ArtandCulture, Krakow

Katowice's oldest existing Catholic parish church was built from Silesian dolomite, not the usual red brick, between 1862 and 1870 to a design by the famous Breslau (Wrocław) architect Alexis Langer. Originally planned on a far grander scale than it was eventually built, the 43m-long, 31m-wide neo-Gothic building features an eye-catching, trademark Langer 71m octagonal tower and a feast of good things inside. The altar in the transept supposedly dates from the 15th century, whilst the wonderful stained glass windows on either side of the nave representing sin and virtue are the work of Adam Bunsch (1896-1969). The Chapel of the Holy Sacrament includes a likeness of Father Emil Szramek in traditional Silesian dress. Szramek was the parish priest from 1926 until his arrest by the Gestapo in April 1940. Sent to a number of concentration camps including Dachau, where he quickly became a spiritual leader for other incarcerated Silesian priests, he was murdered on January 13, 1942. https://www.inyourpocket.com/katowice/st-marys-church_32645v

If you get to the brand new sparkling Rynek and see a strange unidentified lying object at the end of Al. Korfantego, the odds are you're looking at Katowice's very own flying saucer! This multipurpose 'space age' sports and concert venue has a rather colourful history as you might expect and has the ability to play space tunes whenever the lights go on. https://www.inyourpocket.com/katowice/spodek_32246v

Come and meet with beauty and have a rest from the bustle of the industrial city. You will see works by old masters such as Dürer, Cranach, Aachen and Hollar. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/ostrava-art-gallery/

Monument of the Revolutionary Deed is also known as the Revolutionary Memorial Walk and concerns, of course, battles waged in the Rzeszow region. This monument from the beginning aroused much controversy, and various associations. In the stylized laurel leaves some people saw a donkey ears, others had a more obscene connotations. The general contractor was the work of Enterprise Works Road Krakow. Sculptures made in Krakow and they were installed on the monument at the end of 1973/74. In the spring of 1974 the monument was almost ready. In the absence of Wladyslaw Kruczek unveiling of the monument made in the company of George Gawrysiak deserving veterans, fighters, war veterans and accumulated large numbers of society. At the memorial held ceremonies like feta, fits, vows, etc. to give paraded before the grandstand on the May Day demonstrations. https://www.polandtraveltours.com/en/travelguide/monument-revolutionary-deed-rzeszow/

In the landscape of Rzeszów and the region, an important culture-creating role is played by: Państwowy Teatr im. Wanda Siemaszkowa and the "Mask" Theater established at the end of 1999.Theater Wanda Siemaszkowa - the first professional drama theater in Rzeszów was founded in 1944 as the National Theater. http://www.rzeszow.pl/kultura-i-sport/teatry/teatr-im-wandy-siemaszkowej

The Rzeszów castle is undoubtedly one of the most interesting monuments of the city - not only because of its history, but also because of the fact that it is an interesting testimony to conservation thought from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when its present form was created. The castle was located south of the city, in the village of Staroniwa, at the end of an elongated loess headland surrounded on three sides by water obstacles: the Wisłok River and ponds or swamps. The intersection of this promontory with a moat substantially strengthened the defense of this place. In this area, during archaeological research, traces of prehistoric settlement (in the area of ​​the northern curtain of the bastion fortifications) and late-medieval (on the southeast bastion) were found. At present, the hypothesis about the existence of a defensive court, mentioned in the document from 1447, regarding the division of property between Jan and Stanisław Rzeszowski is unlikely to be verified, but this hypothesis is very likely. http://www.rzeszow.pl/miasto-rzeszow/historia/zabytki-rzeszowa/zamek-w-rzeszowie

The Photograph Gallery of the City of Rzeszów deals with the popularization of artistic photography. Presents the work of photographers from Rzeszów and outside the region. He looks after young artists and promotes the most talented works in the "Debuts" Gallery. http://www.rzeszow.pl/kultura-i-sport/galerie/galeria-fotografii-miasta-rzeszowa

You simply should not miss the Olomouc castle site situated on the Wenceslas Hill! Right here in 1306, the last Přemyslid, the Czech king Wenceslas III, was assassinated. You can admire the Bishop's Palace with its famous Romanesque windows, the gothic St. Wenceslas Cathedral, today the seat of the Archbishop of Olomouc, or the Archdiocesan Museum founded on the initiative of Pope John Paul II. http://tourism.olomouc.eu/sights/olomouc-castle/en

