Sudetan Mountains

SILESIA

Silesia (Slask) is a historical and ethnographic region in south-western Poland. Geographically, it encompasses the basin of the upper and middle Oder and partly of the upper Vistula. It is divided into Upper and Lower Silesia, which together account for 1/8 of Poland's area and are inhabited by about 1/4 of the country's population.
For centuries, this land was contested by Poles and Germans. As a result of the Second World War, which Germany lost, the entire region returned Poland. The Germans were evacuated and Silesia was resettled by a Polish population, mainly the Poles who lost their homes in eastern Poland when the border was shifted west and their areas were annexed by the Soviet Union. A difficult period in the region's history began: for many years its inhabitants felt uprooted and insecure about their future, while the intensive development of heavy industry implemented here eventually led to environmental disaster. It was not until 1989 that this situation could change, when the political transformation prompted environment-oriented projects focusing on the region. People have come to appreciate the legacy of the German past, and the dilapidated town centres are slowly regaining their former splendour. Tourist facilities are being developed and cross-border contacts restored.
Despite its dense population and heavy industrialisation, Silesia boasts many beauty spots and scenic landscapes. Mountain lovers flock to the Sudetan and the Silesian Beskid Mountains. Those who value like the serenity of forests will be delighted by the vast Bory Dolnośląskie (Lower Silesian Forests). And if you are into sightseeing, you can visit historic cities and towns like Wrocław and Kłodzko. The roads are good, with an efficient system of public transport and tourist infrastructure.

NATURE: MOUNTAINS AND MEDICINAL SPRINGS

Notwithstanding heavy industrialisation, Silesia has many places of outstanding natural beauty. One of them is certainly the Bory Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesian Forests), the largest woodland area in Poland (150,000 ha) and one of the largest in Central Europe, dotted with postglacial hills, river valleys, ponds and peat bogs. The predominantly pine forest is a haven for wildlife, including the rare black grouse, capercaillie, white-tailed eagle and black stork. Numerous ramblers' walks lead to the beauty spots, many of them protected by nature reserves. Here you can see one of the most impressive ancient oak trees in the country, Chrobry, which is about 750 years old and has a 10m circumference. On the outskirts of the forest, there are historic mansionss, lodges, churches, monasteries, and open-air museums. Visitors tend to miss the Lower Silesian Forests, which is a pity, considering the extensive ramblers' walks and good facilities. But Silesia's strongest attraction for nature and adventure lovers are its mountains.

The Silesian Beskid : the sources of the Vistula

The Silesian Beskid (Beskid Śląski) is the westernmost section of the Polish Beskidy. Arguably one of the most attractive ranges in these mountains, it certainly has the best tourist facilities. Hikers can take advantage of its dense network of ramblers' walks and mountain hostels and lodges set in scenic surroundings, while skiers can enjoy the profusion of ski lifts and runs. There are also a few cable cars and chair lifts including those to the top of Szyndzielnia, Skrzyczne and Czantoria. Some people are delighted; others (especially those who love wild mountains, unspoiled by human interference) frown upon it, but the walkers, who have been flocking here for decades, simply vote with their feet.
It's not easy to find a true wilderness here, but the area abounds in beauty spots. The valleys harbour trendy, lively resorts such as Wisła, Ustroń, and Szczyrk. Not far off you'll find charming, quiet villages that still foster the ancient culture of the Silesian highlanders, their life governed by traditional activities like sheep-grazing, and ancient customs and festivities. The locals have their own distinctive dialect, characteristic music, costumes, and unique crafts, like the world-famous lace-making in the village of Koniaków.
Part of the Silesian Beskid lies in Czech Moravia, but essentially this is a Polish range encompassing the upper basins of the Vistula, Biała and Soła, as well as the River Olza which marks the border between the two countries. The absolute altitude of the mountains is above 1,000 metres in many places, with Skrzyczne and Barania Góra, the highest summits, over 1,200 metres (1,257 m and 1,220 m respectively). Thanks to the deep valleys, steep slopes and substantial relative heights, the landscape is typical of high mountains even where the peaks are below 900 metres.

