern centre of sculpture and graphic arts,
initiated by Karol Stryjeński at the School of Wood Crafts.
The exhibition „Artists and Art in Zakopane” is based on the
Tatra Museum's own collection, complemented by a few
loans. It embraces painting, graphic arts, drawing, sculpture
and photography, as well as applied arts and posters.
The Zakopane colony is usually described as an artistic and
literary colony, as some of the artists, such as Stanisław
Witkiewicz (father) and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (son),
Leon Chwistek, August Zamoyski and Rafał Malczewski, also
had considerable literary achievements, which have been
important for Polish culture.
Art, literature and poetry were interwoven in Zakopane’s
artistic (and social) life, complemented mutually and linked
with other types of creative work – music (Mieczysław
Karłowicz, Karol Szymanowski), artistic dance (Rita Sacchetto)
and theatre (the Formist theatre of Stanisław Ignacy
Witkiewicz).
Many of the displayed art works and their authors have
interesting literary references and contexts.
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
The display includes artworks by Leon Wyczółkowski, Wojciech Weiss, Zofia Stryjeńska, Jan Rembowski, Rafał Malczewski, Stanisław Gałek and Jan Gąsienica Szostak;
psychological portraits by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz; sculptures by Konstanty Laszczka, Wojciech Brzega, Stanisław Sobczak, Jan Szczepkowski and pupils of the
School of Wood Crafts; kilims and lacework, artistic woodcarving and many others exhibits.
We would like to also encourage you to visit two other branches of the Tatra Museum:
the beautiful, historic Highlander house situated at Droga do Rojów 6, which along with its interiors constitute the ideological model
of the Zakopane Style, now the Museum of the Zakopane Style – Inspirations; Koliba villa, ul. Kościeliska 18, which was the first house
built in the Zakopane Style, designed by Stanislaw Witkiewicz, and which now hosts the Museum of the Zakopane Style. Both these
places are connected to the exhibition at Oksza villa by many threads, and only by visiting all of them can you fully grasp the main
movements and issues of art in Zakopane until WW II.
92 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
The exhibition presents the output of the artistic community and artists who were temporarily connected with Zakopane at a time when the village was Poland’s leading
centre of artistic excellence. All of them drew inspiration from the Tatra mountains and the Tatra Highlander culture. The display is presented in the interiors of Oksza
villa, designed by Stanisław Witkiewicz in 1894 in the Zakopane Style, which was restored by the Tatra Museum in 2010.
93 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
"Ecce Homo"
Hermitage St. brother Albert
Address: Droga Brata Alberta Str. 215, 34-500 Zakopane, Poland
SAINT BROTHER ALBERT
CHMIELOWSKI
The Painter Who Became an Advocate for the Poor.
Two small monasteries are located in the mountain forests in the vicinity of
Kuźnice of the Albertine Sisters and the Albertine Brothers. Both were
established thanks to Brother Albert – Adam Chmielowski. First, the Albertine
Brothers’ Monastery (on the left side of the road and trail from Kuźnice to
Kalatówki), with a wooden hermitage of St. Albert, were erected in the end of
the 19th century. In 1902 the Albertine monks moved to a new building
constructed nearby, and they gave the old monastery to the Albertine Sisters.
Karol Wojtyła often visited the heritage, since he highly admired Adam
Chmielowski’s work. Wojtyła's drama, Our God’s Brother, was based on Brother
Albert’s life. As Pope John Paul II, he initially conducted Chmielowski's
beatification and then canonized Brother Albert. He visited Saint Albert's
Tatra hermitage for the last time in 1997.
True cultural connection is the Holy Grail for brands if they want to create
an enduring emotional relationship with people.
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
In Igołomia, on the outskirts of Cracow (Poland), the noble family of Adalbert Chmielowski
and Josephine Borzysławska announced on August 20, 1845, the birth of their son Adam
(Brother Albert). Mr Chmielowski together with his wife, raised their children in an
atmosphere of patriotic ideals, strong faith in God and a Christian love for the poor.
Orphaned at an early age, Adam and his two brothers and a sister were raised by relatives
who also provided them with an excellent education. At the age of eighteen, while Adam
was a student at the Polytechnical Institute at Puławy, he lost his leg while taking part in
the 1863 uprising. Because of the political repression following the uprising, he left Poland.
In Gand (Belgium) Adam studied engineering; however, having discovered his artistic ability,
he devoted his time and studies to the arts, especially painting, in Paris and Munich,
Germany.In 1874 he returned to Poland as an accomplished artist. Slowly, with the desire
"to dedicate his thoughts and talents to the glory of God", Adam began to paint subjects
with a religious theme. One of his most famous artistic works was "Ecce Homo", the result
of his recognition of God's love for man, which led Chmielowski to a spiritual
metamorphose. n Cracow's public dormitories Adam saw the material and moral misery of
the homeless and the derelicts, and for the love of Christ, whose countenance he
recognised in their foresaken manhood, he decided to abandon his career, to live among
the poor and needy and to accept a beggar's life and lifestyle.
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
On August 25, 1887 Adam clothed himself in a grey habit and assumed a new name,
Brother Albert. The following year he professed religious vows and founded the
Congregation of the Brothers of the Third Order of St Francis Servants of the Poor,
(Albertine Brothers). In 1891 he founded a similar Congregation of Albertine Sisters whose
aim was to provide assistance to poor and needy women and children. Brother Albert
organized shelters and homes for the crippled and incurables, soup kitchens for the poor,
nurseries and institutions for homeless children and youth. He sent sisters to work in
military hospitals and lazarets. In the shelters, the hungry received bread, the homeless
found a place to live, the naked were clothed and work was available to the unemployed. A
helping hand was extended to everyone, regardless of one's religion or nationality. While
trying to meet the basic needs of the poor, Brother Albert with a fatherly love concerned
himself with the spiritual welfare of those to whom he ministered. He instilled within them
a proper respect for one's dignity and brought them to reconciliation with God. Brother
Albert drew his strength to fulfil these acts of charity from his love for the Eucharist and
for Jesus on the Cross. Brother Albert died on Christmas day 1916, in Cracow, in the shelter
founded by him, poor among the poor. The legacy he bequeathed to his spiritual brothers
and sisters was the complete gift of himself to God in the service of the poor and needy, a
life of evangelical poverty according to the example of St. Francis of Assisi, unconditional
trust in the Providence of God, prayer and union with God in the work of every day.
"You must be as good as bread, which for everyone
rests on the table and from which everyone, if hungry,
may cut himself a piece for nourishment" is the lesson
Brother Albert's unselfish life teaches us.The spiritual
heritage of Brother Albert was joyfully accepted by the
members of his Congregations, who today continue his
mission to the poor and needy in Poland as well as
other countries of the world. Recognising the sanctity
of Brother Albert, his contemporaries referred to him
as "the greatest person of his time". Seen as the
twentieth century Polish St. Francis, Brother Albert
was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 1983 in
Cracow.In proclaiming him among the saints on
November 12, 1989 in Rome, the Church presents
Brother Albert to a world in need of this witness of
God's mercy by one who opened himself to the needs
of others, in the spirit of evangelical goodness.
source: www.albertyni.opoka.org.pl
95 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Brother
Saint
Albert
True cultural
connection is
the Holy Grail for
brands if they
want to create
an enduring
emotional
relationship
with people.
