Opole Voivodeship You Are Always Welcome 2 Prudnik County Opole Voivodeship delights in its diversity, multiculturalism and agreement of people living here and cooperate, people who have diff erent origin, diff erent culture, diff erent faiths and beliefs and not so long ago: diff erent languages. Cities of this region, with its charming renovated Old Towns, antique townhouses and manor houses turned into top-of-the-range hotels embellish and en- tice and along with villages blooming home gardens are unique marks of this beautiful region of the country. Regional kitchen full of Silesian tradition integrated into dif- ferent tastes of borderland is a culinary masterpiece of Opole Voivodeship. Tight bond between Opole citizens and region makes this Voivodeship signifi cantly strong among other regions. Due to its treasure landscape and beautiful antique buildings this is the place on Poland and Europe map worth to visit, see and come back… Opole province is the smallest Voivodeship in Poland (9.412km2) inhabited by more than million residents. The capital city is Opole City. Located in south-west Poland, border the Lower Silesia, Łódź, Silesia and Wielkopolska Voivodeships. It’s administratively di- vided into 12 districts and 71 communes. Main waterway of the region is Odra River. Opole has a very long history; it dates back to the distant Medieval Times. Opole was located on the very important trade rout crossing. The city was chartered at the beginning of XIII century and in 1283 it became the Duchy of Opole capital. It was ruled by the Piast Dynasty till XVI century. The best known was Duke Jan II the Good who granted numerous privileges (including the ones protected peasant class against nobility). For ten centuries Opole was under the rule of Czech, Habsburgs, Prussian and Poles. In XIX century industry was growing dynam- ically – especially cement industry. After The Silesian Upraising Moszczanka Opole still left after German side and back to Poland in1945. 3 Opole, the view from the Bolko side Renaissance City Hall as well as “Opolski Akropol” current head- Opole Region has 34 nature reserves and 5 landscape parks. quarters of Opole University deserve special attention. Another Whole Region is ethnic diff erential. Co-residents are: Silesians, attraction is Museum of Rural Architecture in Bierkowice which East Poles, German Minority and people came from other parts has a rich collection of wooden architecture from the Opole of Poland. Community which lives in the Region belong to Polish, Silesian Region. Czech and German culture. Opole Voivodeship is also land of castles, chateaus and man- Opole City invests in culture. Opole amphitheater is home of or houses, almost 200 – far more than the rest of Poland has. concerts during National Festival of Polish Song in Opole for Especially impressive are in Brzeg, Otmuchów, Głogówek, Kamień over 50 years. In Opole take place also such events as: All-Poland Śląski and Moszna. Really worth seeing is “Polish Carcassonne” Theatrical Confrontation, All-Poland Puppet Theatre Festival, – Paczków and Nysa called “Silesian Rome”. St Anne Mountain Opolskie Lamy Movie Festival, BiennaleArs Polonia and Drum Fest. is very important place in the region as well. We have here also unique Mediewal Brzeg Polychromy Rout and Wooden Sacral Opole province is well-known also from Krasiejow Jura Park. Nysa, Architecture Rout. Turawa and Otmuchow Lakes are great for active leisure and Mala Panew River it’s a canoe route. Tourists also like Opawa Mountains. Opole Province is agricultural and industrial region. Vegetable production as well as animal one place the region among the Opole province – often called „little homeland” is unusually mul- best in the country. tiethnic and multicultural place. It makes this region very intrigue on Poland map as well as cozy. Its otherness and diff erential Opole Voivodeship industry grows dynamically. It has several encourage to visit this beautiful part of our country. subzones of Special Economic Zones. High-powered industries are: mineral, chemical, food, fuel, metallurgic, wood and paper, agricultural, textile, footwear, electronic and energy. 4 Opole Venice Opole The capital of the Voivodeship – is the center of the region in ad- ministration, cultural, science and industrial meaning. All most im- portant events are centered here. The capital of the Voivodeship is a city which may look as extremely young and vigorous - in this 130.000 agglomeration 30.00 students live and study here at public and private colleges (the main are Opole University, Opole University of Technology, School of Administration and Management and National School of Medicine). Opole City intrigue tourists. First: it is a symbol of Polish rock music – since 1963 National Festival of Polish Song sounds in Opole Amphitheater and all Poland show biz Stars Opole join. If you are interested in history of Polish song you will fi nd many precious pieces on exhibition in Polish Song Museum. National Festival of Polish Song is always