Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Poland

Dolnośląskie ([dɔlnɔˈɕlɔ̃skʲɛ]) is a voivodeship (administrative province) in southwestern-Poland, encompassing much the historic region of Lower Silesia, from whose Polish name (Dolny Śląsk) its name is derived.

Map of Dolnośląskie (Lower Silesia)

  • Wrocław. (German: Breslau) — a perfect mixture of Gothic and baroque architecture, it was also destroyed and successfully rebuilt
  • Bielawa.
  • Bolesławiec. — gothic and baroque town
  • Głogów. (German: Glogau)
  • Jawor. (German: Jauer)
  • Jelenia Góra. (German: Hirschberg) — a big baroque city at the foot of the Karkonosze
  • Kłodzko. (German: Glatz) — baroque town in Lower Silesia in the Polish spa area.
  • Legnica. (German: Liegnitz)
  • Lubin. (German: Lüben)
  • Lwówek Śląski. — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia
  • Malczyce.
  • Środa Śląska.
  • Świdnica. — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia
  • Wałbrzych. (German: Waldenburg) - large city in the region of the industrial and cultural traditions
  • Złotoryja.

  • Cieplice-Zdrój. — spa in the Karkonosze
  • Długopole-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Duszniki-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Jedlina-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Karpacz. (German: Krumhübel)
  • Kowary.
  • Kudowa-Zdrój. (German: Bad Kudowa) — spa in the Sudetes
  • Lądek-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Polanica-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Świeradów-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes
  • Szklarska Poręba.
  • Wambierzyce.

Cieplice-Zdrój. — spa in the Karkonosze

Długopole-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Duszniki-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Jedlina-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Karpacz. (German: Krumhübel)

Kowary.

Kudowa-Zdrój. (German: Bad Kudowa) — spa in the Sudetes

Lądek-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Polanica-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Świeradów-Zdrój. — spa in the Sudetes

Szklarska Poręba.

Wambierzyce.

Wrocław. (German: Breslau) — a perfect mixture of Gothic and baroque architecture, it was also destroyed and successfully rebuilt

Bielawa.

Bolesławiec. — gothic and baroque town

Głogów. (German: Glogau)

Jawor. (German: Jauer)

Jelenia Góra. (German: Hirschberg) — a big baroque city at the foot of the [[Karkonosze]]

Kłodzko. (German: Glatz) — baroque town in Lower Silesia in the Polish spa area.

Legnica. (German: Liegnitz)

Lubin. (German: Lüben)

Lwówek Śląski. — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia

Malczyce.

Środa Śląska.

Świdnica. — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia

Wałbrzych. (German: Waldenburg) - large city in the region of the industrial and cultural traditions

Złotoryja.

15th-century stone bridge in Bardo, a small town not far from the Czech border

Giant Mountains.

Karkonosze National Park. — national park in the Sudetes around the Śnieżka Mountain with beautiful waterfalls

Stołowe Mountains National Park. — national park in the Sudetes around the Szczeleniec Mountain with bizarre rocks

In the early second millennium Lower Silesia started out as a part of Poland. In the 12th and 13th century Silesia fell apart into several duchies of with Wrocław, Głogów, Wschowa and Świdnica in Lower Silesia. In the 14th century Wschowa became again a part of Poland, while the others came under Czech or Bohemian rule. During this time the region was largely settled and or became German-speaking. Bohemia was also ruled at this time by the German Luxembourg, later the Polish Jagiellonians and finally by the Austrian Habsburgs. 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 (entirely German) was expelled and the area was resettled by Poles.

Karkonosze

Some of the geographic regions include:

  • 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 cemeteries on the Czech side - the Poles cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WWII.
  • Snow Mountain (Polish - Śnieżka, Czech - Sněžka, German - Schneekoppe), the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.
  • Jeleniogórska Valley (Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogórska) - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Góra (German Hirschberg) agglomeration.

A forest park in Kłodzko

  • Kłodzko 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

[[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 cemeteries on the Czech side - the Poles cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WWII.

Snow Mountain (Polish - Śnieżka, Czech - Sněžka, German - Schneekoppe), the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.

Jeleniogórska Valley (Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogórska) - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Góra (German Hirschberg) agglomeration.

Kłodzko 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

Like everywhere else in Poland, all residents of Lower Silesia speak Polish. However, frequently you will find information boards also in German and English. Most young people know some English. Older people quite often understand basic German or Russian. As everywhere knowledge of a few words in Polish will be warmly welcome.

Centennial Hall in Wrocław

  • Jawor Peace Church (German: Friedenskirche Jauer) and Świdnica Peace Church (German: Friedenskirche Schweidnitz) built only of wood, with very simple exterior but overwhelming Baroque interior.
  • Centennial Hall (original name Jahrhunderthalle, now Hala Stulecia) in Wrocław - huge hall from the beginning of the 20th century.
  • Wałbrzych Industrial city with a rich industrial buildings and the medieval city buildings. The most interesting is Stara Kopalnia - Centrum Nauki i Sztuki ( Old Mine - Center for Science and the Arts ) and Zamek Książ ( Castel Książ ). Mine - Center for Science and the Arts

Lower Silesian Voivodeship borders three other Polish provinces:

  • Lubuskie,
  • Wielkopolskie,
  • and Opolskie,

as well as the Czech Republic and Germany.