Chmielowski
Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.polska.pl
photo:
96 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
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publication
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Polish Table
The
Polish Table - www.bunkatura.pl/the-polish-table
The
polaca - www.bunkatura.pl/mesa-polaca
Mesa
Recommended: Book "The Polish Table"
the District Museum in Toruń and Hanami.
Link: www.bunkatura.pl/the-polish-table
Get your free ebook:
by Magdalena Tomaszewska-Bolałek
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99 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
- CHRISTMAS STORIES BY KAMILA ROSIŃSKA -
"ADVENTURE IN THE ATTIC"
Everything that I am about to tell you really happened
one day...
...and it was like this... it was a grey, winter day, outside the
window you could see lazily falling snowflakes, one by one,
evenly, one on top of the other, creating a down duvet on
everything they sat on. Father Frost tried to get inside through
the cracks in the windows, but at home, the dancing sparks
from the fireplace, along with the flames of the fire, made sure
that everyone was safe, warm and cosy. As always at that time
of the day, and it was right after lunch, old Cat Theodore and
Mouse Clementine were having a little game of tag, and no one
suspected what would happen soon. Right next to the living
room with a fireplace, there was a winding, creaky staircase
that led to the attic. The Mouse Clementine, escaping from Cat
Theodore, ran up the stairs with her tiny paws, until she was in
the attic. There, she saw many things, forgotten by the
members of the household, covered with a layer of dust and a
spider's web. However, her greatest attention was drawn to
the sight of an old piano standing right under the roof hatch.
Suddenly, the Mouse heard Cat Theodore running up the stairs
and, in time to hide from him, jumped on the piano's keyboard
and onto the roof-window sill. Immediately, there was a
beautiful sound and Clementine heard the notes from the piano
whirl in the air, with grace and elegance. Surprised, Theodore
stood dumbfounded and listened as well, because the sound
was so soft and subtle that even the slightest rustle could
disturb it. The whole event was also seen by Szczepan the
Cricket who left his house, awakened by a lovely sound. The
Cricket often played the violin, but no one ever heard him,
because to hear a tiny cricket you have to be really quiet... but
what is that?!! One of the Notes hooked her foot on Szczepan's
violin and the next notes began to swirl with the sisters. They
were very tiny and very soft notes, but they sounded so
beautiful that all the animals were quiet to hear them better.
Szczepan the Cricket was very happy to have such listeners.
Cat Theodore liked this concert so much that he moved to the
rhythm of the music with his fat, shaggy tail so rhythmically
that he swept the dust and cobwebs from the entire attic.
On the other hand, Clementine the Mouse, as enchanted, stared
at Szczepan the Cricket, when he gently and gracefully played
his tiny violin and listened and listened to it until she fell asleep
and dreamed that she was a tiny note, lifted by a breeze,
dancing and swirling in the air like snowflakes, shining in the
moonlight like a star.
...since then, Theodore the Cat, together with his friend little
Clementine Mouse, often go to the attic to listen to Cricket
Szczepan's concert in silence and concentration, and Szczepan
eagerly plays for his new friends.
...who knows, dear children, whether you, being quiet, will not
hear Szczepan the Cricket's concert.
100 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
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101 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
- CHRISTMAS STORIES BY KAMILA ROSIŃSKA -
"CHRISTMAS AND THE NUTCRACKER"
One starry evening, when everything was bathed in
moonlight and all household members were already
sleeping well in their beds, a wooden Nutcracker jumped
out of the old wardrobe in grandma's room. He had a
beautiful red uniform and a cap, high black boots, a white
beard slightly plucked by the children, and a torn arm.
The Nutcracker lived in a drawer of an old wardrobe all year
round, and only when Christmas was approaching, would he be
removed from the drawer. Then, he would be placed under the
Christmas tree next to a wicker basket full of hazelnuts
because no one could handle hard nuts like him. This time, the
Cracker was looking forward to Christmas and decided to
stretch his old rotten bones. Suddenly, there was a noise in the
living room! Through the slightly open window, snow stars fell
on the scratched floor and piled on top of one another. But,
what was that?! There was a star that was different from the
rest of the snowflakes, shining bright and much larger than the
rest of them. It flickered and glowed. The Nutcracker had
never seen such a miracle and such a brightness before, even
on the most beautiful Christmas tree, and he had seen a lot of
Christmas trees in his cracker-nut life. “Who are you?” the
Nutcracker asked in surprise (it should be noted that the
Nutcracker was not a curious person and never asked
unnecessary questions). “I am the Christmas star,” replied the
frightened beauty in a soft voice.The Nutcracker could not
take his eyes off the mysterious guest. She lit the room so
much that she woke up other Christmas decorations sleeping in
the wardrobe. The toys immediately jumped out of their boxed
houses. “Ooh, who is that?” the curious Jack-In-The-Box
asked. “It's the Christmas Star!” the Nutcracker answered.
“What a beauty!” the round Christmas ornament exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Christmas Star started to become weaker and
weaker. Everyone could see that her glow was fading. “What
happened, Christmas Star, why are you here?! You should shine
in the sky! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and there will be no
Christmas without you,” said the big, colourful Lollipop.“Oh, I
need some help! I was playing tag with the other stars and
tripped over Aunt Comet's tail! I fell straight into your room. I
injured my leg and I can't jump back into the sky,” answered
Star. “Christmas Star, you cannot stay with us! If people do not
see you shining in the sky, there will not be Christmas or
Christmas Eve. You are the Christmas Star, someone special!” the
Nutcracker said anxiously. “The leg will not heal so quickly and I
will not be able to jump very high on one leg,” Christmas Star
answered in a sad, soft voice. Tears flowed from her beautiful,
shiny eyes that were as round as pearls.The toys sadly watched
the beautiful guest who unfortunately could not stay with them.
“What are we going to do now?” the Gingerbread Boy asked. “We
have to confer,” the Nutcracker replied.The Christmas
decorations gathered in the corner of the room. They began to
discuss, consult, and whisper among themselves. Only the soft
rustling of their coats could be heard. The Nutcracker, as the
oldest of the toys, assigned tasks to everyone because the only
way they could help Christmas Star was by working together.
“We have a plan, we are ready, and we will help you get back to
the sky,” the Nutcracker said to Christmas Star. There was a
cheerful sparkle again in the eyes of the Star. On the old
wardrobe in the room, there was little Leopold's bow, so two
Christmas tree angels with a Christmas tree chain flew into the
air on their tiny wings and landed on the wardrobe. The chain tied
the bow immediately, and the little angels carried them down,
just next to Christmas Star.“Christmas Star, you will fly to the
sky. I made an arrow from a Christmas tree twig, you only need
to hold on tight,” the Nutcracker said, handing a small star a
piece of twig finished with spruce needles.The Star did as the
Nutcracker told her and the Christmas tree decorations
stretched the slightly frightened bow of little Leopold. Using the
Christmas tree branch, they shot the Christmas Star straight into
the sky. The Christmas tree bells rang softly like drums and the
little Christmas tree reindeers were kicking their feet in the
excitement.“We did it!!!” the toys called with one voice. The sky
seemed to shine brighter and the little Star winked at her friends
on the ground as a sign that she arrived home. A friendship had
arisen in their hearts, in which there is no place for fear and
anxiety, and the little hearts of friends are full of good deeds.
