8 Kolobrzeska, Bydgoszcz, Poland
Among historical and military attractions in Poland we can distinguish three particular groups:
The most popular military attractions among foreign tourists in Poland are sights especially connected with the history of WWII. Here we can find sights such as Westerplatte Peninsula, WWII Museum in Gdańsk, Stutthof Nazi German Concentration Camp Museum, the Wolf’s Lair in Gierłoż, Warsaw Raising Museum in Warsaw, Palmiry Memorial Sight, Międzyrzecz Fortification Region, Riese Complex, Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi German Concentration Camp Museum (UNESCO World Heritage List), Schindler’s Factory in Cracow or National Army Museum in Cracow.
Military museums usually collect weapons often dating back a few centuries. The biggest exhibitions of this type can bee seen in Polish Army Museum in Warsaw, Wielkopolska Army Museum in Poznań, Kołobrzeg Weaponry Museum and Lubuskie Army Museum in Drzonów. Sometimes military museums are connected with one battle only, e.g. Legnickie Pole Museum. Interesting example of an army museum is Rąblów Geuerilla Museum and Polichno Guerilla Act’s Museum. The most interesting modern history museums in Poland include WWII Museum in Gdańsk, European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, Warsaw Rising Museum, Poznań’s Gate Museum, Piłsudski’s Museum in Sulejówek, Schindler’s Factory in Cracow. The most often visited battlefield in Poland is Grunwald battlefield. It is a sight of the Medieval battle of 15.07.1410. Every year the place is a magnet for reconstruction groups and history lovers from all over Europe. Some other battlefields include Cedynia, Niemcza, Głogów, Płowce, Igana, Olszynka Grochowska, Siemiatycze, Małogoszcz, Racławice and Maciejowice.
In this category connected with WWII the most important sights include former concentration camps in Auschwitz-Birkenau and Stutthof, Wolf’s Lair, Mamerki, Międzyrzecz Fortification Region, Riese Complex and Exploseum in Bydgoszcz. Other interesting historical constructions include among others: Boyen’s Fortress, Kłodzko Fortress, Srebrna Góra Fortress, Zdbice Open Air Museum, Strzaliny Pomeranian Wall ruins, Silnowo Bunker, Przemyśl Fort Complex and Modlin Fortress.
The most important sights here are mainly connected with barbaric treatment of Poles and Jews during WWII and include former Nazi German concentration camps museums and memory sights. In this category the most often visited are Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, Stutthof Museum, Majdanek Museum, Treblinka memory sight, Bełżec Monument, Chełmno Museum, Rogoźnica Gross-Rosen Museum, Sobibór Monument. Other important sights include Luboń Martyrology Museum, Central Museum of Prisoners of War in Łambinowice, Martyrology Museum in Łódź/Radogoszcz, Palmiry Memory Sight, Martyrology Muzeum in Poznań Fortification VII, Pawiak Museum in Warsaw, Katyń Muzeum in Warsaw, Independence Museum in Warsaw, Zamość Martyrology Museum, Martyrology Museum of Allies Prisoners of War in Żagań. All these sights should be visited in proper clothes and proper behaviour as they are sights of mass murder of WWII victims.
Poland is an extraordinary destination if you want to discover and learn more about dark WWI history. It is also a country with outstanding history that can be found out only during tours around Poland that we heartily recommend to all ITS Poland clients.
Author: Agnieszka Szwedzińska
Date 5.10.2020