One of the many noteworthy places in Kroměříž is without a doubt the Archbishop´s Chateau, which boasts beautiful interiors – a picture gallery of first-rate works by European painters and a Rococo assembly hall. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/kromeriz-archbishops-cellars/

Wrocław Multimedia Fountain (Wrocławska Fontanna Multimedialna) is the biggest fountain in Poland and one of the biggest in Europe. It was initiated on 4th June 2009 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the first free elections in the postwar Poland. Located in the beautiful Szczytnicki Park, near the Centennial Hall and Wrocław Congress Centre, attracts many Polish and foreign tourists. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/wroclaw-multimedia-fountain

The painting present the Battle of Racławice in April 1794, in which Poles won over Russians. The monumental picture is 114m long and 15m high. It was the idea of Jan Styka, a painter from Lvov, who invited among others Wojciech Kossak, Tadeusz Popiel, Teodor Axentowicz, Włodzimierz Tetmajer to work on the painting. The work took 9 months to finish. A rotunda with Panorama of the Battle of Racławice (Panorama Racławicka), built in Stryjeński Park, became one of the attractions of Lvov. The technology applied by the authors can be compared to the contemporary 3D technology. Special, panoramic perspective, lighting and scenography constructed in front of the picture make it look multidimensional. During the visit, the viewers can listen to the history of the painting and the events presented in 16 languages (including Korean, Japanese, Croatian and Esperanto). For blind people there is an audio description available. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/panorama-raclawicka-wroclaw

Wrocław Puppet Theatre presents adaptations of children literature (Astrid Lindgren’s “Och, Emil”, Piotr Jerszow’s “Konik Garbusek”) and classic fairy tales - Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Puss in Boots. But the Theatre plays not only classics - the latest premieres were mainly original spectacles based on contemporary plays, written especially for Wrocław Puppet Theatre. These are new, highly educational plays, which cross the borders of a regular puppet theatre. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/wroclaw-puppet-theatre

From 2009 the palace is the main building of the City Museum of Wrocław and presents, among others the exhibition “1000 years of Wrocław”. The Royal Palace (Pałac Królewski) was called Spaetgen’s Palace, from the name of one of the first owners. In 1717 baron Heinrich G. Spaetgen bought a small baroque mansion close to Rynek. After his death in 1750, a Prussian King Frederick II bought the palace. It became a royal mansion, and Wrocław joined Berlin and Königsberg (today’s Kaliningrad) as a residence city. The next Prussian kings extended the palace, changed its design and character. In the middle of the 19th century the palace extended itself from Wolności Square to Kazimierza Wielkiego Street. After the fall of the empire the palace was taken by the city authorities, in the 20s the Palace Museum was opened. During World War II the building was seriously damaged. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/royal-palace-historical-museum

Wilanów Palace is a true pearl of Baroque architecture in Warsaw. Learn about King Jan III Sobieski, who successfully fended off the Turks in the battle of Vienna and who lived in Wilanów with his beloved Marysieńka. Take a walk in the park and tour the palace interiors; see the portrait gallery and listen to stories of great romances. The building and the park have both kept their original form, despite the partition, war, and occupation. See the home of King Jan III Sobieski, the vanquisher of the Turks at Vienna, who in 1683 stopped their march through Europe. The ruler, who gained the nickname of the fearless Lion of Lechistan, lived in the palace with his beloved wife, Maria. In the palace, you will see the king’s apartments and the suites of Queen Maria Kazimiera, which include the Chinese, Dutch and Antiquities rooms and the Potocki Museum. Stop for a moment in the White Room to see images of other palace owners and people associated with it. Wilanów Palace is a must-see when visiting Warsaw. In the wintertime, the venue, illuminated with thousands of lamps, transforms into the Royal Garden of Lights. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/museum-of-king-jan-iiis-palace-at-wilanow-2/