Facts
Poland's longest river, the Vistula, begins just below the summit of Barania Góra. Its real sources are hidden in the woods, but to claim you've seen them, it's enough to reach the spectacular roaring cascades of the Biała Wisełka (White Vistula), traditionally regarded as the source of the Vistula.

The region's flora is represented mainly by its forests: primal, diversified and not often encountered in non-mountainous terrain. In the upper parts there are distinct vegetation belts. In the meadows and at the feet of the impressive trees you can find many interesting plants: ferns, lycopods, violets, gentians, orchids and rarities like the daphne, Aconitum firmum, and mountain speedwell. Botanists will find the north-western edges of the Silesian Beskid, where the Cieszyn limestones and volcanic intrusions support many extremely rare species, especially flowers, particularly attractive.
The mountains, notably their higher parts, are the habitat of a rich wildlife, including wolves, lynxes, wildcats, foxes and common deer. In the sky you may spot a buzzard, goshawk or kite; occasionally (for instance, in the Barania Góra area) it's possible to see a capercaillie.
The Silesian Beskid has some of Poland's best-developed facilities for skiing and other winter sports. It is Mt Skrzyczne rather than the Tatras that has Poland's best ski runs recognised by international alpine skiing federations. Szczyrk is a runner-up to Zakopane for the title of Poland's winter capital, attracting visitors with its complex network of chair and T-bar lifts, assorted ski runs and other facilities. Other winter sports centres in the Silesian Beskid are Ustroń with its popular chair lift to Mt Czantoria and a ski lift in the Jaszowiec Valley; Wisła with many long lifts; and Mt Szyndzielnia near Bielsko-Biała with a cable car and a few shorter lifts.

The Sudetan Mountains: easy climbing
The Sudetan Mountains (Sudetes) are a 300 km range that runs from the Moravian Gate in the south-east to the Elbe Valley in the north-west, marking the border between Poland and the Czech Republic, with a small section extending into Germany. The Polish part of the Sudetan Mountains covers some 9,300 sq km.
The region defies brief description. The mountains are not very high, but offer quite a few attractions. They are more of a patchwork of ranges of assorted lengths, each of them having a distinctive character. The massive Karkonosze and the fantastic Góry Stołowe (Table Mountains) with their bizarre rock forms contrast with the extensive, gentle, lush Góry Orlickie and Góry Bialskie. The Sudetan Mountains are a delight for both serious hikers (Góry Izerskie, Mt Śnieżnik, Góry Złote, Góry Bystrzyckie), and those who are more into short but spectacular walks (Rudawy Janowickie, Góry Kaczawskie, Góry Bardzkie).
Beautiful landscapes are by no means the only asset of the region. If you're tired of mountain treks, you can rest in serene vintage spas with fine parks, little towns with a traditional architecture, or historic mansions reminiscent of the area's rich and complex history. The Sudetans also have some of the best tourist facilities in Poland. Agrotourism, with a quickly growing range of rural accommodation and accompanying attractions - typically horse-riding and wholesome food from biodynamic farms - is a good option.
The entire Sudetan range, including the foothills and part of the foreland, occupies just three over percent of Poland's territory. But it's a unique three percent. To fully savour all the natural beauty of the Sudetans, it's not enough to come here only once; but one trip will suffice to make you bewitched.
The local flora, for centuries affected by human activity, today differs substantially from its original composition. Biologically it's not a separate world, but a transition between the Alps and the Carpathians, with the Carpathian flora more common in the Eastern Sudetans and only occasionally found in the western part.
The Sudetan forests are dominated by spruce trees. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the conifers fell victim to an environmental disaster caused by power plants in the coal-rich area where the German, Polish and Czech borders meet. Today the situation has improved considerably, and the denuded peaks of the Góry Izerskie, Karkonosze and Mt Śnieżnik may soon again be afforested.
Compared with the not-so-far-off Carpathians, the Sudetan animal-life is relatively depauperate. Larger species include deer, wild boar, roe deer and, rather unexpectedly, mouflons. On Mt Śnieżnik you may spot kozice mountain goats. There are also some badgers and occasionally you may see a lynx or wolf. As for birds, the rarest species are the endangered black grouse, capercaillie and black stork.