“It's time to rest, my dears. It's Christmas Eve tomorrow and a
lot of work awaits us,” the Nutcracker said to his Christmas tree
friends. They all returned to their boxes in the old wardrobe.It
was a magical evening, full of warmth, goodness, and love. No
one else, apart from Christmas decorations and a little Star,
knew about it.
102 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
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103 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
- CHRISTMAS STORIES BY KAMILA ROSIŃSKA -
"LITTLE PINE TREE"
A long time ago, in a hut on the edge of the forest, the old
woodcutter Joseph lived with his wife, Aniela. Their
granddaughter Margaret lived with them. They were
poor, but very good people, and they loved one another.
Old Angela's health was deteriorating. The old woman's lungs
had long been in poor condition. They could not afford the
doctor's appointment and expensive medicines, Joseph, a
woodcutter, worked all days, but it didn't help, there was
barely enough money for food. Christmas was approaching,
winter was beautiful that year. The tiny windows in the
wooden hut sparkled like diamonds in the sun. Frost drew
coniferous twigs and leaves on them. Old Aniela's condition was
deteriorating, and Joseph was very worried about it, only the
smile on Margaret's face made the grandfather feel better.
Finally, it was Christmas Eve.
- Joseph, you would have to bring a Christmas tree from the
forest - old Aniela told her husband.- All right, my Angel, I will
leave tomorrow morning and bring us the most beautiful, green
tree that I can find in the forest - old Joseph replied.At dawn,
when old Aniela and little Margaret were still asleep, old Józef
put on his shabby trench coat, tied his worn shoes with straw
to keep his feet from getting cold, pulled a holy hat over his
ears and set off to the forest for a Christmas tree. The milky
mist was breaking from the fields into the forest, and the snow
was pouring down as hard as if someone in the sky was flicking
duvets, one snowflake after another. It was freezing cold that
day. The thicket of the forest did not want to let any
Christmas trees get seen. Joseph had wandering for a long
time. It became quiet in the forest, the wind stopped. Only
snowflakes were gently falling down, covering trees, fields and
roads. Between the old, large oaks, Joseph noticed a little pine
tree, its needles were green and long, and it smelled so
wonderful that he didn't want to look any longer. Joseph's cold
hands could barely hold the heavy axe when he suddenly heard
a voice. Joseph, Joseph, please don't cut me down. I am a living
pine tree and I don't want to die. If you spare my life, I will
repay you - the pine tree said. Joseph thought for a moment
and said:
- I will not cut you down, I will not kill you, but I will take you
with me, because without you the house would be empty for
Christmas and my Aniela would not forgive me.
Who knows how much longer we would live together. When
Joseph was digging a pine tree out of the ground, she asked him
to tell her about his wife's illness, so he did it. It was already
dusk, the frost was getting stronger, tired Joseph trembled
with cold, but the thought of the joy of little Margaret cheered
him up. When he reached the yard of his hut, he dug a deep hole
right by the window and planted a pine tree there.
"You will live here," he said to the tree.
- Joseph, this is the most beautiful gift I could receive this
Christmas - the tree replied.
- Please, listen carefully - the pine tree continued - every day
open the window in Aniela's bedroom, and I promise that this
time next year there will be no trace of your wife's illness. Old
Joseph listened to the tree, covered its roots with a lot of earth
and wrapped it in a slightly perforated burlap sack so that the
poor plant would not get cold. At home, he told everything that
had happened to him. Old Aniela only smiled, and little Margaret
ran to decorate her green friend with a beautiful, hand-made
chain. She was glad that she would have a Christmas tree not
only for Christmas, but for the whole year.
Time passed, seasons changed quickly, and another winter came.
As requested by Pine Tree, Aniela opened the window in her
bedroom every day. And surprisingly, she felt better and better.
It was Christmas Eve, white snow covered the earth. Old Joseph
was sweeping the snow in front of the hut entrance when he
heard the voice of the Tree.
- Joseph, is your wife feeling better?
Joseph had almost forgotten what the tree had told him a year
ago when he spared its life.
- Yes, my Aniela seems to have recovered. How did you do that?
The old man asked.
- It wasn't me. It was you who saved both of us, Joseph. Thanks
to the fact that you did not take my life, I was able to clean the
air at your farm and blow some healthy, forest air into your
cottage.
- I will continue doing it for many years to come, and then my
children, sisters and brothers will do it - the pine said. Many
years have passed since that event, but the old hut of my
grandparents, Aniela and Joseph, is still standing in the pine
forest, and the smell of pine needles intensifies before
Christmas, reminding us of those who are no longer with us.
104 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
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107 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
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BOŻONARODZENIOWE OPOWIEŚCI - CZYTAJ PO POLSKU
Kamila Rosińska
"PRZYGODA NA STRYCHU"
Wszystko to co Wam zaraz opowiem, zdarzyło się naprawdę...
A było to tak...
Był szary, zimowy dzień, za oknem widać było leniwie, spadające płatki
śniegu, które układały się równo, jeden na drugim, tworząc na wszystkim na
czym tylko usiadły, puchową pierzynkę. Dziadek Mróz próbował przez
szczeliny w oknach, dostać się do środka lecz w domu, tańczące w kominku
iskierki, wraz z płomykami ognia, dbały by wszystkim było, bezpiecznie,
ciepło i przytulnie. Jak zawsze o tej godzinie, a było to tuż po obiedzie, stary
Kot Teodor wraz z Myszką Klementyną bawili się razem w berka i nikt nie
podejrzewał co się niebawem wydarzy. Tuż obok salonu w którym był
kominek, znajdowały się kręte, skrzypiące schody, które prowadziły na
strych. Myszka Klementyna, uciekając przed Kotem Teodorem, wbiegała
swoimi malutkimi łapkami schodek po schodku, aż znalazła się na strychu.