This vast park is a favourite place for Varsovians where they go for long walks amid beautiful nature and architecture to rest from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the heart of the park is the summer residence of the last king of Poland – Stanisław August Poniatowski. The name of the complex comes from the seventeenth-century bathhouse of a Polish nobleman, rebuilt in the 18th century into a palace. Here, in the Palace on the Island, King Stanisław August Poniatowski hosted his famous Thursday dinners, to which he invited scholars and poets to discuss the issues of the day. Today it is a museum where you can admire paintings from the royal collections. In the grounds of Łazienki you will also see an orangery, an amphitheatre, an eighteenth-century court theatre, the Museum of Hunting and Horse-riding, the Myślewicki Palace and numerous free-standing sculptures. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/lazienki-krolewskie-museum-2/

The museum houses a magnificent collection of over 830,000 exhibits from all periods, from antiquity to the present. Masterpieces of Polish and world art are presented in themed galleries. In the Faras Gallery you can see the largest collection of Nubian artefacts in Europe from the eighth to the fourteenth centuries, including a unique collection of wall paintings. They come from the flooded Christian cathedral at Faras in Sudan and depict divinities, dignitaries and saints. Authentic 15th-century altars from various regions of Poland, Gothic sculptures and paintings for private prayer houses can be seen in the Gallery of Medieval Art. If you want to understand the role of art in the past, this is the place for you. In the Gallery of Old Art, you will be transported to an era when painting and sculpture functioned on a par with crafts. Next to paintings and sculptures, you will see beautifully decorated furniture, fabrics and dishes, and even the coat and coronation insignia of the King Augustus III. Don’t forget to check out the schedule of temporary exhibitions. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/national-museum/

Fryderyk Chopin is one of the most famous Varsovians and a trip to his museum is a must on any visit to Warsaw. It is located in the historic Ostrogski Palace and is one of the most modern biographical museums in Europe. The exhibits and multimedia displays tell the story of the life and the work of the composer. You will learn everything about his childhood and youth spent in Warsaw and his life after he emigrated. You will see letters written to him and by him, drawings and dedications. You will see portraits made during the composer’s lifetime, his hand casting, his death mask and priceless memorabilia: a gold watch given to the 10-year-old artist in recognition of his talent, a candy box, a keyring with his initials, a cufflink, and a priceless Pleyel piano on which the composer played for the last two years of his life. https://warsawtour.pl/en/project/chopin-museum-in-warsaw/

Warsaw’s Old Town (Stare Miasto) is the historical center of Warsaw and the oldest part of town dating back to the 13th century. Situated in the middle of the Old Town is the beautiful market square with its good variety of restaurants. The largest part of the Old Town was destroyed during the Second World War and was later reconstructed. The reconstruction was so precise that one can hardly tell if the the building survived the war or if it was rebuilt. This was honored by the UNESCO who in 1980 added the Warsaw Old Town to its list of World Heritage Sites. The Old Town is also a great place for purchasing souvenirs of Warsaw, as several souvenir stores are located here. The Old Town is located close to most city hotels, you can find it in southern direction from the New Town and north of Krakowskie Przedmiescie (which begins at the Castle Square). https://www.warsawguide.com/old-town-in-warsaw/

Former residence of Mazovian princes. Once the capital was moved to Warsaw from Krakow, the castle served as seat of the king and the government. Completely destroyed during World War II. Built in the 15th century, this castle served as residence of Mazovian princes. Once the capital was moved to Warsaw from Krakow, the castle served as seat of the king and the government. The castle has been renovated repeatedly and destroyed completely during World War II. It was rebuilt between 1971-1988 using castle remains and rubble. Today, the segment with the clock tower opens the way to the Old Town. Museum attractions include two original Rembrandt paintings as well as works by Bernard Bellotto, aka Canaletto, court painter to Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Canaletto's paintings were vital during Warsaw's post-war reconstruction. https://www.poland.travel/en/discover/castles-palaces/royal-castle-in-warsaw

The Brno Dragon and Brno Wheel are well-known symbols of the city and are linked with several legends. You can only see them with your own eyes in the building of the former Town Hall in the Moravian Capital near to Zelný trh. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/brno-old-town-hall/

Once a small Romanesque Basilica on Petrov Hill, later rebuilt in the Gothic style, the cathedral was built in 1777 after the Brno bishopric was created. Now its two tall towers, together with Špilberk Castle , form the characteristic silhouette of the city of Brno. In addition to the interior, the Romanesque-Gothic crypt and view from the two towers are a must. The Diocesan Museum and Information Centre is located nearby. The noon ringing at 11 o’clock is part of the legend of the Swedish siege during the Thirty Years War. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/brno-st-peter-and-pauls-cathedral/