Facts

The mouflon is a mammal belonging to the bovid family, and is presumably one of the ancestors of the domestic sheep and the only wild sheep species native to Europe. Once endemic to Corsica and Sardinia, today it occurs all across Europe as chase game. Mouflons were introduced in the Sudetans in 1902. They live in small herds, chiefly in mountain forests, feeding on grass, herbs, leaves, tree bark and fruit. They're not very big, with a height of up to 75 cm at the shoulder and a weight of about 45 kg. Males have distinctive, large, curved horns that may be even 70-80 cm long. When frightened, a mouflon can run at a speed of 50-60 km/h.

Biologically the most valuable parts of the Sudetans are protected by numerous natural landscape parks (the Bóbr Valley NLP, Rudawy NLP, Chełmy NLP, Książ NLP, Śleza NLP, Wałbrzych Sudetan NLP, Góry Sowie NLP, Mt Śnieżnik NLP, and the Góry Opawskie NLP), and reserves. The latter include the peat bog near Zieleniec, the forest on the Śnieżna Białka River, Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia ("Bears' Cave") and the Śnieżnik Kłodzki Reserve. The most scenic landscapes have been encompassed by two national parks - the Karkonosze NP and the Góry Stołowe NP. Below, you'll find only a short description of the most interesting areas: the Karkonosze range in the Western Sudetans, the Góry Stołowe in the Central Sudetans, and the Mt Śnieżnik Natural Landscape Park in the Eastern Sudetans.

Facts

The Sudetans (Sudetes) are an old chain and their rocks, through contact with magma, have been transformed into a variety of minerals and gem stones, mined since the early Middle Ages when the mountains were known as the "treasury of Europe". Even today gem collectors may find mountain crystal, agate, amethyst, jasper, pink quartz, chalcedony, nephrite, garnet, topaz here... Some areas still contain gold and every year the Sudetans play host to the world championships in gold panning.

The Karkonosze Mountains
The Karkonosze are the highest Sudetan range. Within the borders of Poland they form a 35 km massif running from the Szklarska Pass in the west to the Lubawa Gate in the east, descending to the north in steep precipices and glacial cirques. The highest part of the Karkonosze rises above the tree line, giving scenic ridges dominated by Mt Śnieżka (1602 m), the highest summit in the entire Sudetans. Other spectacular areas are the Karkonosze Foothills and the Lasocki Ridge (the easternmost and oldest part of the range). At the foot of the mountains are the popular resorts of Szklarska Poręba, Karpacz, and a few smaller places.
Established in 1959, the Karkonosze National Park now encompasses 5575 ha. There's a sister park on the Czech side of the mountains (the Karkonosze is the highest Sudetan range in the Czech Republic). In 1992 UNESCO declared both Parks the Bilateral Krkonoąe/Karkonosze Biosphere Reserve with a total area of over 60,000 ha.
The Park has an impressive array of tourist attractions. Characteristic of the Karkonosze are the unique assemblages of mountain plants, a diversified fauna and the fantastic rocks, boulder fields, waterfalls, cirques and tarns. The Karkonosze are a visitors' favourite thanks to their successful combination of high-mountain features and accessability.Their steep slopes and broad, treeless ridges with breathtaking vistas inspire you to go on long (but not too strenuous) walks. The vintage spas at the foot of the mountains as well as a multitude of tourist attractions in the nearby Basin of Jelenia Góra make the Karkonosze even more appealing - equally popular with both nature-loving backpackers and those who see mountain walks as a mere diversion from grilling and dancing. No matter what you're into, you'll find something for yourself.

Facts

The highest waterfall in the Karkonosze (and in the entire Polish Sudetans) is Kamieńczyk. The water plummets 27 metres in three cascades into a spectacular gorge which is 100 m long, 25 m deep and just a few metres wide. This was one of the first tourist attractions in the Karkonosze, drawing visitors already in the 18th century. Nowadays, to visit the gorge and the foot of the falls, you must wear a helmet.

Despite centuries of human presence, the local flora has preserved its characteristic stratification. The lower regiel (zone), which ends roughly at 1,000 metres above sea level, is mainly woodland with some magnificent, well-preserved beech forests. The upper regiel comprises dense spruce forests. The most interesting is the subalpine zone (1,200-1,450 metres above sea level), encompassed by the National Park and covered with dwarf mountain pines, herbs, grasses, and rare peat bogs. The alpine zone in the Karkonosze is limited to the summits of Mt Śnieżka and Mt Wielki Szyszak, with alpine meadows and colourful lichens. Śnieżka itself is a unique elevation: a huge, rocky pyramid, often shrouded in clouds, but beautiful. Its summit offers the best vistas in the Sudetans - on a clear day you can see for up to a hundred kilometres.

