POLAND

The Republic of Poland

BASIC INFORMATION

 President – Bronisław Komorowski  Surface - 322 575 km²  Population - 38 186 860  Language – Polish  Capital - Warsaw

CULTURE

 The culture of Poland is closely connected with its intricate 1000 year history Its unique character developed as a result of its geography at the confluence of Western and Eastern Europe. With origins in the culture of the Proto-Slavs, over time Polish culture has been profoundly influenced by its interweaving ties with the Germanic, Latinate and Byzantine worlds as well as in continual dialog with the many other ethnic groups and minorities living in Poland .

The people of Poland have traditionally been seen as hospitable to artists from abroad and eager to follow cultural and artistic trends popular in other countries. In the 19th and 20th centuries the Polish focus on cultural advancement often took precedence over political and economic activity. These factors have contributed to the versatile nature of Polish art, with all its complex nuances.

EDUCATION

 The education of Polish society was a goal of rulers as early as the 12th century, and Poland soon became one of the most educated countries in Europe. The library catalogue of the Cathedral Chapter of Cracow dating back to 1110 shows that in the early 12th century Polish intellectuals had access to European literature. The Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364 by King Casimir III in Cracow, is one of Europe's oldest universities. In 1773 King Stanisław August Poniatowski established the Commission of National Education, the world's first state ministry of education.

Church dedicated. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called Mary's Church one of the largest and most important, the Wawel Cathedral, Krakow church, since 1962 holds the title of Minor Basilica. It is the most famous monuments of Krakow and the Polish.

Ancient Settlement in Biskupin was discovered in 1933 by local children, which reported a discovery Szwajcer Valentine - a local school teacher, village, who told of discovery.

Cloth Hall - a commercial building where there were stalls (or stalls and stores), most of the cloth (hence the name). Typically, they were placed in the middle of the market in the European cities which lay on the trade routes. Were built since the Middle Ages to the seventeenth century.

Warsaw Mermaid the symbol of Warsaw, as well as part of its coat.

C

HRISTMAS TRADITIONS

      Straw is put under white tablecloth. Weather-forecasting is quite popular during Christmas Traditionally, the Christmas tree is decorated.

Christmas and Santa Claus Day are not celebrated at the same time in Poland, but rather three weeks apart.

The Breaking of the Oplatek

On Christmas Eve, the whole family gathers and waits impatiently for the appearance of the first star.

FOOD

 The most popular Polish dishes are: dumplings, cereal, noodles, stuffed cabbage, pork chops, hamburger, stew, soup (soup, soup, beetroot soup, soup, broth, tomato soup, cucumber soup, mushroom soup) dishes with cabbage and potatoes, bread (rye bread, wheat), pastries, vegetables, fruits (apples, pears, various berries, currants), cottage cheese and all kinds of meat (mostly pork, chicken and beef), variously prepared, and to a lesser extent, freshwater and marine fish. A special dessert is Faworki Polish, there are other popular pastries, including plantain, poppy-seed cake, cheesecake, gingerbread cookies or donuts. To very specific foods and drinks are also pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, sour milk, buttermilk, kefir.

CELEBRITIES

        Jan Paweł II (pope) Lech Wałęsa (Nobel Prize winner) Maria Skłodowska-Curie (Nobel Prize winner) Mikołaj Kopernik (astronomer) Wisaława Szymborska (Nobel Prize winner) Czesław Miłosz (Nobel Prize winner) Władysław Reymont (Nobel Prize winner) Adam Małysz (ski jumper)

SPORT

 Many sports are popular in Poland. Football (soccer) is the country's most popular sport, with a rich history of international competition. Track and field, basketball, boxing, ski jumping, fencing, handball, ice hockey, swimming, volleyball, and weightlifting are other popular sports. The golden era of football in Poland occurred throughout the 1970s and went on until the early 1980s when the Polish national football team achieved their best results in any FIFA World Cup competitions finishing 3rd place in the 1974 and 1982 editions. The team won a gold medal in football at the 1972 Summer Olympics and also won two silver medals in 1976 and 1992. Poland, along with Ukraine, will host the UEFA European Football Championship in 2012.

            Aurochs Wolf Boar Rabbit Bats Mouse Horse Cat Cow Pig Spider Stork

ANIMALS

NATIONAL PARKS

     National parks in our province: Bialowieski National Park Biebrzanski National Park Wigierski National Park Narwianski National Park

INTEREST

      Biskupin - iron age reconstruction, museum and archaeological site.

Drawa National Park - an unspoit and little known national park. A must for kayak and wildlife enthusiasts alike Zakopane - probably the most popular tourist location in Poland after Cracow Lubuskie Lakes - an area of clear lakes and forests full of wildlife Underground Bunkers - a vast network of deep underground bunkers and fortifications, built on Hiltler's orders in the 1930s. Warsaw - The largest city in Poland and the capital of the country

THE END

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