Long weekend in Krakow

Despite of the fact that the weather has been...cold, rainy and windy recently, the long weekend which is coming is going to be partly sunny. I present you the weather of each days bellow:

Friday: partly cloudly, no rain, the pressure: 1010.30 hPa, the temperature is about 23*C

Saturday: partly sunny, shower, the pressure: 1009.80 hPa, the temperature: 22*C

Sunday: shower, the pressure: 1015.00 hPa, the temperature: 21*C

I am of the opinion that the weather forecast presented above is conducive to spontaneous trips outside the city on bikes. Due to the fact, we spend a lot of time in the city, that activity looks pretty nice, because we can breath fresh air and gain energy for the new work week. You need to remember the weather likes changing so check it before you travel by bike.

Around Krakow, there are many great places to relax and contemplate with the nature. Check the list below with places to see.

Today in Krakow (for Children)

It doesn't matter that today is Monday and another week just begins. There are some things you can do.
During holiday, there is always something to do with the little ones.

1. "A storm summer" in Home Army (AK) - Wita Stwosza Street 12

This event is created for children 8 - 13 years old. You can expect many surprises and attractions for all participants. The main aim is to show fascinating past history of Krakow. Children will visit headquarters of a military unit and will know about soldiers' real life in that time.

"Lessons" last from
1) 4 - 8 Aug
2) 11 - 14 Aug
3) 18 - 22 Aug
4) 25 - 29 Aug

The programme looks as follows:
Monday: a tour through Piłsudski Mound and Kościuszko Mound, art classes, board games
Tuesday: a tour to the headquarters of a military unit, board games tournament, making leaflets and others
Wednesday:  a movie and a meeting with a war veteran, games
Thursday: a tour to the ZOO, classes, a movie
Friday: walking through Krakow's streets, a concert

You can book by e-mail: rezerwacja@museum-ak.pl or calling (12) 410 07 70. The participation costs 40 PLN per day (200 PLN per whole "lessons").

2. "A holiday adventure with books" The Public Library in Nowa Huta (Os. Dywizjonu 303 Street 1)

Entrance: FREE

Children will learn new definitions connected with library, literature and gain valuable skills like using an electronic catalogue. Organisators also prepared many creative classes, quizes etc.

Contact: (12) 647 28 85
email: filia10nhbp@interia.pl

Auschwitz

Auschwitz is a place known as an extermination camp. It was established in 1940 by the Nazi Germans. The first assumption of Auschwitz was to be a concentration camp for those of arrested Poles who could not stay in prison due to a lack of free places. Therefore Poles were first prisoners in the concentration camp. In the course of time, lots of people were transported into the camp. At the beginning there were around 8 thousand in which were small group of Jews and Germans.

 A year ago, there were almost 26 thousand of people (around 15 000 Poles, 10 000 prisoners of war and over 1 000 Jews). Since 1942, a number of people has increased very fast. 197 000 of Jews were transported there in that time, in 1943 the number icreased to 270 000 of Jews and in 1944 - 600 000 of Jews.  It would be easy to noticed that the structure of prisoners have changed and Jews were the most popular group in Auschwitz.

  

Nationality/Category	Number of people
Jews	1,1 mln
Poles	140-150 thou
Gypsy	23 thou
Soviet prisoners of war	15 thou
Others	25 thou
Total	~ 1,3 mln

* souce: http://pl.auschwitz.org

Despite of the fact that the camp was enormous, Nazis decided to divide it into three part with an autonomy for all of these part separately. 

Nazis carried out tests on humans (prisoners of camp). Those acts were the worst they have ever done during that time. Their behaved unprofessional as doctors because treating people like animals or subjects is not really conform with medical ethics. 

Breaking news from Auschwitz - Birkenau Memorial and Museum 

1) The beginnings of the Etermination of Jews in KL Auschwitz

Unpublished documents and other materials until today you can see in Auschwitz. 

Price per unit: 40,00 PLN 

From time to time I will try to put here some "news" about exhibition and so on.

Salt Mine Krakow

Most of tourists choose trips to Salt Mine Wieliczka during their visit in Krakow. Therefore I decided to write something about that place.

Nowadays, Salt Mine Wieliczka is a combination of tradition and modernity. It is a great place for organising a ball (like proms), wedding or even press conference. The air of salt chambers improve health in general especially breathing. Even though you will be stand deep under the ground, you can experience a relief for a soul due to provided concerts, theatre shows and lots of art displays.

Breaking news: Two treatment chambers have been opened recently in the Mine. One of them will be used for kinesiotherapy. The second one will be used as a chamber for resting and education.