Facts

The first postcard in the world, printed in the second half of the 19th century, featured a drawing of Mt Śnieżka.

One of the highlights of the Karkonosze (and the National Park) are the Śnieżne Kotły (Snow Cirques) with breathtaking cliffs, rock towers and terrifying precipices. They were all carved some 20,000 years ago by local glaciers flowing slowly northwards down the steep slopes. The ice tongues from the Śnieżne Kotły were 2 km long and their creations also include moraine ramparts, debris cones and several periodical tarns. At the foot of the nearly 200 m cliffs, patches of snow may be seen even in August.
The Karkonosze National Park is one of the most accessible parks in Poland. You can easily reach the range by car, taking advantage of the dense network of Lower Silesia's roads. It is equally easy to climb the peaks. You can stay in the towns and villages on the mountain slopes, like Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba, both of which have chair lifts going above the tree line. The Karkonosze is criss-crossed with the densest network of ramblers' walks in the entire Sudetans, well-maintained and most of them not very strenuous.

The Góry Stołowe
The name "Góry Stołowe" (Table Mountains) refers to an 18 km stretch in the Central Sudetans, but geographically the whole range is much longer, running for over 45 km from Poland into the Czech Republic, where it is called Adrspassko-Teplicke Skaly (with famous the "rock towns") and Broumovske Steny, and back into Poland. The Góry Stołowe are beyond all doubt the most interesting and highest part of the range.
These outlandish mountains have always ranked high on all lists of Poland's tourist highlights. Not surprisingly, they have been designated a national park, the Góry Stołowe National Park, unique in that its aim is to protect singular rock formations rather than wildlife.
These are Poland's only slab mountains, built of eroded horizontal layers of sandstone which once constituted a sea bed. Millions of years of erosion turned them into an incredible fairy-tale landscape. The plateaux are dominated by solitary monadnocks, while the summits, slopes and forests are dotted with bizarre rocks resembling mushrooms, spires and gates, which turn into labyrinths in the uppermost sections. Streams cascade over rocky thresholds, continuing over bedrock through dense woods. The landscape is further beautified by compact woods, areas bearing much resemblance to the African savannah, and mountain peat bogs. You can marvel at the dwarf spruces on top of the rock clubs and boldly resisting the wind.
Like everywhere in the Sudetans, access to all the interesting places in the Góry Stołowe is easy and does not require much effort. The summits are not particularly high, the highest of them, Mt Szczeliniec Wielki, rising just 919 metres above sea level. What makes it truly impressive is the incredible scenery: the route to its top winds amid weird rocks, crevices, precipices and spectacular terraces with stunning views. Another feast for your eyes is the 20-hectare rock labyrinth known as the Błędne Skały (Erratic Boulders), with rock mushrooms and huge boulders clothed in dwarf spruces, berry bushes and lichens.
The ramblers' walks in the Góry Stołowe are very dense, their total length within this small area amounting to some 200 km. They are clearly marked, with reliable signs, and not very long. On your way you can notice various remnants of older routes, sometimes laid out as early as the 18th century: stone steps, viewing platforms, plaques, derelict shelters and inns, rotting boardwalks. Some remote rocks bear the inevitable "Kilroy was here" inscriptions - except that they are in Gothic characters and with dates like "1794".
As the mountains themselves are sparsely populated, accommodation and catering facilities concentrate at their feet, but they are extremely diversified and rich. Here you'll find three small and charming spas of European renown: Kudowa-Zdrój, Polanica, and Duszniki. The curative properties of the local mineral springs were known already in the 17th century. The water is excellent for treating heart, gastric and respiratory diseases as well as hormone disorders. At the foot of the mountains, there are plenty of tourist attractions including the unusual pilgrimage site of Wambierzyce, Silesia's Jerusalem, a remarkable open-air museum of Sudetan architecture and the eerie Kaplica Czaszek (Chapel of the Skulls).

