Poland Undiscovered: A Mini-Guide
Unknown places and facts about Poland
Beautiful Polish nature, treasures still undiscovered by tourists, unknown facts and places, Polish curiosities and customs. Everything that is hard to find in popular travel guides.
Poland, after tearing down the Iron Curtain, has become more accessible tourist destination, with growing popularity in recent years. The country offers many attractions for tourists, no matter what are they looking for: an still unspoiled nature, folklore, castles and other historical monuments, vibrant nightlife in the cities.
Upside-Down House in Szymbark
Built in Pomerania region (50km south from Gdansk) by a Polish businessman and philanthropist as a metaphor for communism. The Upside-Down House is a magnet for tourists even though they may complain about mild seasickness and dizziness after just a few minutes of being inside it. Because everything inside this house is upside-down: you walk on the ceiling, the furniture is hanging from the floor, and the ceiling-floor itself isn't horizontal either. Like communism itself :)
Chapel of Sculls in Poland (c) wiki commons
Chapel of Skulls in Czermna (Lower Silesia region) is a very interesting place, built in 18th century, being the only of its kind in Poland and one of three of its kind in Europe.
The walls and the inside of this unique chapel cover about 3000 closely stacked human skulls and bones, mostly victims of wars and epidemics. Another 30,000 human remains is located in the crypt under the chapel. Watch the scull horror in 360 degrees.
About 70km from Gdansk lies the city of Elblag. Elblag is connected with Ostrada by a 150km canal, called Elblag Canal. The canal is truly a wonder of engineering - it was built in 19th century and equipped with slipways and ramps in order to overcome approx. 100 m level difference between two lakes. Whole tourist route on this canal takes 11hrs, and leads through the lakes, meadows, "hills" and the canal itself, both on land and on water. Very interesting experience and beautiful views .
Bledowska Desert (c) arlena.org @ panoramio
In the vicinity of Silesia region there is a great natural curiosity - Bledowska Desert called "the Polish Sahara". The desert at the beginning of the 19th century, was reportedly 80 km2, now covers an area of about 30 km2.
The origin Bledowska Desert is not entirely clear. According to one of the hypotheses has this Europe's largest stretch of sand a glacial origin. Another hypothesis says that the responsibility rests on humans who since the 13th century cut down trees needed for silver and lead smelters. However, according to popular legend the perpetrator of the desert's creation is the devil, whose bag of sand ripped open the top of the church tower.
Learn Polish history in 10min
Known and unknown facts about Poland and its 1000-years old history
Locate Polish Attractions on a Map
See locations of the places you read about in this mini-guide to unknown Poland
Don't be shy and leave a few words here, people like to read opinions of other people, maybe you know about some other places in Poland which you would recommend? Or maybe you visited one of those listed here? If so, what are your impressions? Or simply say hello :-)