Thanks to the micro climate everyone will be relaxed. An air free of pollution and allergens is especially something for me, because I'm asthmatic and alergic. Todays, visiting place like this is a good escape from polluted cities where we work, study and live all the time. From my point of view, taking a break from work for view days could help you to clear your mind from problems and take an opportunity to think about another stuff and maybe take care of someone you love.

Ojcowski National Park

Ojcowski National Park is one of 23th National Parks in Poland. The area is situated in the Lesser Poland, near Krakow.

This beautiful national park was devastated in ninetheeth century due to cutting trees, digging in caves (some of people were looking for a fertiliser). In the same time explorers discovered new spieces of plants and animals. Beauty of the Prądnik Valley grabs the tourist's attention. What's more, a scultpure of area is very interesting. You can see for eg. the Needle of Deotyma, the Krakow's Gate. A limestone substrate contributed to create caves like the Łokietek Cave or Zbójecka Cave.
Due to a human activity, most of the species have died long time ago, but the nature has preserved a large variety of species you can admire now.The number of animals is estimate around 11 thousand living in the park. The Ojcowski National Park is recognisable by several symbols like for eg. bats.

There are many hiking trails you can follow.
1. Red Trail
Length: 13,6 km
Interesting things you must see: Hermit Cottage, Source of Love, the Needle of Deotyna

2. Blue Trail

Length: 9 km

Interesting things you must see: Będkowska Valley, Czajowice, Ciasne Skałki Ravine, Krakow's Gate, Ojców, Grodzisko, the Rock

3. Yellow Trail
Length: 9,5 km
Interesting things you must see: Krzeszowice, Szklary, Wierzchowie, Murownia, Prądnik Valley, Sąspowska Valley, Sąspów, Pieskowa Skała

4. Green Trail

Length: 5,3 km

Interesting things you must see: Sąspowska Valley, Gold Mountain, Castle Park, Residence "Under Crown", Dark Cave, Okopy Mountain, Prądnik Valley, Krakow's Gate

5. Black Trail
Length: 9,2 km
Interesting things you must see: Łokietek Cave, Chełmowa Mountain, Jonaszówka, Ojców, Kaliski, Młynnik, Sunny Mountain, Herianówka, Pieskowa Skała

Ojcowski National Park is also for families with children. There is a posibility to get there by car, but only to the castle in Ojców. An entrance to the Ojcowski National Park is for free. Although inside the park are lots of plants, valleys and caves, there are facilities for baby carriages therefore you don't have to be worried that you would not be able to walk with babies through the park.

Paths of John Paul II

Today is gonna to be a beautiful day, isn't it? I am going to Wadowice tomorrow. It will be a very emotion trip because of my emotional engagement in the faith.

John Paul II (rightly Karol Wojtyła) was born in Wadowice in 1920. For most of his life he was called Lolek by friends and family. Karol usually played football, furthermore he was well-built, tallented, tall boy.
At the beginning of his life, he was struggled with many problems like a mother's death when he was 9, and brother's death three years later. During his education in Gymnasium, in Wojtyła's heart was born a passion to the art, especially to acting in performances organized at school in hometown. He graduated from school with a very good marks, which allowed in that time to get to almost every univesity without passing any exams. Unfortunately, his education at Jagiellonian University in Krakow has disturbed by second world war. Wojtyła's father has gone during war. Despite of the fact that he was alone, he didn't really feal loneliness thanks to his friends. He couldn't continue studying, so he found Teatr Rapsodyczny, together with friends. Suddenly, he has dropped everything and joined the Metropolitan Seminary in Krakow, which theology studies weren't popular in that time. Life showed how much talented man he was when he lived.
In 1978, He was elected as the Pope in Vatican as the youngest one amount their formers. He used to travel a lot, in which he has met mostly injured, discriminated, poor people, but everyone could see him. His speeches were always very touchy and he was capable to unite people different races and another faith.

Although, Karol Wojtyła became the Pope and lived in Vatican, his heart was always beating for Poland.
In Krakow there are numerous places where he stayed and lived, places, where he will be remembered as a student of polish philology, worker, actor, poet, seminarian, young priest, teacher of life and finally - as head of the Catholic Church. Route running through these places called "paths of John Paul II."
Like he said "in Wadowice all it began", but Krakow was a city with which Wojtyła was connected in a special way.