The castle was held in possession of various noblemen and its history is interwoven with a number of myths and legends. Today it is a venue of various cultural and social events. At the foot of the castle there is a steamboat stop. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/brno-veveri-castle/

The great fire of the original wooden houses in 1584 gave rise to Mikulov square in its present form. Part of the square, which is also the entrance to Mikulov Castle, is formed by houses with a Renaissance core and picturesque arcades. Probably the most interesting of the Renaissance buildings is the bourgeois Knights’ House (dům U Rytířů), which was created after the rebuilding of several Gothic buildings in the second half of the 16th century. At first glance, you can not overlook it on the square due to its sgraffito decoration with biblical and ancient scenes covering two-thirds of the house. The painting draws attention to the fact that it was originally a two-story house. Another feature of the square is the statue of the Holy Trinity, in addition to showing the Trinity it also displays angels that symbolize faith, hope and love. The column is complemented by statues of St. John of Nepomuk, St. Francis Xavier and Charles Borromeo, who were supposed to protect the inhabitants of the city from the plague. The Plague Column was built during the reign of the Dietrichsteins in 1724. http://www.czechtourism.com/a/mikulov-historic-market-square/

In the footsteps of the Golem to the Jewish Museum in Mikulov. For centuries Mikulov was a major Jewish centre in Moravia. This means their heritage is still very much an on-going concern. Come and visit the local museum and reveal the turbulent fate of the Jewish population, one which produced Rabbi Löw, a figure enveloped in myths and legends. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/mikulov-jewish-museum/

Proudly bearing its title of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hortobágy National Park is the perfect archetype of pristine natural landscapes. This is the place where everyone longs to find refuge from the monotony of modern human existence. The feeling of unfettered freedom, encapsulated in the spectacle of the endless horizon, mirages, grazing herds of cattle and horses, and sweep-pole wells, will capture your imagination and soul during a horse-and-carriage ride or “puszta” safari. A picturesque trip to the fishponds on the small narrow-gauge train, combined with some birdwatching, will serve unique experiences to both young and older adventurers. Here the breeze wafts the scent of fragrant chamomile, mint, and artemisia from wild fields, gently touching your nose just like the waves of the ocean rhythmically splashing on the shore. It is a place where you will reinterpret the meaning of silence. It is a place where you might even reach celestial bodies during the special night treks in Starry Sky Park. In Hungary’s oldest and largest national park, awarded the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) prize, hundred-year-old herdsman’s traditions are still part of people’s means of subsistence and not mere promotional gimmicks. https://visitdebrecen.com/see-do/hortobagy/

The Parliament building, a magnificent example of Neo-Gothic architecture (although displaying Renaissance and Baroque characters too), is just over 100 years old. In the 1880's an open tender was held for the design of the Parliament building. Guided tours of the Parliament are available when the National Assembly is not in session. The tour takes about 45 minutes, and is well worth the price, as it covers the main entrance stairs and hall, one of the lobbies, the old House of Lords and the Hungarian Crown Jewels. http://visitbudapest.travel/guide/budapest-attractions/budapest-parliament/

You can tour the Opera House during the day and learn about its gorgeous architecture as well as enjoy a world-class performance in the evening. The opera house in Budapest stands as one of the most beautiful Neo-Renaissance buildings in Europe. When it was opened in 1884, the city shared the administrative duties of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Vienna. Emperor Franz Joseph commissioned its design. Construction included the use of marble and frescos by some of the best artisans of that era. Designed by Miklós Ybl, one of Europe's leading architects in the mid to late 19th century, the Budapest Opera House quickly became one of the most prestigious musical institutions in Europe. Many important artists performed here, including Gustav Mahler! http://visitbudapest.travel/guide/budapest-attractions/budapest-opera-house/

