Environs of Warsaw - for one day trip
ZELAZOWA WOLA
Zelazowa Wola is a village steeped in the beautiful, nostalgic Mazovian landscape on the Utrata river. That's where in 1810 in a small manor the greatest Polish Composer, Fryderyk Chopin,
was born. At present the manor houses the museum, which was opened on
the centenary of the Composer's death and where the 19th century
paintings, drawings, furniture and tapestries are exhibited. The manor is surrounded by the beautiful park. Since 1945 Chopin piano
concerts have been held in the museum. The concert season begins in May
and ends in September. The concerts are performed by the young pianists
from all over the world.
NIEBOROW & ARKADIA
Nieborow is famous for the beautiful Baroque palace. The palace was built for Cardinal Michal Stefan Radziejowski in the very end of the 17th century. It is surrounded by the Baroque garden in the regular (French) style. One of the most prominent owners of Nieborow was Michal Hieronim Radziwill.
He created a significant collection of paintings and a library of old
prints. His wife, Helena, founded a romantic garden which she called Arkadia.
Janusz Radziwill was the last owner of Nieborow. Since 1945 the palace
and park in Nieborow as well as the garden in Arkadia have been a part
of the National Museum in Warsaw.
LOWICZ
The town of Lowicz, whose
history dates back to the 12th century, was one of important political,
commercial, cultural and socilal centers on the territory of Poland.
The Old Market Square is dominated by the beautiful Renaissance-Baroque Cathedral, in which twelve Primates of Poland are burried. The former seminary building houses the Museum of Lowicz where some permanent exhibitions are held. In the only surviving piece of the original seminary building, the chapel of Saint Karol Boromeusz, the exhibition illustrating Baroque art in Poland is held. Very interesting and worth visiting is the open-air Museum in Maurzyce.
SROMOW
At the distance of 10 km away from Lowicz, there is a fascinating folk museum owned by the Brzozowski family. The museum was founded by Julian Brzozowski,
who was a farmer and a very talented sculptor. He began scultping the
first sculptures for the museum in the 1950s. The first exhibition hall
was opened in 1972. Today the collections of beautiful wooden movable
sculptures, paintings, old-fashioned horse-drawn carriages, tools and
furniture are displayed in four exhibition halls. There are also
original national costumes, artistic paper cut-outs and spiderlike
patterns to be seen at the museum. It is really worth visiting and a
visit there leaves unforgettable impressions.
KAMPINOSKI NATIONAL PARK
Kampinoski National Park
was estabilished in 1959. It is situated in Poland's Central Mazovian
Lowland, just beyond the north-western suburbs of Warsaw. It is the
only National Park in Europe which borders a capital city. The park boasts thousands of flora and fauna species. Among the mammals the laregst is the moose
which is the symbol of Kampinoski National Park. Apart from the
protection of plants and animals, the park is to protect the historical
and cultural heritage present within its boundaries.
ZEGRZYNSKIE LAKE
Zegrzynskie Lake is an
artificially created storage reservoir. It was built in 1963 on the
Narew (Narev) river and covers the surface of 33 sq. km. It is the only
lake in the environs of Warsaw and one of the most popular recreation
destinations for Varsovians. There are numerous sport areas, beaches,
leisure and conference centers as well as tourist attractions around
the lake. Worth visitig are NIEPORET (Baroque church), SEROCK (Gothic parish church, Barbarka strong-hold) and JADWISIN (Radziwill Palace).
And a bit further...
PULAWY
Pulawy is a town situated on the Vistula river, in its middle course. It is first of all famous for a beautiful palace-and-park complex,
the former residence of Czartoryski family. In the 19th century it was
one of political and cultural centers in Poland. That's where Polish
national memorabilia were collected, a rich library was created and in
1801 the first national museum was opened.
KAZIMIERZ DOLNY
Kazimierz Dolny is a beautiful town on the right bank of the Vistula river. It is also known as "the pearl of Renaissance".
The history of Kazimierz dates back to the early Middle Ages, when the
castle was biult. The 16th and 17th centuries were the town's golden
age. That is when beautifully decorated merchants' houses in the Market Square and rich granaries along the river were built. After WWI, Kazimierz has become "a paradise for painters". The Polish Folklore Festival as well as the Film Festival
have been held here for several years. It is a fantastic place to
visit: breathtaking views, numerous art galleries, Polish and Jewish
cuisine and beautiful Renaissance architecture. NALECZÓW
Naleczow is one of the most known cardiological-health resorts in Poland. It is situated in the province of Lublin, within the Kazimierski Landscape Park
and surrounded by beautiful loess valleys. The famous mineral water
"Naleczowianka" is produced in Naleczow. Among most interesting tourist
attractions are the spa park and Malachowski palace. It is a perfect place for relaxation and rest.
