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Dolnoslaskie

Dolnośląskie [1], also Dolnośląskie Voivodship, Lower Silesia or Lower Silesian Voivodship, is a voivodship, also written voivodeship, in South-West Poland.

Regions

  • The Giant Mountains (Polish - Karkonosze, Czech - Krkonoše, German - Riesengebirge), divided between Poland and the Czech Republic. Note that originally Germans lived on both sides of this border, still visible on old cemetaries on the Czech side - the Polish cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WW2.
  • Snow Mountain (Polish - Śnieżka, Czech - Sněžka, German - Schneekoppe), the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.
  • Jeleniogorska Valley (Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogórska) - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Góra (German Hirschberg) aglomeration,
  • Klodzko County (Polish - Kotlina Kłodzka, German - Grafschaft Glatz), a valley surrounded by several mountain ranges,main city Kłodzko (German: Glatz), contains several health resorts - Polanica Zdrój (German: Bad Alteheide), Duszniki Zdrój (German: Bad Reinerz), Kudowa Zdrój (German:Bad Kudowa).
  • Trzebnica Hills
  • Barten River Valley (Polish: Dolina Baryczy)includes:
    • Milicz Ponds, a perfect place for bird watching

Cities

Other destinations

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

National Parks

  • Karkonoski National Park – national park in the Sudetes around the Śnieżka Mountain (1602m) with beautiful waterfalls.

Spas

Understand

In the early second millenium Lower Silesia started out as a part of Poland. In the 12th and 13th century Silesia fell apart into several duchies of which Wrocław, Głogów, Wschowa and Świdnica are in Lowe Silesia. In the 14th centrury Wschowa became again a part of Poland, while the others came under Czech rule. Bohemia was ruled at this time by the German Luxembourg, later the Polish Jagiellonians and finally by the Austrian Habsburga. In 1741 Lower Silesia became a part of Prussia after Austria lost a decisive war over Silesia. After World War II Lower Silesia was annexed by Poland and almost all of its population (almost entirely German) was expelled and the country was resettled by Poles.

Talk

After most of the original population (Germans) had been terminated or deported after 1945 almost all residents of Lower Silesia today speak Polish - although a few German enclaves still exist. Most young people know at least a few words of English. Older people quite often understand basic German or Russian.

Get in

Some major airlines, Poland's national carriers LOT Polish Airlines, and a low cost airline Centralwings (owned by LOT) and some other low cost airlines fly to Wrocław's Copernicus Airport (WRO). Domestic flights operated by LOT (under Eurolot brand) connect Wrocław with Warsaw's Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW).

Get around

See

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Get out

Dolnośląskie boarders three other Polish voivodships

as well as the Czech Republic and Germany.

This page was last edited at 08:58, on 24 February 2009 by Wikitravel user Vidimian. Based on work by Andrew Haggard, Daniel Hausner, Evan Prodromou and Colin Jensen, Wikitravel user(s) Episteme, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.