Archive for month: October, 2020

??☠️Halloween is fast approaching, you may have seen some carving pumpkins and Halloween skulls decorations and props of late. Not only is skulls the symbol of Halloween, but it’s decorative elements for some unusual churches.

Located in the small Polish town of Czermna, the Skull Chapel (Polish: Kaplica Czaszek) is a small and unassuming chapel. But you would be shocked by what’s hidden behind the wooden door. The skulls and bones of over 3,000 victims of wars and plagues cover the walls and ceiling, with another 21,000 skeletons fillings the church crypt below. 

The chapel was built in 1776 by Bohemian local parish priest Vaclav Tomasek, who was inspired by Rome’s Capuchin Crypt. Served as a mass grave for local people who died from war and disease during that period of time, the chapel was intended as a shrine for the dead, as well as a “memento mori” for the living. After Tomasek died, his skull was placed on the altar as well as the bones of important figures. Additionally, there are a crucifix and two carvings of angels inside, one with a Latin inscription that reads ‘Arise from the Dead’.

The Skull Chapel is the only such monument in Poland, and one of six in Europe. It may leave people feeling a little bit creepy, but it is well worth a visit!

Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski

???If you are a nature lover and looking for a nice place with lots of nature, beautiful views, to enjoy the autumn colors, then visiting Pieniny Mountains is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in nature during the Polish autumn which is a perfect time to explore the colorful country.

Pieniny is a stunningly beautiful, 35km-long mountain range located near the border of Poland and Slovakia, and the autumn colors make it even more appealing. The Pieniny mountain is consists of three separate ranges divided by the Dunajec River, the highlight is the most famous mountain range Trzy Korony (Three Crowns), which consists of five sharp peaks and the highest one is the 982-meter-high Okrąglica. Hiking to the top of Okrąglica, there is an observation platform with an excellent view of the Dunajec river gorge and the vast area of the surrounding Mountains. In nice weather, one can see as far as Babia Góra, 63 km away. Another outstanding mountain in Pieniny is Sokolica, which is well known for the pine relics on the slope of the Sokolica summit, one of them is 500 years old and regarded as an unofficial symbol of Pienins.

Some say that the most beautiful easy hiking trails in Europe are in the Pieniny National Park where trails are well marked and short, and no trekking equipment is necessary, which is perfect for families with children. The Pieniny mountains is a favorite destination not only for hikers but for history lovers, who can admire the medieval Niedzica Castle built on a limestone cliff and the 14th century Red Monastery on the Slovakian border, and so on. With the picturesque peaks and a comfortable temperature during autumn, the Pieniny will leave all visitors with a lifetime of memories.

?The Łódź Special Economic Zone has been ranked 3rd out of 61 entries from around the world, as the best economic zones in the world and 1st in Europe, in a ranking prepared by the Financial Times publication fDi Magazine. Congratulations! ?

Speaking of Łódź, what it has achieved today is inseparable from its history and culture. Łódź is the third-largest city in Poland and a diverse and multicultural city in which Polish, Jewish, German and Russian nations lived and worked together here. In an atmosphere of acceptance and tolerance, they left their mark on the early development of Łódź and became part of this beautiful city they were building together. For years, Łódź had been a melting pot of four cultures and nationalities, where synagogues, tserkvas, as well as Catholic and Protestant shrines got along well with each other in peace.

Łódź is also famous as the former textile industrial center that grew fabulously wealthy in the 19th century. The wealth differences between rich and poor are still noticeable in the architecture of the city,  where luxurious mansions contrast with redbrick factories and old tenement houses. By combing history with modernity, Manufaktura becomes a favorite spot for both locals and visitors, which is the biggest shopping center in Central Europe and was built in an old factory that belonged to Izrael Poznanski, one of the richest businessman in Lodz. Besides, take a stroll along Piotrkowska Street, Europe’s longest pedestrian street, you will find the best cafes, bars and clubs in town.

Today, known for its Film School, Łódź is also a significant cultural center and is aptly described as the country’s top cultural hotspot in Poland, from festivals to concerts, from theatre shows to dance performances, from exhibitions to movie premiere. With the distinct characters of buildings and the abundant art activities, Łódź is well worth a visit.

? If you want to visit Łódź, check out our Lodz City Break to find more multicultural heritage and charming attractions. ?

Photo: bartels-global.com

???Autumn is not only a beautiful season packed with colorful foliage but also a harvest season that one can find all kinds of fresh and delicious fruits and seasonal foods in the market, especially mushrooms! It is well known that the Poles enjoy mushrooms, picking mushrooms in the forest is one of the Poles’ favorite pastimes. Over the centuries, because of the popularity of mushrooms, a lot of Polish mushroom dishes have been invented and they have become a very valuable part of Polish culinary culture. Today, I’d like to share with you some of the classical Polish Mushroom Dishes, and I wonder what would you like to try first If you have the opportunity to visit Poland? ?

1. Mushroom soup

When people talk about mushroom dishes, mushroom soup would be the first to come to mind. Delicate mushrooms are great for soups, and porcini mushroom soup is one of the best-known of this kind of soup, which was made with dried porcini and fresh mushrooms. Besides, there are more interesting variations, such as a traditional Christmas soup, made with dried mushrooms and fruits like prunes and pears, from the Kociewie region near Gdańsk. There is another potato soup from the central part of Poland called Zalewajka, which is a traditional rustic soup made of diced and boiled potatoes, Polish sausage, and dried mushrooms.

2. Mushroom pierogi

The Poles are proud of their pierogi (meaning ‘dumpling’). Though there are many different pierogi fillings, one of the most traditional ones is sauerkraut and mushrooms. This amazing combination is also the foundation of bigos, which is commonly known in English as hunter’s stew. Traditionally, these dumplings are served as the 12th course of a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner. 

3. Uszka with wild mushrooms

Uszka, meaning ‘little ears’, are small dumplings (a small and twisted version of pierogi) which usually filled with flavorsome wild forest mushrooms and onion or minced meat. They are mainly made for Christmas Eve dinner and served as an opening dish with a tart and rich beetroot broth. Delicate pierogi dough filled with wild mushrooms almost melts in your mouth and combined with clear beetroot soup is really worth a try.

4. Mushroom kaszotto 

Kaszotto is kind of like polish risotto, made with buckwheat, barley or millet, and whatever you have handy, like lentils, celeriac, squash, and of course seasonal mushrooms. It’s become quite a popular dish, as it’s delicious, easy to make and healthier than a traditional risotto. It can go with different veggies, but with wild mushrooms will produce an amazing umami flavour.

5. Scrambled eggs with mushrooms

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms is one of the most common breakfasts in Poland, which is traditionally made with intensely yellow chanterelles, is very tasty, healthy and easy cooking. Chanterelles is a very tasty edible wild mushroom and very popular in Poland.

Photo: culture.pl