Zobaczyła tam wiele zapomnianych przez domowników rzeczy, które
pokrywała warstwa kurzu i rozciągająca się po wszystkim pajęczyna. Jednak
jej największą uwagę, przykuł widok starego fortepianu, stojącego tuż pod
dachowym okienkiem. Nagle Myszka usłyszała, biegnącego po schodach Kota
Teodora i by zdążyć mu się schować, wskoczyła po klawiaturze fortepianu,
na parapet okienka w dachu. W jednej chwili rozległ się przepiękny dźwięk i
Klementynka usłyszała, jak nutki z fortepianu wirują w powietrzu, z gracją i
elegancją. Zdziwiony Teodor stał jak osłupiały i również słuchał, bo dźwięk
ten był tak cichy i subtelny, że każdy najmniejszy nawet szelest mógł go
zakłócić. Całe zajście widział również, Świerszcz Szczepan który wyszedł ze
swojego domku, obudzony ślicznym dźwiękiem. Świerszczyk często grywał
na skrzypcach, ale nigdy go nikt nie słyszał, bo żeby usłyszeć maleńkiego
Świerszcza trzeba być naprawdę cichutko... ale cóż to?! Jedna z Nutek
zahaczyła nóżką o skrzypeczki Świerszcza Szczepana i kolejne nutki zaczęły
wirować z siostrami. Były to bardzo malutkie i cichutkie nutki, ale tak pięknie
brzmiały, że wszystkie zwierzątka były cichutko, by móc je usłyszeć.
Świerszcz Szczepan, bardzo się ucieszył, że ma takich słuchaczy. Kotu
Teodorowi tak się ten koncert podobał, że ruszał w rytm muzyki, swoim
tłuściutkim, kudłatym ogonem tak rytmicznie, że aż pozamiatał kurz i
pajęczyny z całego strychu. Myszka Klementyna natomiast, jak oczarowana
wpatrywała się w Świerszcza Szczepana, gdy delikatnie i wdzięcznie grał na
swoich malutkich skrzypeczkach i tak słuchała i słuchała, aż zasnęła i śniło
jej się, że jest malutką nutką którą unosi wietrzyk i która tańczy, i wiruje w
powietrzu jak płatki śniegu, lśniąc w blasku księżyca jak gwiazda... od tego
czasu Kot Teodor, wraz ze swoją przyjaciółką mała Myszką Klementynką,
często chodzą na strych posłuchać w ciszy i skupieniu koncertu Świerszcza
Szczepana a Świerszcz Szczepan chętnie gra dla swoich nowych przyjaciół...
Kto wie drogie dzieci czy Wy będąc cicho nie usłyszycie koncertu Świerszcza
Szczepana.
112 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
BOŻONARODZENIOWE OPOWIEŚCI - CZYTAJ PO POLSKU
Kamila Rosińska
"SOSENKA"
Dawno temu, w chacie na skraju lasu, mieszkał stary drwal
Józef ze swoją żoną Anielą. Razem z nimi mieszkała
wnuczka Małgorzatka. Biedni to byli ludzie, ale bardzo
dobrzy i kochali się wzajemnie.
Stara Aniela podupadała na zdrowiu. Płuca staruszki od dawna
były w złym stanie. Nie stać ich było na wizytę lekarską i
drogie leki. Drwal Józef, całymi dniami pracował, lecz i to na
nic się zdawało, pieniędzy wystarczało ledwie na żywność.
Zbliżały się Święta Bożego Narodzenia, zima tego roku była
piękna. Maleńkie okienka w drewnianej chacie skrzyły się w
słońcu jak diamenty. Mróz narysował na nich iglaste gałązki i
liście. Stan Starej Anieli pogarszał się, a Józef martwił się tym
bardzo, tylko uśmiech na twarzy Małgorzatki poprawiał
dziadkowi humor.
Nadeszła Wigilia. Józefie, trzeba by przynieść choinkę z lasu –
powiedziała stara Aniela.
- Dobrze Anielciu, wyruszę jutro z samego rana i przyniosę nam
najpiękniejsze, zielone drzewko jakie znajdę w lesie –
odpowiedział stary Józef.
O świcie, gdy stara Aniela z Małgorzatką jeszcze spały, stary
Józef włożył swoją nędzną kufajkę, obwiązał zniszczone buty
słomą, coby mu nogi nie zmarzły, naciągnął na uszy dziurawą
czapę i wyruszył do lasu po choinkę. Mleczna mgła wdzierała
się z pól do lasu, a śnieg sypał tak mocno, jakby ktoś w niebie
pierzyny trzepał, jeden płatek śniegu za drugim. Mróz tego
dnia był bardzo silny. Gęstwina lasu ani myślała drzewek
choinkowych ukazywać. Józef wędrował już długo. W lesie
zrobiło się cicho, wiatr ustał. Tylko płatki śniegu delikatnie
opadały, przykrywając drzewa, pola i drogi.
Między starymi, dużymi dębami, Józef dostrzegł sosenkę,
igiełki miała zielone i długie, a pachniała tak cudownie, że nie
chciał już szukać dłużej.
Zziębnięte ręce Józefa ledwie mogły utrzymać ciężki topór,
gdy nagle rozległ się głos.
Józefie, Józefie nie ścinaj mnie proszę. Jestem żywym
drzewkiem sosnowym i nie chce umierać. Jeśli darujesz mi
życie, odwdzięczę Ci się – powiedziała sosenka.
Józef pomyślał chwilę i mówi:
- Nie zetnę Cię, nie pozbawię życia, ale zabiorę ze sobą, bo dom
bez Ciebie na Święta byłby pusty, a moja Aniela by mi tego nie
darowała. Któż to wie, ile nam dane jeszcze z sobą pożyć.
Gdy Józef, wykopywał drzewko sosnowe z ziemi, to poprosiło,
by opowiedział o chorobie swojej żony, co też uczynił. Zapadał
już zmierzch, mróz stawał się coraz silniejszy, zmęczony Józef
drżał z zimna, ale myśl o radości małej Małgorzatki dodawała
mu otuchy. Gdy dotarł na podwórze swojej chaty, tuż przy
oknie wykopał głęboki dół i usadowił tam sosenkę.
Zamieszkasz tutaj – powiedział do drzewka.
Józefie, to najpiękniejszy prezent, jaki mogłam otrzymać w te
Święta – odpowiedziało drzewko. Proszę, posłuchaj uważnie –
mówiło dalej sosnowe drzewko – uchylaj codziennie okno w
sypialni Anieli, a obiecuje, że za rok o tej porze nie będzie śladu
po chorobie Twej żony. Stary Józef wysłuchał drzewka,
przysypał mu korzenie dużą ilością ziemi i zawinął jutowym,
lekko już dziurawym workiem po mące, aby biedaczyna nie
zmarzła. W domu opowiedział wszystko, co mu się przytrafiło.
Stara Aniela uśmiechnęła się pod nosem, a mała Małgorzatka
pobiegła przystroić zieloną przyjaciółkę w piękny, ręcznie
zrobiony łańcuch. Cieszyła się, że będzie mieć choinkę nie tylko
na Święta, ale na cały rok.
Czas płynął, pory roku zmieniały się szybko i nadeszła kolejna
zima. Zgodnie z prośbą Sosnowego Drzewka, Aniela codziennie
uchylała okienko w swojej sypialni. I o dziwo, czuła się coraz
lepiej. Nastał wieczór Wigilijny, biały śnieg pokrył ziemie. Stary
Józef zamiatał, śnieg przed wejściem do chaty, gdy usłyszał
głos Drzewka. Józefie, czy Twoja żona czuje się lepiej?
