The attractions of Lublin in Poland
- The Old Town
- Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist
- The Lublin Castle
- The Trinitarian Tower
- Kazimierz Dolny
- The Botanic garden of Maria-Skladovska Curie University
The attractions of Lublin in Poland that a guide can advise to you
Lublin is one of the largest cities in central-eastern Poland. The city was founded by settlers in the 6th century on the hill Czwartek. In the 10th century, Lublin became a fortified city to provide protection from the east. It was only during World War I when Lublin fell under German and Austro-Hungarian rule.
The Old Town in Lublin is one of the most beautiful places, where you can see a combination of different architectural styles, stone houses and churches preserved since ancient times. The historical part of the city is represented in the area between the Krakow Gate and the Castle. Here the traveler can see the Town Hall, which housed the Crown Tribunal, the Church of the Dominican Fathers, originally decorated in Gothic style, during the rebuilding it acquired Renaissance motifs. The Lublin Museum is also situated in historical part; for a long period it was the prison and the Gothic chapel, its interior is decorated with extremely valuable frescos in Russian-Byzantine style.
One of the interesting features of the city are the drinking fountains, some of them are also important historical objects. You can see the first drinking fountain preserved in the city, it can be found on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street. The fountain is made in the shape of a goat – the main symbol of Lublin, its image symbolizes wealth and prosperity. This lovely fountain is made of bronze, and to activate it you need to press a special button. This secret of the sculpture is not known to all tourists, at first glance it is difficult to guess that this is a drinking fountain.
The tallest building in Lublin is the Trinitarian Tower, which was built in the 17th century and underwent extensive reconstruction in the 19th century. The tower is 64 meters high, and today it has the most popular observation deck in the city. The tower now houses a very interesting Museum of Religious Art, where you can see valuable relics transferred from ancient churches.
Travelers with children will be interested in visiting the Puppet theater, which is named after Hans Christian Andersen. It is located in the old building of the Dominican monastery, the theater was opened in 1945. Nowadays interesting performances are staged there based on Andersen's fairy tales, and the theater is often used for various exhibitions and festivals.
The Marie Curie-Skladowska University is an attraction for tourists, there is a beautiful botanical garden on its adjoining territory. It is located in a very picturesque and interesting natural area, in the valley of the river Cekhówka. One can enjoy here varied landscape: on the vast territory of the garden there are ravines, woodlands and other natural formations. The botanical garden was officially opened in 1965, now its visitors can admire the beautiful rare plants, as well as to see the luxurious rock garden.
An impressive monument in the style of classicism is the Lubomirski Palace. It was built in the 16th century and is located in the center of the city. The palace now bears the name of one of its most famous owners, in the early 18th century it belonged to the Lubomirski family, under its leadership it underwent the most extensive reconstruction. Currently, the historic building is under supervision of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University.
In Lublin there are many historical and architectural monuments, one of the main symbols of the city is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. Since its foundation in the 16th century, it is the largest church in the city built in the best traditions of the Baroque style. After the completion of construction it was repeatedly reconstructed, and in 1751 the building was badly damaged by fire. Thanks to the efforts of local residents, the church was quickly restored, and since the mid-18th century, its appearance has remained almost unchanged.
You may see beautiful paintings in cathedral created in 1755 - 1757, as well as beautiful sculptures of saints, the famous masters of the 18th century worked over their creation. Currently, a part of the ancient cathedral is occupied by the thematic museum, which contains a valuable collection of religious artifacts. The church Bell tower is the tallest structure in the historic area, offering a wonderful panoramic view of the city.
Not far from the cathedral the Town Hall building is located, it was completed in 1828. It is still used for its intended purpose, housing the office of the mayor of the city, as well as the offices of various municipal organizations.
The beautiful Lublin Castle is one of the most visited sights. It is located in the heart of the city, the first defensive structure on its site appeared in the 12th century. The first major rebuilding of the fortress took place in the early 16th century. The renovated castle turned to be so chic that it was later used as a royal residence. In its spacious halls the most important meetings and sumptuous balls were held, and over time the castle completely lost its original defensive function. It served as a Tsarist prison from 1831 till 1915, in independent Poland (1918 – 1939) and also during Nazi occupation during World War II. In 1954 the castle prison was closed, a reconstruction was provided in the castle, and since 1957 it has become the main site of the Lublin Museum.
Nature lovers should not miss the picturesque neighborhood called Kazimierz Dolny, which has become world famous for its incredible scenery. Hundreds of years ago it attracted artists from all over the world, now the natural area is a popular destination for active tourists. There are dozens of hiking trails, during a walk you can admire the age-old forests and vast meadows. In the warm season, horseback riding is also available, and there are several large horse-breeding centers in the region.