The building of the former noble casino and now the House of Scientists is one of the Lviv most amazing and perfect architectural structures and is recognized as a valuable neo-baroque monument. The construction was ordered by the studs’ owners club and was carried out by the famous Austrian company Fellner and Helmer, in 1898. They are known for designing such famous buildings like Vienna Observatory and Odessa Opera. Constructing the Lviv casino, the Austrian architects were inspired by the best samples of European palatial architecture and this influence is clearly seen in the luxurious decoration of building’s facades, which are richly adorned with sculptures and stucco work. The entrance is ‘guarded’ by two magnificent atlantes, who hold the first-floor balcony on their mighty shoulders. However, it is its fantastic interiors that make the amazing house in Lviv downtown look like royal palaces of the Old World. The ground floor is occupied by the huge lobby, whose main adornment is a unique oak staircase with carved railings. It is said that it was a wedding gift to a member of the club. The intricately meandering stairs lead to the first floor, where eight luxurious rooms are located: White Room with marble fireplace and black concert grand piano, Red Room, covered with silk and featuring crystal chandeliers, cosy Beige Room and charming Mirror Room with antique furniture, the famous library with delightful gallery and balcony, adorned with stucco work. The green strolling garden and the meeting room are situated there too. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/western-ukraine/lviv/1363

The Lviv National Museum, situated in the very beautiful building on Svobody Avenue, is one of the largest museums in Ukraine that features a considerable collection of Ukrainian visual arts. It was founded by the Greek Catholic metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, whose name it has now. Initially, it was a Church Museum and was aimed to develop Ukrainian national culture. The core of the National Museum’s current exposition is its founder’s personal collection, numbering about 10 thousand valuable works of art. A quarter of a century later, the funds of the Lviv Museum had more than 80 thousand exhibits and now, there are almost 120 thousand works of visual arts. It houses country’s largest collections of Ukrainian icons, dated to the 14th – 18th centuries, and of medieval sacred and folk arts: sculptures, manuscripts, engravings, old printed books, pottery, bone and metal works. National Museum’s pride is pictorial canvases by eminent Ukrainian artists: Ivan Trush, Oleksa Novakivsky, Kornil Ustiyanovich, Elena Kulchytska and others. The highlight of the museum's collection is a number of original works by Taras Shevchenko. Paintings by contemporary Lviv artists are exhibited here as well. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/western-ukraine/lviv/1361

The museum of the sacral baroque sculpture is reckoned among the Lviv’s most interesting and impressive museums. It keeps the unique heritage of Johann Georg Pinsel – one of the most talented and mysterious sculptors of the 18th century. He is nicknamed Ukrainian Michelangelo for extraordinary mastery. The museum is situated in the building of the age-old Catholic Church, which formerly belonged to the Franciscan monks. It is a valuable monument of Lviv’s architecture. The cathedral is notable for the fact that its interior has preserved the skillfully made frescos of the 18th century, illustrating plots from the Old and New Testament. The Lviv Museum of sacral baroque sculpture keeps the largest collection of Johann Pinsel’s works. His creative work is recognized as an outstanding phenomenon in Ukrainian and world cultures’ history. The original Ukrainian master with European education created inimitable religious sculptures, which had no analogues in the Old World of the second half of the 18th century. It was Pinsel who founded the new artistic center, which later was named the Lviv School of Sacral Sculpture. In the 1750s, he actively created original figures for the St. Jura Cathedral, one of the most beautiful Lviv temples, St. Martin Church and many other West Ukrainian churches. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/western-ukraine/lviv/2331

The gigantic Slavín war memorial is visible from much of the city. On a hill overlooking the castle, it commemorates the city’s liberation by the Red Army in April 1945. https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/slavin/

Officially known as the Church of St Elizabeth of Hungary, but commonly referred to simply as ‘the Blue Church’ for obvious reasons, this is Bratislava’s most appealing art nouveau building. Its style, sometimes known as Hungarian Secession, is repeated in the nearby grammar school on Grösslingová Street. Both were designed by Budapest architect Edmund Lechner and built in the early twentieth century (the church was consecrated on 11 October, 1913). Both the interior and exterior of the church are painted in shades of pale blue and decorated with blue majolica; even the roof is tiled with blue-glazed ceramics. The structure incorporates a 36.8-metre round tower. https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/blue-church/

The Primate’s Palace is one of the most beautiful classicist buildings in Slovakia. Portraits of Hungarian rulers are exhibited in the picture gallery. An impressive part of the gallery is a collection of six tapestries found in the reconstruction of the palace. https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/primatial-palace/