Józef już prawie zapomniał o tym, co powiedziało mu drzewko
rok temu, gdy darował mu życie. Tak, moja Anielcia jakby
wyzdrowiała. Jakżeś to zrobiło? – zapytał staruszek. To nie ja,
a Ty uratowałeś nas obie Józefie. Dzięki temu, że nie odebrałeś
mi życia, mogłam oczyścić powietrze przy waszym
gospodarstwie i tchnąć zdrowe, leśne powietrze do waszej
chaty. Jeszcze przez wiele lat będę to robić, a później będą to
robić moje dzieci, siostry i bracia –powiedziała sosenka. Od
tego zdarzenia minęło wiele lat, lecz stara chatka moich
dziadków, Anieli i Józefa, nadal stoi w sosnowym lesie, a zapach
igliwia nasila się przed Świętami, przypominając o tych, których
już z nami nie ma.
113 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
BOŻONARODZENIOWE OPOWIEŚCI - CZYTAJ PO POLSKU
Kamila Rosińska
"GWIAZDKA I DZIADEK DO ORZECHÓW”
Pewnego rozgwieżdżonego wieczora, gdy wszystko było
skąpane w świetle księżyca, a domownicy już smacznie
spali w swoich łóżkach, ze starej szafy w babcinym pokoju
wyskoczył drewniany dziadek do Orzechów.
Miał piękny czerwony mundur i czapkę, wysokie czarne oficerki,
lekko wyskubaną przez dzieci białą brodę i naderwaną rękę.
Dziadek do Orzechów mieszkał w szufladzie starej szafy przez
cały rok i tylko, gdy zbliżały się Święta Bożego narodzenia,
wyjmowano go z szuflady i stawiano pod choinką tuż przy
wiklinowym koszyku pełnym laskowych orzechów, bo nikt tak jak
on nie radził sobie z twardymi orzechami. Tym razem Dziadek nie
mógł się już doczekać Świąt i postanowił rozprostować swoje
stare spróchniałe kości. Nagle w salonie rozległ się hałas, przez
lekko uchylone okienko, na obdrapaną podłogę wpadały śniegowe
gwiazdki i układały się jedna na drugiej.
Ale… co to?! Pomiędzy drobinkami śniegu leżała gwiazdka inna od
reszty, lśniąca i dużo większa od pozostałych. Migotała i lśniła.
Dziadek do Orzechów nie widział nigdy wcześniej takiego cudu i
błysku, na najpiękniejszej nawet choince, a przecież widział sporo
choinek w swoim dziadkowo-orzechowym życiu. Kim jesteś? –
zapytał ze zdziwieniem dziadek do orzechów, a trzeba zaznaczyć,
że Dziadek do Orzechów do ciekawskich nie należał i nigdy nie
zadawał zbędnych pytań.
Jestem Gwiazdką Bożego Narodzenia – odpowiedziała
cichuteńkim głosem wystraszona piękność. Dziadek do Orzechów,
nie mógł oderwać wzroku od tajemniczego gościa, który
rozświetlał pokój tak mocno, że obudził inne ozdoby choinkowe,
śpiące w szafie. Zabawki w mig wyskoczyły ze swoich
pudełkowych domków.
Ooooo a któż to taki? – zapytał zaciekawiony Pajacyk. To
Gwiazdka Bożego Narodzenia! – odpowiedział Dziadek do
Orzechów. Jaka piękna! – powiedziała pękata Bombka.
Tymczasem, Gwiazdka Bożego Narodzenia opadała z sił i widać
było, że jej blask przygasa.
- Co się stało Gwiazdko, dlaczego tu jesteś?! Powinnaś błyszczeć
na niebie, jutro jest Wigilia, bez Ciebie nie będzie Świąt –
powiedział duży kolorowy Lizak. Oh, potrzebuję pomocy, bawiłam
się w berka z innymi gwiazdkami i potknęłam się o ogon ciotki
Komety, no a dalej to już wiecie, spadłam i wpadłam do waszego
pokoiku. Skaleczyłam nóżkę i nie mogę podskoczyć by wrócić na
niebo – odpowiedziała Gwiazdka. Gwiazdko, nie możesz z nami
zostać, jeśli domownicy nie zobaczą Ciebie błyszczącej na niebie,
to nie będzie Świąt i Wigilii, jesteś Gwiazdką Bożego Narodzenia,
kimś wyjątkowym! – powiedział zatrwożony Dziadek do
Orzechów. Nóżka, nie wygoi się tak szybko, a na jednej nie uda mi
się podskoczyć tak wysoko – smutnym, cichym głosikiem
odpowiedziała Gwiazdka Bożego Narodzenia, a z jej ślicznych
błyszczących oczek popłynęły, okrągłe jak perełki, łzy. Zabawki
ze smutkiem przyglądały się pięknemu gościowi, który niestety
nie mógł z nimi zostać. Co teraz zrobimy? – zapytał Piernikowy
chłopczyk. Musimy się naradzić – odpowiedział Dziadek do
Orzechów. Ozdoby choinkowe zebrały się w rogu pokoju. Zaczęły
dyskutować, naradzać się i coś szeptać między sobą, słychać było
jedynie delikatny szelest ich kubraczków. Dziadek do Orzechów,
jako najstarsza z zabawek, wszystkim przydzielił zadania, bo
mogli pomóc Gwiazdce tylko wspólnymi siłami. Mamy plan,
jesteśmy gotowi i pomożemy Ci wrócić na niebo – powiedział do
Gwiazdki Bożego Narodzenia, Dziadek do Orzechów. W oczkach
Gwiazdki znów ukazał się błysk. Na starej szafie w pokoju leżał
łuk małego Leopolda, dwa choinkowe aniołki wraz z łańcuchem
choinkowym wzbiły się na swych malutkich skrzydełkach w
powietrze i wylądowały na szafie. Łańcuch w mig obwiązał łuk, a
małe Aniołki zniosły ich na dół tuż obok Gwiazdki Bożego
Narodzenia. Gwiazdko, polecisz do nieba, zrobiłem strzałę z
gałązki choinkowej tylko musisz się mocno trzymać – powiedział
Dziadek do Orzechów, podając małej gwiazdce kawałek gałązki
zakończony igiełkami świerku.
Gwiazdka zrobiła tak, jak mówił Dziadek, ozdoby choinkowe
wspólnymi siłami naciągnęły lekko już struchlały łuk małego
Leopolda i na gałązce choinkowej wystrzeliły Gwiazdkę prosto w
niebo. Dzwoneczki choinkowe z wrażenia, dzwoniły cichutko
niczym werble, a małe choinkowe reniferki przebierały nóżkami.
Udało się!!! Zawołały wspólnie zabawki. Niebo rozbłysnęło jakby
jaśniej, a mała Gwiazdka mrugnęła oczkiem do swoich przyjaciół
na ziemi, na znak, że dotarła do domu. W ich sercach zrodziła się
przyjaźń, w której nie ma miejsca na lęk i strach, a małe
serduszka przyjaciół pełne są dobrych uczynków.