Facts

The Chapel of the Skulls in Kudowa-Zdrój is one of just three such monuments in Europe (the other two are in Rome and Kutna Hora). The entire walls and ceiling of the Baroque chapel are decorated with three thousand human skulls. Another 20 thousand are deposited under the floor. This singular (to say the least) work was done in the late 18th century by a local Czech parish priest Václav Tomáąek, who wanted the future generations to remember the victims of the bloody religious wars of the 17th century, the two Silesian wars in the 18th century, and the cholera epidemics that plagued the region.

The Śnieżnik Natural Landscape Park
The vast Snieznik Natural Landscape Park (28,800 ha) protects the wildest parts of the Polish Sudetans, the highest after the Karkonosze, and incredibly scenic: the Śnieżnik Massif, the Góry Bialskie and the Góry Złote, all belonging to the Eastern Sudetans. This is also where you can find the rarest nature reserves in the Polish Sudetans.
The Śnieżnik Massif is an extensive group of mountains that is bound to please the serious hiker. The broad, flat and often grassy ridges are separated by deep, winding mountain valleys. Interestingly, the waters of their mountain streams flow to as many as three seas: the Baltic, North, and Black Sea.
Except for its summit, the whole massif has a dense covering of forests, mostly spruce though there are also fine mixed forests. The woodland is crisscrossed with dozens of kilometres of sealed roads, built in the 19th century for logging purposes and today serving as walking paths. Although rugged and desolate at places, the whole massif is easily accessible for tourists, largely due to the trails and good facilities (notably in the charming village of Międzygórze).
The highest peak, Mt Śnieżnik (1,425m), rises above the tree line, into the zone of alpine vegetation. Like a giant octopus with rocky tentacles, the treeless dome spreads out its mountain ridges radiating in all directions. The summit and the forests of the upper regiel below have many rare plant species and are encompassed by a nature reserve. Many hikers climb Mt Śnieżnik before the dawn to admire the legendary sunrises.
The reserve on the Śnieżnik Massif also contains one of the longest (3 km), and widely regarded as the most beautiful, cave in Poland - Bears' Cave. Discovered in 1966, it turned out to be so spectacular that the marble quarry in which it was found was soon closed down (recently the same has happened to all the other quarries in the area). Although you can visit only a small part of it, some 500 metres of tunnels, this is more than enough to dazzle you by its incredible wealth of dripstone forms. There are all kinds of stalactites, slagmites, columns, drapes, cascades, "rice bowls", subterranean lakes, streams, stacks and siphons. Another attraction are the bones of cave bears (which earned the cave its name). Thousands of them have been found here, including five complete skulls. They enabled the reconstruction of a full skeleton which you can now examine respectfully. There are also plenty of bones of scores of other animals, including cave lions, wolves, beavers and foxes.

Another range within the Śnieżnik Natural Landscape Park, the Góry Bialskie, is shared evenly by Poland and the Czech Republic, with the Morawka stream separating it from the Śnieżnik Massif. The Góry Bialskie are rather small mountains, their Polish part covering slightly more than 50 sq km and the highest peak being Mt Rudawiec (1,106 m). The rugged and wild Góry Bialskie are for the Sudetans what the Bieszczady Mountains are for the Carpathians. The compact massif is fully afforested, with some patches of almost primaeval Sudetan forest providing a habitat for wildlife. These enclaves of ancient sycamores, beeches and firs are now protected by the reserves of Puszcza Śnieżnej Białki and Nowa Morawa. The rivers here are among the cleanest in Poland, all belonging to the 0 or I class of purity, abounding in trout and grayling. Serene, unpolluted and desolate, the Góry Bialskie will please even the most fastidious nature lover.
The third range in the Śnieżnik Natural Landscape Park are the Góry Złote (Golden Mountains), rising to just 900 metres above sea level, but with a diversified relief. They are very popular, especially with rock-climbing aficionados, families on a Sunday stroll, and bikers. Another tourist attraction is Poland's oldest spa, Lądek Zdrój, immersed in greenery and slowly regaining its former splendour, tarnished by the decades of Soviet army presence in the area. In the surrounding terrain you can enjoy hundreds of kilometres of cycle tracks.
Accommodation facilities are extensive and diversified, concentrated largely around the Śnieżnik Massif and Lądek Zdrój. The least advanced civilisationally are the Góry Bialskie, but since they do not stretch over a large area, you can easily stay on their fringes. Tha range has a profusion of ramblers' walks, offering splendid views though rather strenuous. When planning hikes in the Eastern Sudetans, don't overestimate your abilities.

