Download Welcome in Poland

Welcome to Poland
Do you want to know anything
about that marvellous country?
General information
Poland is situated in the
centre of Europe. It is the
member of European Union
from 2004. This country has
population of over 38
million people. Its capital
city is Warsaw. The official
language of Poland is
Polish.The total area
consists of 312,679 square
kilometres. Its official name
is the Republic of Poland
(Rzeczpospolita Polska).
History of Poland
The first Polish state was
established and
christianized in 966 by
Mieszko I. The Piast
Dynasty ruled from 966
to 1370. The next
dynasties were
Jagiellonowie and
election kings. The last
emperor of Poland was
Stanislaw August
Poniatowski. From 1795
to 1918 the area of
Poland was divided into
Russia, Austria and
Prussia.
The first Polish Constitution was
established on 3rd May, 1791. Its
principal co-author was Stanislaw
August Poniatowski. The Constitution
was the first in Europe and the second in
the world.
History of Poland
In 1914-1918 Poland took part
in the First World War and
20 years later the Second
World War began. Poland
was under German and
Soviet occupation. In 1944
inhabitants of Warsaw fought
in the Warsaw Rebellion. In
1945 the war ended and
Poland became independent.
Polish politicians under
Soviet force established
socialistic system from 1945
Sejm – the lower house of Polish
parliament. It consists of 460
deputies elected every four years.
Polish literature
One of the earliest Polish texts is Bogurodzica, the
sacral hymn to Virgin Mary. The text is full of
archaisms.
Jan Kochanowski (1530-1580), the prominent poet
and writer of the Polish Renaissance. He created
Laments and another poetry.
Wespazjan Kochowski (1633-1700) – the Polish
historian and poet. He wrote many religious
poems.
Ignacy Krasicki (1735-1801) , the most prominent
writer in the Enlightement. His most popular works
are Fables, Satires and the War of the Monks.
Polish literature
Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855), the
most outstanding poet of the
Polish Romanticism, the author
of the national epos Pan
Tadeusz.
Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1915) –
the writer of novels (Quo Vadis,
The Teutonic Knights, With Fire
and Sword). In 1905 he won
the Nobel Prize.
Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński
(1905-1953)- a poet, he wrote
many grotesque and satiric
poems as well as short
comedies.
Zbigniew Herbert (19241998)-a Polish poet and
essayist. He wrote a cycle of
poems about Mr Cogito. His
first poems were published
in 1950.
Polish Music
Venceslaus Samotulinus (1520-1560) the
Renaissance composer of religious motets.
Karol Kurpiński (1785-1857) –the Polish
composer, conductor and educator. At the
age of 12, he became an organist at church.
He wrote operas and symphonic works.
Stanisław Moniuszko (1819-1872) a composer,
a conductor and a teacher. He wrote operas
and songs (The Haunted Manor, Helen,
Verbum Nobile)
Polish Music
Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849) – the
most prominent composer of
Romanticism.He wrote mazurkas,
polonaises, sonatas and other piano
pieces. His works contain Polish ethnic
themes.
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) - a
Polish pianist, composer, diplomat, and
politician, and the third Prime Minister of
Poland.
Polish Music
National dances
- Krakowiak
- Polonaise
- Mazurka
- Oberek
- Kujawiak
Polish architecture
The Wawel Cathedral is the Polish
national sanctuary.It is located on the
Wawel Hill in Cracow. It has a 1,000year history and it was the traditional
coronation site of Polish monarches. It is
the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of
Cracow. The Pope John Paul II was
buried there.
Main Market Square in Krakow
Polish architecture
The Lazienki Park (is the largest
park in Warsaw and occupies 76
hectares of the city center. The
Lazienki Park was established in
the 17th century by Tylman van
Gameren, in the baroque style.
The Great
Theatre
and the
Polish
National
Opera in
Famous Poles
John Paul II (Karol Wojtyła) – the
Roman Catholic Pope, religious
leader, writer, poet. He remains one
of the most-travelled world leaders
in history. He was the only Polish
pope and the first non-Italian pope
since Adrian VI (Dutch) in the
1520s.
Lech Wałęsa – the Polish politician, the
President in years 1990-1995.
Established the Independent Selfgoverning Trade Union „the
Solidarity”, which was anticommunist. The winner of the Nobel
Prize in 1983.
Polish landscapes
The River Vistula is the longest one in
Poland (1047 km). The picture shows the
river in Modlin. The Vistula flows in
Cracow, Warsaw and Gdańsk.
The fabulous
landscapes of
Masuria, the area in
the north-east of
Poland
Warsaw – the capital city
Warsaw is the capital city of
Poland since 1596. It has
1 700 536 inhabitants.
Modern centre of Warsaw
Polish language
Polish language is the official language of
Poland. It is the West Slavic language with
the greatest number of speakers . Polish
language is spoken by 42.7 million people.
