Foto: The beautiful interior of Pozna Cathedral (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Poland - Upon entering Poznan, the streets are busy. The evening rush hour starts early here. The hotel is located right next to the old town, but unfortunately, the road leading there is closed due to construction. We take a right turn at random. The navigation keeps directing us back to the closed road. Only when we drive farther away does the route finally adjust. We drive around the old town and eventually reach the hotel. We park briefly in front of the hotel to ask where to park the car. It turns out there’s a nearby public parking garage. From the hotel, it’s a short walk to the Rynek square. This central square originated in 1253 on the left bank of the Warta River. Originally, the buildings were wooden houses, but gradually they were replaced with stone. The great fire of 1471 accelerated this process. After the destruction of World War II, the square was restored to its original state. It’s remarkable that right in the middle of the square, next to the town hall, there are still old merchant houses. The façades of the historic houses around the square are beautifully lit, giving the square a fairytale atmosphere. A saxophonist is playing for tips. His music completes the scene. We settle down on a terrace and order beer. From the terrace, we watch people passing by. Just outside the square is the Parish Church of St. Stanislaus. As I enter the church, I pause in awe. The monumental church from 1650 is built in a stunning baroque style. The colorful stucco work, the paintings, and the gilded sculptures around the main altar are breathtaking. Everywhere I look, there is beauty and grandeur. Although I’ve seen many churches, this one might top them all. The nearby Franciscan Church is also built in a beautiful baroque style. Its interior is equally impressive.
Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Poland - The city of Kraków is closely connected to World War II history. About sixty kilometers from Kraków was the largest Nazi extermination camp: Auschwitz. At nine o'clock, we drive out of Kraków and head toward Oświęcim, the current Polish name for ...
Kraków City Center
Poland - Today we explore the old center of the city. We begin our walking tour in the old Jewish quarter, as our hotel is located here. Right on the corner of the street stands the first Jewish temple. Already in the 19th century, the Jewish population concentrated ...
Malbork Castle
Poland - Outside it's cloudy as we open the curtains. It rained last night. When we load the luggage into the car, it's still lightly drizzling. We drive out of Gdansk on our way to Warsaw. About fifty kilometers southeast of Gdansk lies Malbork Castle. This medieval ...
Old town of Gdask
Poland - We start the day slowly. After having coffee in the hotel room, we walk to the Motlawa River quay for breakfast. The weather is beautiful. The sun is shining and it’s about five degrees outside. In a small café, we order breakfast with cappuccino, ...
The old town of Warsaw
Poland - Today we explore the city of Warsaw. Right next to the hotel stands the Staszic Palace, with the statue of Copernicus on the square in front of it. We cross over to Piłsudski Square, the largest square in the city. At the edge of the square, next to ...
The Wieliczka Salt Mines
Poland - Before heading to Kraków, we first visit the Wieliczka salt mines. The salt mine complex is located just past Kraków. Since we had already booked tickets in advance for the English-language tour, we don’t have to queue at the ticket counter. We are ...