LET'S EXPLORE POLAND

Copyright 1998 by the AngloPol Corporation

This series will take us through the cities, towns, villages and countryside of Poland, 
as well as give us insights into the rich history and culture of the nation.

Part 30

BETWEEN TWO RIVERS

The small area between the Vistula and Drweca lies in the neighborhood of two large towns on the banks of the Vistula, Torun and Grudziadz, and there are two lake districts here: the Chelmno and Brodnica Districts. Although these are rather small, they are beautifully placed in a varied territory. The small towns of the area, while not as well known as Torun or Grudziadz, are worth visiting and contain some interesting historic buildings.

At the edge of the Vistula valley lies the city of Chelmno, which in the past played an important role. In the 13th century, the Teutonic Knights planned it to be the capital of their state, although finally Malbork was chosen instead. The town charters granted to Chelmno (and to Torun at the same time) provided a model for those granted to other medieval towns. The original layout of the town has been preserved, and there are some splendid historic buildings, including a late Renaissance town hall, Gothic churches, and large sections of the town walls with seventeen towers. In the center of the Chelmno Lake District lies the town of Chelmza, which for several centuries was the seat of a bishopric. The Gothic church here deserves attention.

Golub-Dobrzyn was formed from two separate towns, lying on the opposite banks of the Drweca river. In the 17th century, the 14th century castle built by the Teutonic Knights at Golub belonged to Anna Vasa, the sister of the Polish king, Sigismund III Vasa. Currently this houses a small museum, a period cafe and a tourist hotel. Knight's tournaments are organized in late July.

The town of Brodnica also lies on the banks of the Drweca and boasts many historic buildings. These include the ruins of a castle of the Teutonic Knights, a gothic church, a baroque monastery complex, a town hall dating from the end of the 14th century and fragments of the defensive walls. The Brodnica Lake District lies to the north of the town. Holiday recreation centers and waterside hotels are situated among the forests that surround the lakes. Bachotek, on the banks of Lake Bachotek, and Zbiczno are the best-known centers of this kind. There is also a waterside hostel on the banks of lake Wielkie Parteczyny.

ELBLAG CANAL ROUTE

The inland waterway route linking Elblag with Ostroda is an attraction unique in Europe, although there is another waterway of this type in the United States. The Elblag Canal, which is 81 km. long, was built in 1848-60. It runs through a long chain of lakes, lying at different heights above sea level, which are joined together by manmade cuttings. Overall the difference in water level is almost 100 meters. It is possible to sail through tanks to two locks and five slipways, though which ships are carried dry on rails on special platforms. The difference in levels joined by individual slipways varies from a dozen to more than 24 meters.

The route of the Elblag Canal is picturesque, leading first through the large, but shallow and overgrown Lake Druzno, near Elblag, where an ornithological reserve has been set up, and then through the Ilawa-Ostroda Lake District. It is this area, between Ilawa, Ostroda and Morag, that is exceptionally varied in landscape relief, with a large part of it covered by lakes and forests. The interconnected lakes form an attractive waterway route for sailors and canoeists. Anglers find excellent sport here and hunting expeditions are also organized. The Ilawa-Ostroda Lake District is one of the best known areas for summer holidays and water sports.

GRUNWALD

On July 15, 1410, two powerful armies halted between the villages of Stebark, Lodwigowo and Grunwald (to the southwest of Olsztyn). On one side were the united armies of Poland and Lithuania, under the commanded of Ladislaus Jagiello, the King of Poland. On the other were the countless ranks of the Teutonic Knights, aided by knights from many other European countries, under the command of the Grand Master of the Order, Ulrich von Jungingen. The battle that resulted, and which lasted almost the whole day, was the greatest clash of arms of the whole Middle Ages. In total, almost 80,000 armed men fought in it. Jagiello met the well-armed Knights, in their steel armor, with better tactics, which finally brought him the victory. The subsequent destruction of the armies of the Teutonic Knights broke the power of the order, which had previously presented a growing threat to Poland.

In 1960, a memorial was unveiled on the site of the battle. This consists of an obelisk, a cluster of metal pennants 30 m. high, an amphitheater that houses the Museum of the battle of Grunwald, and a relief map showing the disposition of the armies before the battle.

THE COPERNICAN ROUTE

The Copernican Route runs through the towns connected with the life and work of the famous Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus {Mikolaj Kopernik]. The route begins in Torun, where Copernicus was born in 1473. Torun is a large town on the banks of the Vistula, which is a major cultural and academic center. The oldest part of the town consists of a large complex of Gothic buildings.