Czas odpocząć moi mili, jutro Wigilia i czeka nas wiele pracy –
powiedział Dziadek do Orzechów do swoich choinkowych
przyjaciół, wszyscy udali się do starej szafy do swoich pudełek
Był to magiczny wieczór, pełen ciepła, dobroci i miłości. Nikt inny,
poza ozdobami choinkowymi i małej gwiazdki, o nim nie wiedział…
114 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
PHOTO GALLERY
C H R I S T M A S S T O R I E S
K A M I L A R O S I Ń S K A
www.facebook.com/ArtRosinska
www.instagram.com/sielskie_inscenizacje
115 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
the past
Nativity scene from Wieliczka
Digitalisation: RDW MIC, Małopolska's Virtual Museums project, public domain
Author: unknown
Date of production: 19th/20th century
Place of creation: Wieliczka, Poland
Dimensions: height in total: 136cm, base length:
115cm, base width: 46cm
Museum: The Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic
Museum in Kraków
Material: wood, metal, cardboard, tinfoil, paper,
rye, stearin
Object copyright: The Seweryn Udziela
Ethnographic Museum in Kraków
"A model of a puppet nativity scene, symmetrical, with two storeys and five towers, provided with carrying handles on its sides. The entire structure is
made of wood, the base and the upper floor of boards, and the frame from strips of wood. The walls are made of cardboard; the ground floor is covered
with red paper with “bricks” painted with black ink and the walls of the upper floor and towers are covered with paper cut-outs in the shape of windows
and star ornaments. The floors are separated with a decoration of horizontal, multicoloured stripes with silver teeth on the sides.Side towers with eight
walls reinforced at the outer edges with round, silver pillars with spiral belts with Gothic helmets in the form of slender octagonal pyramids topped with
silver balls and flags, above them: red, fluttering to the centre (central), and white-blue (outer), waving outside. The central tower — set on a four-sided
building, nine-sided, with the same pyramidal cupola — is topped with an eight-pointed star with a tail, which according to popular imagination represents
the star of Bethlehem. In the centre of the floor, between the walls with symmetrical cut-outs in the shape of six-petal flowers, there is a niche covered
with silver paper, and inside, there are colourful figures printed on paper, cut out by contours. Inside, there is a printed fragment of wall on a blue
background with yellow stars, in the window, there are two cats, and against the background — a bird. In the middle there is a Nativity scene, with the
baby Jesus in the manger, the Virgin Mary and Joseph leaning over him, while behind them, there is a donkey and ox, and in front of them and at their
sides: bunnies and adoring figures — Three Kings, residents of Kraków, Highlanders, Miners with children. Above them, angels are carrying a scarf with
the words MERRY CHRISTMAS and in the background, there is a five-pointed star with a tail. At the front, pieces of a Christmas tree chain made of silver
and red aluminium foil hang under the roof like garlands. Originally, most of the
figurines were located on the ground floor, set inside, against a background of crumpled grey paper imitating rock (currently there is a highlander with
sheep, probably secondary figurines, pasted during maintenance, as part of the figurines from the floor). This is an earlier method of showing a stable
shed in the Nativity scene as a rocky cave, and its location on the ground floor of a puppet crib. Only figurines of shepherds and sheep
were on the 1st floor. There is also an entire Christmas scene under the roof made from ears of grain, supported by two round pillars, which is supposed
to represent thatch in the stable in Bethlehem.
This museum exhibit is an example of a carolling puppet crib unique to Poland — a portable theatre derived from the Christian tradition of Nativity, which
means arranging Christmas scenes and images depicting a newborn baby Jesus in the surroundings of the Holy Family and people adoring them in
churches. According to Jędrzej Kitowicz:
“We have a message from the Gospel that Christ, born in a stable, who was placed in praesepio. Praesepe means manger in Latin. A farmstead under a
manger is called Jasła, where the servant put the straw under the horses; whoever first invented the nativity play (...) understood that the manger and
jasła are the names which mean the same as the Latin word praesepe, and therefore gave his dolls and children's epigrams, with which he expressed
Nativity, the Polish name for jasełka [a nativity play]”.
.../.../...
description: www.muzeumkrakowa.pl, Elaborated by Małgorzata Oleszkiewicz (The Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Kraków)
© all rights reserved
traditions
Christmas hay and plant elements in the decor related to
Christmas Eve decoration of houses and tables.
In the Polish tradition, straw and hay were one of the basic
elements and materials associated with the traditional decor of
a Christmas home, but they also had their religious significance.
The hay placed under the tablecloth symbolises the poverty in
which Jesus was born, and the white tablecloth refers to his
garments. Hay is a symbol of modesty, but it is also supposed
to bring prosperity to the household. In some parts of Poland,
stalks of hay are pulled out from under the tablecloth. The
person who pulls out the straight, longest stalk will be
successful in the following year. The one who pulls out the
broken, short stalk can expect trouble. In the old days, hay
from the Christmas table was later given as feed to animals to
keep them in health. The practice of putting hay under the
tablecloth has been criticized by some. Opponents of this
tradition consider it a superstition. The pagans offered hay as
an offering to their god, Ziemiennik, who looked after the
wastelands.
Apart from hay, other elements of natural origin were also
used. The walls of the houses were covered with straw stars
and crosses, as well as the so-called "dziady", or bunches of
straw. The hay and straw in the house were not only to favour
the aforementioned abundant harvests, but were also a symbol
of Jesus' poor birth, who was placed on hay and straw in an
uncomfortable manger, replacing the cradle. In the southern
part of Poland, grains of cereals, peas, poppy seeds, and lentils
were thrown on the table prepared for the supper, before
arranging pots and bowls with food. Without it, the harvest of
plants the seeds of which were not on the tablecloth, as well as
those that were ingredients of twelve dishes on Christmas Eve,
i.e. cabbage, mushrooms, peas, barley and buckwheat groats,
turnips, potatoes, dumplings with traditional filling, could be
poor. Currently, little is remembered about these elements of
the festive interior. Our ancestors, constantly taking care of
the good harvest, placed various items in the room. For
example, iron things, e.g. plows and scythes, were placed under
the table. It was supposed to scare away pests damaging crops.
The table legs were tied with chains to keep the bread in
abundance.
Fir, spruce and pine branches were also popular. Many things
were decorated with them, such as walls, picture frames,
entrance doors. They were also nailed to the gates to the barn
and cowshed. In the area of Nowy Sącz and the Rzeszów
Foothills, during the Christmas season, short spruces brought
from the forest by the household members appeared in front
of the house - for good luck and good harvest, successful plant
vegetation, and at the same time for a nice, festive decoration.
Another green ornament that resembles common Christmas tree
but is much older is the forked tip of a spruce (or pine) tree. This
type of decoration was popular in southern and south-western
Poland, in such areas as Podhale, Pogórze, Cieszyn Silesia, the
lands of Nowy Sącz, as well as Kraków, the vicinity of Jarosław,
Rzeszów, Lublin and Sandomierz. They were hung over the
Christmas Eve table. Wire hoops (e.g. from an old cutter),
wrapped with green branches, or shields made of straw,
decorated with fir, were attached. On them, in turn, home-made
cookies, red apples, golden oat seeds, paper decorations and
cutouts in the shape of discs, stars and crescents made of wafer,
as well as a large, colourful "worlds" (“światy”), from wafers
glued together, were hung.