Świętokrzyskie district
Poland is divided into 16
districts. Świętokrzyskie
district is situated in southeastern Poland. Its capital
city is Kielce. It takes its
name from Góry
Świętokrzyskie mountains.
The population is1,281,796.
In Swiętokrzyskie are
situated Old-Polish
Industrial Region and
Świętokrzyski National Park.
The location of Świętokrzyskie
Voivodeship in Poland
Świętokrzyskie Mountains
Świętokrzyskie Mountains are
treated as a mountain range
in central Poland. They are
one of the oldest mountain
ranges in Europe. The
mountains are part of the
Świętokrzyski National Park.
The highest summit of
Świętokrzyskie Mountains is
Łysica (612 m), where is
possible to see a stone run.
The name of the mountains
comes from a monastery with
Relic of Holy Cross.
Landscapes of
Świętokrzyskie
Mountains
Kielce
Kielce is the capital city of Świętokrzyskie district.
It has 205 665 inhabitants. Kielce is a cultural
and economical center of the region. The city is
famous of Kielce Trade Fairs. It is a modern firm,
which organizes international exhibitions of
miscellanous products. The best known building
in Kielce - The Kraków Bishop’s Palace is
constructed in baroque style. The palace is
arranged as a National Museum with worth
paintings of prominent artists. Kielce has also an
university and an Institute of Technology. The
city is known in Poland for the Dance Theatre.
Centers of Kielce
The Culture Centre of Kielce is a modern
building. There are situated: the
philharmony, the local television and many
language schools. It is a place of
miscellaneous performances.
The Cathedral Basilica of the
Assumption of Mary in Kielce functions
as a religious
center of the city. The cathedral is built
in the baroque style. The painting of
Virgin Mary was coronated in 1993 by
the Pope John Paul II.
Architecture of Kielce
The photographs show the
Cracow’s Bishops Palace,
the Karsch’s Manor House
and the building of the
District Office
Zagnańsk
Zagnańsk is a village situated 13 km
in the north of Kielce. Zagnansk
functions as a center of Zagnansk
Commune. Commune (gmina) is
the principal unit (the lowest
uniform level) of the territorial
division in Poland. The main
touristic attraction of Zagnansk
Commune is the oak ”Bartek”,
which is about 700 years old.
Other interesting places in this
Commune are: an old quarry of
dolomite, ”Bohema” - the center
of luxurious parties and
ceremonies. The Commune
contains also a library, a bank,
primary ,gymnasium, schools and
a high school.
The high school specialised in forestry.
It is one of the biggest buildings of
Zagnańsk.
Zagnańsk
The number of population of Zagnansk
Commune is 12 746. There are many
cultural institutions. For example, the
Commune Public Library contains 45
492 books to borrow. It also has
several computers with free Internet
access for all users. The next
touristic attraction is an old church
from XVII century. It is situated close
to the Chelm Hill – the point of
picturesque views. The Zagnańsk
Commune possesses in its territory a
Suchedniowsko-Oblęgorski park
krajobrazowy.
The modern architecture of
Zagnańsk. The picture shows a
center of health care. Library and
pharmacy are situated next to that
building.
Zagnańsk
Zagnańsk is also a good recreation place.
There are three artificial lakes in villages:
Umer, Kaniow and Zachełmie. It is possible
to swim in them and rest on their coasts. In
the village are also organised ”The Days of
Zagnańsk", these are cultural and
entertainment parties with the promotion of
Zagnańsk Commune. The Landscape Park is
located on the area of the Commune. It is a The artificial lake in Kaniów.
complex of forests, enabling walks full of
delight and the admiration for the nature.
Primary school and Gymnasium in
Zagnańsk
Primary School and Gymnasium
in Zagnańsk are situated at
Turystyczna 59 Street. The
main building exists since
1971. The new building of
the sports centre was built in
2003. The school contains 18
classrooms with the complete
equipment, the canteen, the
library and cloakrooms.
There are about 486
students and 50 teachers.
The school organizes
obligatory lessons as well as
the additional ones. The
headmaster in Mrs Marzanna
The main building of the
school consists of three floors
and a concourse used for sport
and solemn events.
Primary school and Gymnasium in
Zagnańsk
The patron of the school is
Stanisław Staszic – the
leader of Polish
Enlightement, a priest and
political writer. The school
possesses two computer
rooms. The institution
organizes miscellaneous
journeys and trips e.g. to
cinemas and theaters.
Many students of the
gymnasium take part in
District Competitions.
Students are writing a final examination
in the concourse.
Primary school and Gymnasium in
Zagnańsk
The sports centre is a modern
recreation and
entertainment object. It
contains the main court,
two classrooms,
cloakrooms, a fitness room
and an auditorium. The
centre is widely used,
particularly on lessons on
Physical Education. It is
also a place of other sport
events. The hall possesses
two floors. It is owned by
the Commune Centre of
Culture, Sports and
Recreation. It is possible to
Interior of the sports centre. You can
see there the main court and the
auditorium.
THE END