TOWNS AND SITES: ARCHITECTURAL GEMS AND CHAKRAS

Mt Ślęża: the Silesian Olympus
Although Ślęża is a mountain, protected by a natural landscape park with splendid nature reserves, its description fits in the Sites and Cities section. Natural beauty aside, Mt Ślęża is first and foremost a remarkable place - the legendary, historic and mystical heart of Silesia. On its slopes mysterious statues and stone walls have been discovered - the oldest traces of an ancient cult within Poland's boundaries - and the whole mountain is said to radiate with enormous energy.
Mt Ślęża dominates the open plain of Lower Silesia between Świdnica and Wrocław, its dark pyramid rising to 718 metres above sea level. Around is a ring of smaller hills that make up a mountain group known as the Ślęża Massif.
Commonly believed to be an extinct volcano, in fact the solitary, cone-shaped mountain was once a part of the Sudetans. Some 15-10 million years ago, during the Alpine folding, this continuity was broken, and Mt Ślęża left islated off amid the plains.
Regular human settlements appeared here in the Stone Age, ca. 4000 BC, encouraged by climate warming and developments in agriculture. There is much evidence to show that already at that time the mountain was being worshipped by Proto-Germanic or Proto-Slavonic tribes living at its foot (the identity of these peoples remains a matter of controversy among the specialists).
The place became a widely known centre of worship at the time of the Lusatian Culture around 600 BC. Who those people were, what language they spoke and what they believed in remains a mystery. Atop Mt Ślęża and Mt Radunia, the second highest summit of the massif, they built cult rings surrounding their holy places. Mt Ślęża is believed to have been associated with a solar cult, and Mt Radunia with a lunar cult. Such rites drew extensively upon the symbolism of fertility and natural cycles. The famous cult statues carved out of granite may also date back to that time. Around the 5th century BC, following a Scythian invasion, the Lusatian cult at Ślęża disappeared.
The transition period between the pre-Christian and Christian epoch brings even more mysteries. Some archaeologists write about Celts who came here over 2,000 years ago and revived the cult of the mountain. Some researchers believe these Celts were the makers of the granite statues; on the other hand, there is no evidence to prove this and some experts trace them to Mediterranean or even Indian origins, emphasising their originality.
Around the 5th century AD a powerful Slavonic tribe, later to be known as the Ślężanie, settled in this area. These people revived worship on Mt Ślęża. They were probably the builders of the stone walls on the site of the earlier sacred circles.
Christianity gradually wiped out the pagan cult. But the massif has continued to attract seekers of spiritual truth, esotericists and enthusiasts of ancient cultures. The mountain is generally believed to emanate some mysterious energy. For this reason, it has been explored since the 14th century by the "Walloons" (a term applied by the locals to all prospectors of foreing origin), diviners and writers of "secret" books. Mt Ślęża is one of the stormiest places in Europe; it is even said to attract lightning. This may be explained by the recently discovered deposits of titanium ore, unique in the world. And a few kilometres east of Mt Ślęża there is another rarity: a deposit of nephrite - a magic stone valued by the ancient Chinese for its remarkable metaphysical properties. Chemists from all over Silesia used to flock to the numerous mineral springs in the area. Last but not least, the massif is also home to no fewer than 370 species of spiders. And this is considered to prove the mountain's supernatural vibrations, as spiders are said to be particularly attracted by the so-called sites of power.
The area around Mt Ślęża has a dense network of ramblers', cycling, nature, educational, and archaeological walks. Thay are all relatively easy, scenic, fairly well signposted, usually running through woods and featuring interesting relics of the past.