Most popular places connected with John Paul II
1. Bishops' Palace (Franciszkańska 3 Street)
2. St. Peter's Basilica. Francis of Assisi OO. Franciscan (Franciszkańska 2 Street)
3. Seminary of the Archdiocese of Krakow (Podzamcze 8 Street)
4. Dziekańska Tenement (Kanonicza 21 Street)
5. Cathedral Church of St. Stanislaus and Wenceslas at Wawel
6. Church of St Michael the Archangel and St Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr (Skałka) (Skałeczna 15 Street)
7. House of John Tyranowski (Różana 11 Street)
8. Church of Stanislaus Kostka XX. Salesians in Dębniki (Konfederacka 6 Street)
9. House Szwecka 12 Street
10. Home Tyniecka 10 Street
11 The papal stone on Błonia
12. Monument to John Paul II in Jordan's Park (entrance from 3 Maja Street)
13. Jagiellonian University Collegium Novum (Gołębia 24 Street)
14. St. Mary's Church (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) (Market Square)
15. St. Florian's Basilica  (Warszawska 1 Street)
16. Monument to John Paul II in Strzelecki Park (Lubicz Street)
17. Tomb of the parents of Pope John Paul II Cemetery Rakowice
18. The John Paul II Hospital (Prądnicka 80 Street)
19. Church of St. Jadwiga (Łokietka 60 Street)
20. Church of Our Lady the Queen of Poland Ark of our Lord in Bieńczyce (Obrońców Krzyża 1 Street)
21. St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe Churchin Mistrzejowice (Osiedle Tysiąclecia 86 Street)
22. Zakrzowek Quarry (chapel at the crossroads: Ruczaj-Pychowicka and Kamieniarska-Wyłom)
23. Former Soda Factory "Solvay" (the building at Zakopiańska 62 Street, now - Centre for Contemporary Art "Solvay")
24. Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki (Siostry Faustyny 3-9 Street)
25. John Paul II International Airport (Krakow - Balice)

Welcome to Podgórze District

Podgórze District used to be a seperate part of Krakow, but currently it is one of the thriving city district. Over the years, Podgórze has been an industrial facilities for Krakow, which eventually was connected in 1915. In this part of city was created a big ghetto by Nazis for Jews have been living in Krakow during World War II.

What do you need to see in Podgórze?

1. Ghetto Heroes Square (formerly named the Agreement Square).

Ghetto was founded by Otton Wachter, who was a main initiator of this project in 1941. Every non-Jewish person was moved from that area to another. During the first selection in 1942 died at least 111 Jews. Later in 1943, the ghetto was liquidated. On that time Nazis did the last selection on the square.

2. "Pharmacy under the Eagle"

"Pharmacy under the Eagle" was the only chemist's in the ghetto during the Nazis occupation in Krakow. Owner of the chemist's was a Pole who used to live into ghetto from the beginning to the end of its exsistence.  Further, the pharmacy was a conspiratorial place, which helped Jews  living inside the ghetto.
Nowadays, this place is a branch of the Historical Museum of Krakow.

3. Schindler's Factory, Lipowa 4 Street

Opening Hours:
November - March
on Mondays 10 am - 2 pm, Tuesday - Sunday 10 am - 6 pm

April - September
on Mondays 10 am - 4 pm, Tuesday - Sunday 10 am - 10pm

The museum is situated in the administrative building of the former Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory. Fate of rescued Jews are illustrated in Spielberg's film called Schindler's List. 

4. St Joseph Church

The church has  built over the main square on the rock podium of the former quarry. Previously on this land stood the temple built in 1832. Currently remains only a bell tower which is located at the rear of present church.

5. Podgórze Market Square

It is a specific place because of  a triangle shape. Since 1915, Podgórze has been a separate city. Therefore a square was called Podgórze Market Square. The building market is characterized by House under Deer of the 18th century, House of the Dark Eagle of 18th century, Manor of the White Eagle (which was the first town hall).

6. Old Cementery of Podgórze

Regard as the oldest municipal cementery in whole Krakow, founded between 1786 and 1792. The cementery was expanded twice in 1838 and in 1895. After all, the Old Cementery was closed in 1900 where lied the most meritorious people for Podgórze. Unfortunately most of graves have been destroyed forever due to the expansion of Telewizyjna Street and construction of the railway line.

7. Krakus Mound

Krakus Mound is one of the largest in Europe and the largest in Poland. In every Tuesday after Easter, the mound is a place of Rękawska Fair. There is a legend that the mound was made by people with their own hands.

8. Wojciech Bednarski Park

Park is popularly known as a great place of redevelopement of post industrial land. One of the amazing green place in Krakow.

9. Płaszów Concentration Camp

The camp was established in 1942 and abandoned in 1945. Most of prisoners were Jews and Gypsies. Poles were used as a workforce. It is estimated that around 8 000 people were killed there.

10. Torn-Out Hearts Memorial
The monument was erected in 1964 and initiated by Witold Cęckiewicz. It is a memorial of murdered people by Nazis.