SkyscraperCity Forum banner

What is the most beautiful city in Poland and why?‎

401K views 736 replies 157 participants last post by  Kotfilemon 
#1 · (Edited)
What is the most beautiful city in Poland and why?‎

Kraków (UNESCO World Heritage Site)


Toruń (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Promotional Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmB3vsnLWUQ&hd=1


Zamość (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Promotional Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFR4c0YZ_ok&hd=1


Warszawa (UNESCO World Heritage Site)


Gdańsk


Wrocław


Lublin


Poznań


Kazimierz Dolny
Promotional Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arYFYSvSD7U&context=C4370992ADvjVQa1PpcFN7tbiNcFArZ0VQUJboe8ANzg3WvHjFJS0=
 
See less See more
9
#3 ·
So much restoration going on in Poland its great to see the country throwing off it's communist past when so much damage was done in addition to the WW2 destruction. I have not visited all these cities so can't really answer your question, I would think Warsaw is the most interesting being the largest and capital of the country and then possibly Krakow is the most unspoilt but your photos have made me want to visit the country again and see more!
 
#5 · (Edited)
the question postulated by this thread is a difficult one to answer. Do we look at the totality of a city or just parts. There are few cities on earth that are perfect and beautiful in their entirety. Parts of Calgary even have some beauty, Montreal is very beautiful but many areas are run down, and also, is decay beautiful, maybe it is - look at the Forum Romanum, depends on your definition of beauty. But in the sense that is intended that is what are the most intact, beautiful urban compositions in Poland, I would say Krakow, Torun, Zamosc, Poznan, Wroclaw and I'm sure I'm missing many samller places like Kazimierz Dolny, Zbiecz, Bielsko-Bialo, Przemysl, Lublin, Gniew, Tczew, Chelmno, Pultusk, Gniezno etc. Warsaw in many parts is quite beautiful but because of the devastating war, there are large gaps in areas of great beauty - you have to use your imagination a little with Warsaw.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Well, I for one love Lublin.


panorama czwartek2 by ajuc00, on Flickr

It's very original city, built on the hills and in the valleys between them, it makes for great sights. Architecture is different in style from western Polish cities, it has special style called Lublin reneisance. And buildings are original, not rebuilt like in Warsaw, because Lublin wasn't destroyed much in WW2. And this city is not spoilt by tourists like Kraków. Regular people actually live in Lublins Old City. I live here so I might be not objective, but really - it's certainly worth visiting for a few days. This October our airport opens, feel invited :)

Each city has it's own specialty. Warsaw is the only city with modern skyline worth seeing in Poland.

Kraków has great medieval architecture and tourists from each corner of the world.

Kazimierz Dolny has great artsy atmosphere, the feeling of small quiet Jewish city with big artistic bohema, very unique combination that is worth seeing at least once. And Wisła river is very pretty there, flowing between the hills and castles of Kazimierz and nearby Janowiec.

Zamość is small and quiet, but has great renneisance buildings. Most of the city was designed by one architect as an ideal city, and it shows.

Toruń, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań I only visited once each and just for a one day, and I like Toruń the most out of them, because it preserved medieval architecture the best. But these cities are similiar in their more Teutonic style. Gdańsk has great waterfront, and Wrocław lay on the islands connected by many bridges, which is nice, too.

It's the matter of what you like the most in cities.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Pre-war Gdansk would easily take a second place on my list of the most beautiful cities in Poland. Unfortunately, the city despite the huge renovation works still doesn't look so beautiful as before the war (destruction during the war was enormous, and Poles couldn't afford and still can't afford detailed reconstruction of historical monuments). Also, there were some Commieblocks (or modern Wybrzeze Theatre) built in the Old Town area...and Lower Town (Dolne Miasto) is really neglected place (unpleasant for tourists).
 
#20 ·
Most beautiful cities in Poland (in my opinion, of course...):
1. Kraków - Poland's historic royal capital and as such, is steeped in rich Polish history and remarkably suffered no damage during WW2, meaning that all of its most beautiful medieval buildings and Renaissance architectural treasures remain well preserved.
2. Toruń - it is called 'Kraków of the North'. Toruń is the most Gothic urban complex in Poland, right after Kraków the second richest of original and best preserved historical monuments city in Poland.

Most beautiful Polish city before WW2:
Lwów - it has been a major Polish cultural and scientific center. The historical heart of Lwów with its old buildings and cobblestone roads has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Best city reconstructions after WW2:
1. Warszawa (over 85% of the city was destroyed during WW2)
2. Gdańsk (over 90% of the Old Town was destroyed during WW2)
 
#22 ·
I've never seen skin heads in any city in Poland, only in the UK did I witness this phenomenon.
 
#37 · (Edited)
^^

that's from 2005, a year a huge transition for Poland when crime stats shot up, actual crime rates now in Poland are among the lowest in the western world and lowest in Europe. Anyway, I read some crime stats from various sources, most recent I could find now was 2009 - "Newer studies (2009) report that the victimisation rate in Poland is constantly decreasing, and in 2008 Poland was 25th among 36 European countries.[2][3]". In 2006, Poland's murder rate and violent crime rate was the same as Denmark, 23rd (2006). Highest crime rates were in Upper Silesia where jobless rates were highest in 2009, but that has changed since then. I agree, there is a problem with some segments of Polish youth. Here in Canada, crime is a daily reality. In my nice middle-class neighboruhood here there were 4 break-ins last week, a murder down the block in the last year, one rape on the lawn next to my house of a femal jogger a month ago, lots of grafitti (but it's cleaned up fast), vandalism etc.

But people have to be smart to avoid crimes, especially if you don't know a city or town, stay away from unlight off-the-beaten-track places and from obvious groups of hoodlums.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Highcliff
#41 · (Edited)
Have just returned from a 2 weeks trip to Poland. I have to say that Toruń in our opinion is the most impressive medieval city that we've seen so far (Londonderry/Derry with its walls doesn't even come close). Gdańsk is quite nice, but the Main Town is very neglected (many graffitis, stinking backyards, etc.) and you can easily see the lack of architectural integrity (probably caused by the war and many crappy modern architecture built in the Old Town area). A big surprise to us was Elblag with a beautiful Old Town and amazing Sw.Ducha Street, Church Path, Hotel Elblag and of course St.Nicholas Cathedral. The city looks very clean and tidy in comparison with Gdansk and Torun...

Ah, and forgot to mention "The Summer Capital of Poland", Gizycko, Malbork (Teutonic Knights Castle) and Sw.Lipka (Sanctuary of St. Mary, undergoing renovations, I hope they will get rid of damp smell).

We will come back soon!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top