Wrocław: famous gardens
Capital of Lower Silesia, the millennial city of Wrocław is one of Poland's most beautiful municipalities, a challenge to Cracow and Gdańsk for tourist attention. Situated on the Oder River and intersected by numerous canals, it has 12 islands and several times as many bridges. The city boasts the largest and most impressive complex of religious architecture in the mediaeval Gothic style, the strongest fortifications and the finest Gothic town hall in Poland. It is also a busy commercial, industrial, academic and cultural centre. Wrocław is certainly a city worth seeing, if only for its links with the history of Silesia, the wealth of its splendid historic buildings, and many examples of successful modern architecture.
In 1000 AD Wrocław became a Polish cathedral town and that's when the city's history began, eventful though not always auspicious. For centuries it was a place where the Polish, Czech, Austrian, German, Jewish and even Hungarian cultures and influences mixed together. The city grew around the crossroads of ancient trading routes, which affected its prosperity and shape. During the Second World War, converted by the Germans into a powerful fortress, it saw bitter fighting and suffered terrible destruction.
Rebuilding and restoration work was slow; the Communist authorities shamefully neglected this remarkable city, treating it as a backwater. Despite that, many old houses and other historic buildings survived, not only around the market-place, but also in more far-off districts. Here you can find real gems of old architecture tucked away among the post-war monuments of Socialist Realism.
After the collapse of Communism Wrocław regained the favour of the authorities. Over the last few years, especially after the 1997 flood, the Old City has been thoroughly restored and now it is a delight for visitors. The historical centre of Wrocław, notably its charming market-place, has turned into an attractive forum any European city would be proud of. Brightly painted houses, cafés, clubs, pubs, restaurants, casinos, cabarets and outdoor events in summer provide countless types of urban entertainment. The most eye-catching building in the market-place is the town hall, rated among the finest examples of mediaeval architecture in Europe. Its cellars house the oldest bar in town, dating back to the 13th century (when it already sold beer).
But Wrocław's Old City is not just the market-place. It also includes Ostrów Tumski, once an island and today perhaps the most charming part of the city, saved during the 1997 flood. This historic cradle of the city boasts many old churches (including the magnificent Cathedral regarded as a Gothic masterpiece) and lovely, quiet lanes. If you are looking for peace, you can visit the Botanical Garden, which prides itself on having Poland's biggest collection of water and mud plants. Also in this part of the city, one of the centres of the Earth's energy - the blue chakra of consciousness - is apparently lodged beneath one of the churches.

Facts
Wrocław is the birthplace of Wanda Rutkiewicz, a world-famous climber who in 1978 was the first European woman to conquer Mount Everest. She went missing in 1992 during an attempt to climb Kanchenjunga.

One of Wrocław's indisputable attractions is its Zoological Garden. It is one of the biggest and oldest zoos in Poland, popularised by a TV programme about animals presented by a couple that for years have been running the garden. Without doubt it is also the most beautiful zoo in Poland, well-known to specialists from abroad and visited every year by over half a million tourists. The zoo was established in 1865. While immediately after the Second World War it had only 150 inmates, today their number exceeds four thousand, which means the biggest collection in the country and one of the biggest in Europe. Many animals are representatives of species no longer living in their natural environment or threatened with extinction. About 100 species breed regularly; for example over the last few decades 30 young giraffes have been born here.
Not far from the zoo lies the Park Szczytnicki. This romantic English landscape park, a charming haven of peace, was created in the 18th century. Its highlight is a genuine Japanese garden, unique in this part of the world. One of the most interesting "exhibits" at the World Exhibition of 1913, it was not reconstructed, or actually landscaped anew, until the 1990s by Japanese master gardeners. Their participation ensured that all the designs and works down to the minutest detail complied with the principles of the Japanese art of horticulture. Every element has its place and significance - often undiscernible to a European - in this genuine little Japan in the heart of Europe.
Wrocław, a city unique in every respect, waits to be rediscovered by tourists.

