Discover historic Warsaw...
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Poland is located at the heart of the European continent. The country is a meeting place not only for cultures and ideas, but also for conflict and confrontation.
Poland's borders have changed many times over the centuries. Its present borders were set after World War II ended in 1945. Poland has seven neighbors: Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and Russian Kaliningrad. Poland has a variety of striking landscapes, from the sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea coast in the north and the rolling central lowlands to the snowcapped peaks of the Carpathian and Sudeten Mountains in the south. Poland has more than 1,300 lakes throughout the country. Religion is a very important part of Polish life. The majority of the population (about 87 percent) is Roman Catholic. In 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, archbishop of Krakow, became the first-ever Polish pope. He took the name John Paul II and was head of the Catholic Church until his death in 2005. Poland's large tracts of forested land provide refuge for many animals, including wild boar and the European bison, called a wisent. Once extinct in the wild, the wisent was reintroduced using animals bred in captivity. Poland's Bialowieza Forest is home to the world's largest population of these rare bovines. Poland's forests are the ideal habitat for many of Europe's endangered species, including brown bears, wild horses, chamois goats, Eurasian lynxes, and the continent's largest population of gray wolves. Wars and pollution, however, have taken a toll on Poland's land and have hurt the populations of animals that rely on these habitats. The government is trying to reverse the damage. There are now 23 national parks in Poland, 1,269 nature reserves, and a hundred bird sanctuaries. Under communism, Poland became a highly industrialized country. Mining, steelworks, and machinery production are still the major industries there. Changing from communism to a free market economy in the 1980s caused much upheaval in Poland. Even today, though most people are better off than they were under Soviet rule, wages are low and unemployment is high. Since joining the European Union in 2004 Poland's economy has grown rapidly. Poland's first civilization dates back to about 2000 B.C., but it wasn't until A.D. 966 that the region's tribes became united under the Slavic chief Mieszko, first prince of Polska. In the late 1500s, Poland and Lithuania joined together and formed a large, powerful commonwealth with elected kings. By the late 1700s however, Poland had been weakened by a series of wars with its neighbors. In 1795, it was conquered and divided up among Russia, Prussia (now Germany), and Austria. Poland ceased to exist as a country for 123 years. In 1918, after World War I, Poland was restored as a country. But just 21 years later, Germany and the Soviet Union attacked, intent on dividing Poland between them. The aggression marked the beginning of World War II and led to nearly 45 years of Soviet occupation. In 1980, Polish workers began protesting communist rule under the now-famous union banner of Solidarity. In 1989, after nearly a decade of clashes between the government and Solidarity activists, democratic elections were held, and the country was renamed the Republic of Poland. In 1990, the Polish Communist Party was dissolved. |
WARSAWWarsaw is among the greenest metropolises on the continent, with Europe’s wildest river flowing through the center of the city. During World War II Warsaw was reduced to rubble, nonetheless the city was brought back to life and continues to flourish.
It is a city with the tallest four-faced clock tower in the world. Its faces are 6 m in diameter, making it the largest clock of its kindin Europe. The tower sits on one of the youngest, yet one of the most prominent, symbols of socialist architecture – the Palace of Culture and Science built in 1956. Paradoxically, Warsaw’s Old Town is only 50 years old. After World War II it was proudly and laboriously reconstructed to its present form. In 1980 it was placed on the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Monumental and lapidary socialist realism sits alongside the subtle and ethereal Art Nouveau architecture, and modern-glass skyscrapers tower over apartment buildings. Every day Varsovians walk by the multitude of commemorative sites, and after work they relax in numerous parks and gardens. The modern office building designed by a famous architects Foster and Partners beautifully blends in with the neighboring Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was part of the arcade of the Saxon Palace before WWII. The historic Praga district, which for decades was in the shadows of cultural life, is going through are revitalization process and is becoming the ‘promised land’ for artists and an oasis for creative endeavours. An actual rooftop garden has been cultivated atop one of the largest university libraries in the capital. While within the historic walls of Łazienki Palace on the Lake, you can listen to hip-hop and the ever-present Fryderyk Chopin, where the famous composer himself used to play. Now that is an interesting contrast. Popularly known as tourist attractions, Warsaw’s aforementioned gems can be discovered in several different ways. On foot, by bicycle, on a tour of historic sites or going on the Chopin trail, as well as attending concerts and festivals, listening to contemporary music, club-hopping or pursuing other ambitious artistic events. Discover it for yourself, because the door is wide open to all those interested. You are most cordially invited!!! |
Aktuelle rejser til Polen
 Bocelli 5* Koncert & Gourmet oplevelse 24-27. juni 2016 |
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