The route then goes on through Brodnica, Kurzetnik, Nowe Miasto Lubawskie and Lubawa, before reaching Olsztyn, which is the capital of the region. In the postwar period, many large industrial plants, two institutions of higher education and many cultural establishments have been built. In 1516-21 Nicolaus Copernicus was the administrator of Olsztyn and he was responsible for the effective preparation of defenses of the town against the Teutonic Knights. The Museum of Warmia and Mazuria is housed in the old Gothic castle (the rooms in which Copernicus lived have been preserved and there are mementos of his life, as well as an archaeological, ethnographic and natural science collection). A Gothic cathedral and Gothic town gate have survived in the town center, together with what is called the Old Town Hall, which contains Baroque elements. Olsztyn also has a Planetarium of Space Flight.

The next town on the route is Dobre Miasto, which has an enormous Gothic church and fragments of the defensive walls. From here it is not far to Lidzbark Warminski, which used to be the Episcopal seat of the bishop of Warmia. One of these was Lukas Watzenrode, the uncle of Nicolaus Copernicus, with whom the future astronomer stayed as his physician and secretary. All the old part of the town is of historic interest, especially the Gothic bishops castle, which is a splendid example of medieval defensive building and which now houses a branch section of the Museum of Warmia and Mazuria.

Orneta, which has a historic Gothic town hall and Gothic church, also has links with Copernicus.

The last point on the Copernican Route is Frombork, a small town on the Vistula Bay. In the period from 1512 to 1543, with only brief intervals between, Nicolaus Copernicus lived and worked here. He dealt with the management of the affairs of the Warmian chapter, but spent the major part of his time recording astronomical observations. It was here that he worked out the principles of his famous heliocentric theory which he set out in his "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium." The great astronomer was buried in the crypt of Frombork cathedral. The group of historic buildings on the Cathedral Hills is rated in the highest world class of historic buildings. It includes a monumental Gothic cathedral, defensive walls with the Copernicus Tower, and the bishops' palace (now the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum). Outside the defensive walls, there is a chapel with a marvelous polychrome depicting the Last Judgment.

Elblag, a large industrial, commercial and cultural center, lies on the edge of a scenic highland region. Boat trips on the Elblag Canal begin from here. The town has the Gothic church of St. Nicholas, and the Gothic church of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is today a gallery of modern art. The beautiful wooded Bazantaria (Pheasantry) park is also worth a visit.

OLSZTYNEK

The small town Olsztynek lies on the E81 highway in an area of varied scenic attractions. The greatest tourist attraction in Olsztynek is the skansen [outdoor museum] in which many examples of the timber building styles of Warmia and Mazuria have been brought together. There are also specimens from the Vistula valley and Lithuania. The most interesting buildings include a water mill, Mazurian farmyard, cottage with porch, inn, wooden church and three windmills. Some of the buildings contain original furnishings and tools. The Museum of Folk Building in Olsztynek is continuing to expand its collection and further historic are constantly being added.

To the East of Olsztynek there is a large forest area with many picturesque lakes on the shores of which there are holiday centers. Further on, in the Szczytno region, Polish tour operators operate wooden holiday chalets in the following places Miluki, Narty, Warchaly, Kobylocha, Marksewo, Nowy Zyzdroj, Polom and Kierwik. These are located in beautiful countryside on the shores of lakes, and therefore offer happy holidays for the whole family, away from crowds and in close touch with nature.

THE WOLF'S LAIR

Hitler's wartime headquarters was called The Wolf's Lair. It lies in the woods of Gierloz, 8 km. East of Ketrzyn. It consisted of a group of eighty strong bunkers built in the years 1940-44, a small railway station and an airfield. It had a direct telephone link with Berlin. In eight of the bunkers the thickness of the walls was from 1-6 meters and the thickness of the roof from 6-8 meters. Hitler's headquarters was exceptionally carefully guarded. It was surrounded by a belt of minefields, with anti-aircraft gun emplacements. The buildings were camouflaged with nets holding imitation foliage, the color of which was changed from season to season.

Hitler used the headquarters from June 24, 1941, to November 20, 1944, although he was not, of course, constantly in residence there. It was here that on July 20, 1944, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg made his unsuccessful attempt on Hitler's life. The Wolf's Lair was destroyed by the German army as it withdrew in late January, 1945. The area which housed Hitler's headquarters, with the ruins of the bunkers, can be visited by tourists.

The town of Ketrzyn is an important industrial center with several historic buildings, including a Gothic church, and a Gothic castle which today houses a museum.

The village of Swieta Lipka, a religious center and a place of pilgrimage, lies to the southwest of Ketrzyn. Here there is a monastery complex which includes the Baroque church of the Blessed Virgin Mary dating from the 17th century, considered to be one of the best examples of sacred architecture in Northern Poland. The richly furnished interior houses the works of many outstanding artists.