Kłodzko: subterranean walks and an impregnable fortress
When visiting Silesia, don't miss Kłodzko, a captivating town with a strong character and a handful of first-rate attractions. As a matter of fact, it's hard to be overlooked, since it's a regional transport terminus. From far off you can see its fortress overlooking the surroundings, with the Old Town on the slopes beneath.
The town, lying in the centre of the Kłodzko Basin, is over a thousand years old. For centuries it was a meeting-place for Polish, Bohemian, German and Flemish settlers of various religions. The result was cosmopolitan architecture, awareness, and toleration. The quaint old streets and lanes still retain an air of the German order, the frivolity of Czech Baroque, and the conscientiousness of Netherlandish commerce.
Kłodzko Old Town is a delight at any time of the day and year. As you walk up the streets lined with narrow houses, every now and then your eyes spot small masterpieces of masonry. Sadly, they are littered with rubble, and the lower part of the Old Town still bears visible signs of the disastrous flood of the summer of 1997. The residents of Kłodzko seem to treat their splendid town rather nonchalantly - as if it had suddenly emerged from nowhere, ready-made and not requiring any further efforts. This attitude is changing slowly and - despite the destruction caused by the flood - over the last few years the town has regained much of this former splendour.
The Old Town's market-place may be reached over the Gothic St John's Bridge. Built in 1390, the three-span stone structure is a miniature replica of Prague's Charles' Bridge, also adorned with 17th- and 18th-century figures of saints, picturesquely arranged in six groups. The flood that carried away dozens of post-war steel bridges did not even dent this 14th-century construction.
Almost 400 buildings in Kłodzko are listed as historic monuments. The most valuable of them are the predominantly 15th- and 16th-century merchants' houses centred around the market-place. One of the great tourist attractions here is an underground tunnel leading through restored and connected old cellars, reinforced in the 1950s when the houses above suddenly began to subside. You walk this historic ghost-train on your own, with additional excitement provided by genuine torture devices placed in recesses and illuminated with dungeon lights. Leaving the tunnel, you find yourself outside the fortress entrance.
The formidable construction is widely regarded as the most impressive fortress in Poland. Hewn in rock and constantly improved, it was virtually impregnable. For years it was used as a prison, also during the Second World War. Its greatest peculiarity and attraction is a system of tunnels drilled in the 18th century in all directions and designed so that the defenders could safely approach the enemy's artillery and blow it up with explosives. Altogether, 44 km of this labyrinth have survived. Only one kilometre is open to visitors, but it's enough for an unforgettable outing. But if you prefer light and open spaces, go to a terrace from which you can enjoy a panorama of the eight ranges surrounding the Kłodzko Basin.

Góra Św. Anny: Europe's biggest amphitheatre
The impressive, bare Góra Św. Anny (St Ann's Hill) is a magic place that you can't miss when visiting Silesia. It rises to 400 metres at the edge of the Silesian Upland, with a similarly named village at its foot. Originally this was the site of a pagan cult; then a church was built here, which became the centre of religious devotions for Polish Silesians, who came here to venerate the relics of St Anne. In May 1921 the biggest battle of the Third Silesian Uprising was fought at the foot of the hill.
The hill and village, with plenty of ramblers' walks around them, deserve a whole day, or even two. The focus of the remarkable Sanctuary of St Ann is a Gothic/Baroque church, rather unprepossessing outside but with a sumptuous interior, elevated to the status of a basilica by Pope John Paul II. There is also a Baroque Franciscan priory and a picturesque group of 37 Calvary chapels around the church and east of the village. This is a very popular place of pilgrimage, and the 15th-century wooden statue of St Ann in the church is said to have wrought miracles.
A no longer used basalt quarry houses an enormous amphitheatre with about 100,000 seats. This is the biggest natural amphitheatre in Europe, beautifully set against a backdrop of white limestone. It was built in the 1930s by the Nazis to host Party meetings and commemorate the Germans killed in the Third Silesian Uprising. Nowadays it is the only construction of its kind in Europe.
Almost six thousand hectares in the neighbourhood are protected by the Góra Św. Anny Natural Landscape Park, which encompasses scenic hills, historic buildings, rare mixed forests with plenty of beechwoods, and various geological formations including karst landforms - seven springs and rocks. Crossed by a few ramblers' walks, the Park comprises the Góra Św. Anny Reserve (2.5 ha) protecting part of an old basalt quarry with an uncovered volcanic pipe. The diversified grassy terrain with many trees is a perfect place for picnics and walks.

Vote for the World's Best Off Road car!

International 4x4 Off Road Adventure Club, Gorzow Wlkp., Poland

Links: Polish Forum Free Polish Translation Learn Polish in Poland Polish Links