Depending on the cited region, this ornament had its own special
name. It was believed that the decoration called "podłaźniczka"
suspended from the ceiling not only looks beautiful, but also
brings goodness home: it protects from bad luck and disease,
provides abundance, understanding and love, and for the virgins -
short looking for husbands and successful marriages. After drying
out, it was crushed and added to animal food and buried in the
furrows of the fields to improve the harvest. Ornaments that
were traditionally hung on "podłaźniczka", i.e. wafer stars and
"worlds”, homemade cookies, nuts and apples, also appeared on
the first Christmas trees. In the past, they were also decorated
with hand-made long chains, paper baskets for hazelnuts and
dried fruit, pendants, peacock eyes and angels, cut out of a
colorful and shiny template.
118 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Photos: THE MAZOVIAN COUNTRYSIDE IN SIERPC
119 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Christmas kitchen KUTIA
(sometimes called kutya) is one of the
Kutia
popular dishes during Christmas, present
most
both Catholic and Orthodox tables.
on
kutia is not prepared in every region
Although
Poland, because its origin is typical for the
of
parts of the country and the
eastern
it is one of the most basic dishes
borderlands,
the Polish Christmas Eve style.
of
kutia
The way it is prepared has changed over the decades. I
remember my mother, who often prepared wheat with
my help for many days – it had to be soaked thoroughly
and then, after placing it in a cotton sack, carefully
cleaned by hitting the sack for hours with a wooden
hammer. Today, although it is easy to buy carefully
cleaned wheat in a store, its taste remains largely
unchanged.
Simply put, kutia is a combination of wheat and poppy
seeds with nuts and dried fruits, sweetened with honey.
However, its significance at Christmas is considerable.
In the Slavic folk tradition, the poppy was a plant that
allowed people to cross the border between life and
death. Kutia, i.e. the combination of wheat with the
addition of honey and poppy seeds, symbolically linked
the past with the future and emphasized the passing of
time on Earth. In Christian legends, poppy flowers were
supposed to grow in places where drops of the blood of
the crucified Christ fell.
Since ancient times, honey has been considered a magical
substance in which supernatural powers reside. It was
believed that it protects against evil, provides joy and
abundance. Consumed on Christmas Eve, it was to ensure
the favour of supernatural forces, as well as prosperity
and long life.
Kutia is boiled in water until soft, preferably so that it
solidifies together with the rest of the stock into one
mass after cooking. The cooked kutia is combined with
boiled, three-time-ground poppy seeds, honey, raisins and
chopped walnuts. And this is the secret, because just like
in the rest of the world, there are no two identical
snowflakes - there aren't two identical kutia either. Each
housewife prepares it in her own way, has her own secret;
so the final outcomes of kutia can differ with consistency,
sweetness, amount of dried fruit, thickness of chopping
nuts. Gourmets say that the first choice begins with the
decision which honey to use: whether the safest one, i.e.
multi-flower, or, for example, buckwheat or lime.
ingredients:
Ingredients for approx. 1.5 litre
150g of poppy seeds (can be ground)
½ cup of wheat for kutia (without husks)
½ cup of honey (or more if you like)
130g of nuts, preferably mixed (= 1 cup)
60g peeled, chopped almonds (= ½ cup)
60g raisins (½ cup)
50g of candied orange peel
4 dried figs
milk for blanching poppy seeds (approx. 500ml)
preparation:
Rinse the kutia wheat, pour water over it and leave it to soak
overnight.
Pour hot milk over the poppy seeds (a little more milk than to cover).
Cover the pot with poppy seeds and milk with a plate and let it cool.
The next day, drain the wheat, pour fresh water and cook until
tender. (It takes approx. 30 minutes or longer depending on the
grains. After cooking, wheat should be tender but not overcooked.
Drain and cool.
Drain the poppy seeds in a sieve lined with muslin or a cloth and
squeeze well. If it is not ground, grind it at least twice in a meat
grinder using a fine mesh strainer. (The ground poppy seeds are
ready, after pressing, for further preparation).
Chop the nuts.
Add honey to the poppy seeds and mix. Add chopped nuts, almonds,
raisins, chopped orange zest and diced figs. Finally, stir in the wheat.
If necessary, add more honey to taste. Chill kutia in the refrigerator
before serving.
121 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
photo: Magdalena Tomaszewska-Bolałek
visual guide
Highlight of Ski resorts in
Poland
guide by:
lovePoland
In Poland , you can look forward to around 500 kilometres of
slopes: the ski resorts are served by approximately 700 ski lifts.
Located in the heart of Europe, Poland is home to impressive
mountain ranges, from the Table Mountains to the High Tatras and
the Carpathian's range. With much more affordable ski resorts
than Austria or Switzerland, Poland is a perfect destination for you
if you want to avoid high prices and large crowds, so check out
where to ski for a perfect winter holiday.
1. Szczyrk Mountain Resort, Silesia (Województwo śląskie)
This is one of the biggest and most popular winter sports centres in Poland.
It is covered with snow from December through to April. There are 14km of
routes to choose from – starting with the FIS championship route, the
famous ‘Bieńkula’ and ‘Golgota’, ending with trails for children and beginners.
Over 30 lifts including a chair lift on Skrzynka guarantee quick transport to
the starting line. Szczyrk also knows how to entertain its guests, ‘après ski’ .
The skiing area of Szczyrk welcomes you and your family warmly to spend
your winter-holiday on and around its slopes. Being one of the larger ski
areas of Poland the skiing resorts offer you numerous well groomed and
prepared slopes.The overall skiing area may be divided into four parts. Put
into descending order in terms of the total length of the slopes they are
Skrzycyne, Bila, Czyrna-Solisko and Ski Salmopol. Szczyrk will be of special
interest to all snowboarders, as it is provides great, curvy descents as well as
a number of different jumps.
2. Białka Tatrzańska, Kotelnica/ Kaniówka/ Bania, Lesser Poland
(Województwo małopolskie)
It is a 17th century village in the south of Poland close to the Slovak border
which operated a small ski hill with a couple of drag lifts in the 20th century
but rapidly expanded in to one of the largest and most popular in Poland
during the first decades of the 21st century and now has very impressive
uplift linking up three former smaller centres Kotelnica, Kaniówka and Bania.
Of slope facilities include a modern spa. The Polish ski resort of Białka
Tatrzańska is in the Polish Tatras at an altitude of 680m, with 17km of
marked runs. Białka Tatrzańska is one of the larger Ski Resorts in Poland and
has direct access to 17km of downhill skiing, served by a total of 2 ski
lifts.The skiing is at relatively low altitude, so snow cover can be variable.
3. Szymoszkowa, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie), Zakopane.
The ski resort Szymoszkowa is located in Zakopane. For skiing and
snowboarding, there are 4 km of slopes available. 2 lifts transport the guests.