associated with The Piast Tower in Opole – the last one piece of The Piast Castle which survived. Currently it is possible to admire Opole view from The Tower and the most important, from the point of historical view, landmarked buildings. These undoubtedly are gothic St. Cross Cathedral and Franciscan Fathers Church, where The Piast Chapel acts as The Opole Piast Mausoleum. “Na Górce” Church could belong to the interesting sacred mon- uments. Town Hall, built in Florentine Palazzo Vecchio style, ob- viously focuses the tourists attention. Another interesting, non- sacral monuments are mostly in the city center and they are: Opole Silesia Museum, multifi gure fountain – sculpture “Opolska Ceres” at Daszyński Square or Opole University HQ on the “ac- Opole, pond at Barlicka Street 5 Collegium Maius – Opole University yard Green Bridge City Square, City Hall Daszyński Square and Ceres fountain-monument Opole Silesia Museum and Na Górce Church 6 Opole in the twilight ademic hill”, where sculptures of the most important artists of Opole is also a place where plenty international and local events Polish music scene have been placed. Everyone will be in love take place. The most known and appreciated are International with charming corner by the Młynówka called „Venice in Opole” Drum Festival, Theatrical Confrontation “Polish Classic”, All-Poland and green Bolko Island. Puppet Theatre Festival or European Majorette Championship –IMA. Another must-see is Museum of Rural Architecture located in Bierkowice district, where typical for this land collection of wood- en architecture waits for tourists. Opole Voivodeship has won its own administrative independence by itself- not very big but meaningful monument „We have to defend Opole Region” keeps this fact in memory of the people. National Festival of Polish Song – Opole Amphitheater 7 Prudnik It is a city located in the South part of the region, on the borderland of Głubczyce Plateau and north-east part of Opawa Mountains. Amazingly beautiful city square and the Castle Tower entrance, called Woka Tower, the oldest building of Prudnik, enchants the visitors. The Tower has been transformed into vantage point, from which tourists can see the view of the beautiful surroundings. The Prudnik Forest and Franciscan Monastery, where a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, Stefan Wyszyński, has been imprisoned in 1954-1955, is undoubtedly the tourists’ at- traction. Currently it acts as a sacral place again. The beautiful Prudnik Park, which has been created to naturally connect Prudnik City to surrounding forest, allures with its pretty views as well as eye-catching avenues with the Opawa Mountains view, with City Square and City Hall in Prudnik their higher mountain top Kopa Biskupia (890 MAMSL). The Park has been enriched by precious elements of architecture, such as gemmed arbor which used to be music pavillion in the past or Diana statue. It is a perfect place to active way of spend- ing free time and to recreation, with tennis courts, pitches and kids playgrounds. There are plenty of cultural and sports events organized in The Park, including family sports picnic. Prudnik Park Głuchołazy The City located among Opawa Mountains, Paczkowo Foothill and Glubczyce Plateau with beautiful, historic square and St. Wawrzyniec Church – late baroque sanctuary with early gothic veneer. Building has rich embellished 13th century entrance and joined towers topped off with new baroque helmets. Church amazes with numerous Rococo style side altars. Among al- tars tourists can see for example: Van Dyck painting „Opłakiwanie”, 16th century sculpture of Mother of God with Child and new ba- roque main altar of the 1921 as wee as ”Ukrzyżowanie” bas-relief from the 16th-17th century. The Głuchołazy, opened at the end of 19th century, with cen- tury-old types of trees and bushes, especially North America Głuchołazy Square Canadian hemlock and charming pond with the island in the middle, where theater shell has been built, is a perfect place for the rest. Specifi c microclimate and the nearness of mountain nature of Chrobry Mountain have a positive infl uence on pass- ers-by state of being. Surrounding Opawa Mountains, amazing landscape, unique, mild climate, tourist trails and interesting historical monuments are real pearls of Opole Province. The visit in nearby Moszczanka to try fried trout fl avoured with local recipe will gratify every gourmet. Biała Głuchołaska River 8 Brzeg Castle – yard Brzeg The one of the oldest city of Opole Province. Known in Poland as the seat of royal-ducal Piast lineage, who left here lots of mon- uments and marks. Among the most precious is built in 13th century and redeveloped into renaissance residence Brzeg Castle, well known as :”The Silesian Wawel”. This magnifi cent monument is listed in an international heritage register. Especially worth seeing are garden remains, fortifi cation outlines and St. Jadwiga gothic castle chapel, which at the same time is The Mausoleum of Legnica & Brzeg Piast.