The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 865 and 1126m.
beginners: B - blue marked slope of 400m /60m elevation difference with a
four-person chair lift.
intermediates: A - red/blue marked slope of 1.500m /280m elevation
difference with a six-person chair lift.
Ski school: yes, English speaking ski and snowboard instructors, ski and
snowboard courses for children and adults.
Lighting: Yes. High season slopes are open until 9pm
4. Kasprowy Wierch – Zakopane, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie)
Zakopane
Being the most popular skiing mountain in Poland, with a height of 1.987 m ASL,
Kasprowy Wierch is located almost in the centre of the Tatra mountain range
and thus has excellent conditions to admire the Tatras as well as to practise
winter sports.Two ski runs start from the top of Kasprowy Wierch.The first one,
leading to the Hala Gąsienicowa pasture, meets the FIS requirements, and the
skiers may use a four-person chairlift with a capacity of 2400 persons/hour.The
second one leads to the Hala Goryczkowa pasture. It is possible to ski down to
Kuźnice from both the Hala Gąsienicowa and Hala Goryczkowa pastures.
Kasprowy Wierch / Polskie Koleje Linowe S.A.Kuźnice 14, PL-34-500 Zakopane
5. Zieleniec, Lower Silesia (Województwo dolnośląskie)
Zieleniec Ski Arena is the capital of alpine skiing in the Kłodzko region. This is
mainly due to 23 kilometres of beautifully situated and picturesque ski slopes,
varying in length and, in particular, in the level of proficiency. The more
demanding skiers and snowboarders will love it – the longest trail in Zieleniec is
2800 meters long; there is also a black trail called “Na krechę” (Straight down
the slope), but also families who want to try skiing, or just spend their free time
in a nice and active way in the open air will find something for themselves. It is
also worth mentioning that most of the ski trails in Zieleniec Ski Arena (22 trails
to be precise!) have artificial lighting, so that you can ski on our slopes until
21:00.
6. Szklarska Poręba – Szrenica, Lower Silesia (Województwo dolnośląskie)
Ski Arena Szrenica offers 12 km of trails with a snowmaking system covering
nearly 100% of the area intended for downhill skiing. Trails of varying levels of
difficulty will give a lot of satisfaction to both experienced and beginner skiers.
Capacity of cable cars and ski lifts is 10,000 people per hour.
7. Śnieżka – Karpacz, Lower Silesia (Województwo dolnośląskie)
The ski resort Śnieżka – Karpacz is located in Lower Silesian Voivodeship. For
skiing and snowboarding, there are 5.8 km of slopes available. 6 lifts transport
the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 820
and 1,350 m.
8. Czarna Góra – Sienna, Lower Silesia (Województwo dolnośląskie)
Black Mountain is a modern ski resort built in 1996 and located in the town of
Sienna. Through good planning wide slopes and the ski areas, the construction
of a suitable and efficient system of lifts and snowmaking system developed
Black Mountain is now a leader in the Sudetenland, and even in Poland.
Web: http://czarnagora.pl
9. Biały Jar – Karpacz, Lower Silesia (Województwo dolnośląskie)
The ski resort Biały Jar in Karpacz offers three downhill runs with a total of 2.5
km of slopes. All three slopes (two red, one blue) start at the top station of the
6-seater chair lift, which is equipped with bubbles and heated seats. For
beginners and children there is also a magic carpet in the area of the top
station.In the main season until the end of February, the lift runs until 9 pm. In
the evening hours the slopes are illuminated for night skiing.Not far from Biały
Jar, the Karpacz ski resort offers other downhill skiing opportunities.
124 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
Wrocław
6. Szklarska Poręba
9. Biały Jar – Karpacz
7. Śnieżka – Karpacz
5. Zieleniec
created by lovePoland
*Accurate: November 2020. We did try to make it as accurate as
possible but always check for a possible changes.
update:
Poland will enter a national quarantine from Dec. 28-Jan. 17 that will
include the closure of hotels (including most business trips), ski
slopes and shopping malls. Please check for further updates.
8. Czarna Góra – Sienna
10. Beskid Sport
Arena (Szczyrk)
1.Szczyrk
14. Pilsko-
Korbielów
3. Szymoszkowa
4. Kasprowy Wierch
Kraków
12. Śnieżnica –
Kasina Wielka
13. Jaworzyna Krynicka
11. Słotwiny
2. Białka Arena
Tatrzańska,
Kotelnica/
Kaniówka/ Bania,
15. Ski station Park
Magura
10. Beskid Sport Arena (Szczyrk), Silesia (Województwo śląskie)
The Beskid Sport Arena near Szczyrk offers four downhill runs with a total of 3.2
km of slopes. Beginners practice their first turns on piste no. 4. After that, the blue
run no. 1 takes you back down to the valley. If you are already confident on your
skis, try the red piste no. 2 or the black piste no. 3, which runs below the chair lift.
The 6-seater chair lift is equipped with weather protection hoods.
11. Słotwiny Arena, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie)
For skiing and snowboarding, there are 2.2 km of slopes available. 3 lifts transport
the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 697 and
861 m. All slopes are regularly groomed, are equipped with a snowmaking system
and are illuminated in the evening. There is also a restaurant for your physical wellbeing.
There is also a hotel right next to the ski lift, so that skiing fun can begin
right on your doorstep! There are 10 slopes in total.
Słotwiny Arena - Krynica-Zdrój. Słotwińska 51A Str, 33-380 Krynica-Zdrój
12. Śnieżnica – Kasina Wielka, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie)
For skiing and snowboarding, there are 2.9 km of slopes available. 2 lifts transport
the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 610 and
902 m.
Season: 19.12.2020 - 28.03.2021, Operation: 09.00 - 22.00
www.kasinaski.pl
13. Jaworzyna Krynicka, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie)
In Jaworzyna Krynicka there are perfect conditions for practicing winter
sports: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. The snow
cover stays here for at least 4 and often even 5 months a year. On the
slopes of Jaworzyna Krynicka, there are 8 ski runs with a total length of
over 8.3 km, four of which have FIS approvals. There are plans to mark out
more ski slopes.Skiers in the winter season, apart from a 6-seater gondola
lift and two 4-seater chairlifts, also have five T-bar lifts. The ski runs have
varying degrees of difficulty. On route 6 there is a large snow park and a
400m slalom track with time measurement.
14. Pilsko – Korbielów, Silesia (Województwo śląskie)
For skiing and snowboarding, there are 8 km of slopes available. 11
lifts transport the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the
elevations of 750 and 1,557m. Current season: 2020-12-12 - 2021-04-05.
General season: early December - early April. Opening times: 09.00 - 16.00
15. Ski station Park Magura, Lesser Poland (Województwo małopolskie)
Small but cute. For skiing and snowboarding, there are 1.4 km of slopes
available. 1 lift transports the guests. The winter sports area is situated
between the elevations of 553 and 813m. Opening times: 09.00 - 20.00.
Location: Małastów 27, 38-307 Sękowa
125 TRAVEL.LOVEPOLAND
L O V E P O L A N D . O R G M E D I A P A R T N E R