FOR TRAVELLERS Explore the beauty of Mazovian nature and architecture Маzovia Weekend tourism Text: Małgorzata Bochenek Translated by: Witold Korbecki „aVISTA”, www.euroavista.pl Cover design and graphics: PANCZAKIEWICZ ART.DESIGN / Paweł panczakiewicz www.panczakiewicz.pl Proofread by: Cartographic Publishing House Daunpol Sp. z o.o., www.daunpol-pilot.com.pl Published by: Self-Government of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship Poland, 03-719 Warszawa, ul. Jagiellońska 26 tel.: (0048) 22 59-79-100, fax: (0048) 59-79-290 e-mail: [email protected] Print: PasaŻ sp z o.o., www.pasaz.com Updated edition. Copy free of charge. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the Publisher. The publication co-fi nanced by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Regional Operational Programme of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in the years 2007- 2013 and from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship funds. ISBN 978-83-63372-01-9 Warsaw 2011 In the land of worship and a glorious past ............................ 8 Welcome to the Szydłowiecki family ............................................... 14 Kurpie, that is about respect for old customs ................... 22 Among the ghosts and the inhabitants of the castle in Ciechanów .................................... 27 In a defensive fortress and the Vistula castles ...................... 35 Mazovia Weekend tourism Weekend In search of the Polish roots ............ 43 The Bug River recreational spots .... 49 In the Kozienicka Wilderness and following the footsteps of Jan Kochanowski ........................... 53 Table of contents In the land of blossoming apple trees ........................................59 In a small town and in a village ........ 63 Walking through the Kampinos Wilderness ........................................ 69 Sanctuaries, palaces and manor houses, namely areas around Sochaczew ........................................ 76 Chopin’s Mazovia ............................ 82 At the Liwiec River ........................... 88 Radom trips ..................................... 94 In Pułtusk on the Narew ................. 102 Siedlce and its surroundings ......... 110 INTRODUCTION MAZOVIA IN A NUTSHELL his guide presents the most beautiful places in the Mazowieckie Voivode- Tship. We present both the known and unknown sights, rich culture and nature. This is the place where one can admire the ruins of medieval castles, once inhabited by the dukes of Mazovia, churches from diff erent periods, in- cluding those built in the Vistula Gothic style characteristic of this part of the country. The monuments of Płock are among the most valuable ones in Poland. Anyone who had a chance to experience the charm of Pułtusk will certainly come back here. Numerous exhibits, gathered in regional museums, tell the history of these lands. Folk traditions are cultivated in open-air museums. Wonderful exhibits of the Art Nouveau era are gathered in the Mu- seum of Płock. A doctor’s offi ce, which can be seen in the Museum of The Small Town In Bieżuń, will certainly be remembered by eve- rybody. Sochachew is where a true paradise for lovers of nar- row gauge railways is located. Wonderful nature is what also constitutes the wealth of Mazovia. The Kampinos National Park, located just outside the capital, is a rarity in Europe. The famous Mazovian plains featuring weeping willows and unregulated rivers are also a charming scenery. THE MAZOWIECKIE VOIVODESHIP IN NUMBERS Area – 35.6 thousand km2 Population - 5.2 million people The capital of the region - Warsaw Larger cities – Radom, Płock, Siedlce, Ciechanów, Ostrołęka Land poviats – 37 City poviats – 5 Gminas – 309 Forest areas – 779.3 thousand ha Protected areas - 29.6% of the total area National parks – 1 Natural landscape parks – 9 Larger rivers – Vistula, Bug, Narew, Pilica 7 IN THE LAND OF WORSHIP AND A GLORIOUS PAST MAZOVIA. WEEKEND TOURISM IN THE LAND OF WORSHIP AND A GLORIOUS PAST GÓRA KALWARIA AND CZERSK óra Kalwaria and Czersk are lo- belonged to the Bernardines. It was Gcated about 40 miles south built in 1755-1759 in Baroque style, of Warsaw. One can get here by route based on a design by Jakub Fon- no. 79, leading to Sandomierz. First, tana. The interior is baroque and ro- it is worth stopping at Góra Kalwar- coco. What draws particular atten- ia. The urban layout of the city is very tion is a beautiful rococo pulpit and unique. It was established in the Ba- the sarcophagus of St. Valerian (made roque period. The basis of the spatial of black marble). A chapel on the right plan was the Latin cross. The longer side features a painting from the sec- arm of the cross is formed by Kalwa- ond half of the seventeenth century. ryjska and Rynek, while the shorter Famous for its grace it is the image one by Dominikańska and Pijarska of Our Lady of the Mountains, called streets. At the ends of the arms were the Gracious Mother of Consolation. - similarly to the layout of Jerusalem - The founder of the church and the three monasteries, which symbolized monastery, Franciszek Bieliński, is bur- the entrance gates to the Holy City. ied in the vaults. The courtyard was Located at the intersection of the fenced off from the street by a cast axis is a chapel called the House of Pi- iron fence with a gate, over which - late, today it is the church of the Ex- on the pillars - are four stone baroque altation of the Holy Cross. The chapel sculptures, depicting St. Francis of As- was built in 1680 and rebuilt in 1791. sisi, Anthony of Padua, John of Cap- Under the altar is a crypt with the re- istrano and Bernard of Sienna. Next mains of Bishop Stefan Wierzbowski, to the church are baroque monas- the founder of the city. On the other tery buildings of 1755. Opposite the side of the square is a town hall, and church one can see the former pal- nineteenth-century market halls and ace of Bishop Wierzbowski from the stalls are located at the bus stop. second half of the seventeenth cen- Currently a parish church, the Im- tury. Today it houses the National Ar- maculate Conception of the Blessed chives branch. Virgin Mary church is located at ks. In order to get to the Baroque chap- Sajna street. Historically, the church el of St. Anthony of Padua one should 8 IN THE LAND OF WORSHIP MAZOVIA. WEEKEND TOURISM AND A GLORIOUS PAST Church of the Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary in Góra Kalwaria go along St. Anthony street, which with the Virtuti Militari Cross by Mar- is behind the parish church and leads shal Piłsudski for their service in the towards the Vistula river. A Baroque war of 1920. It was destroyed at the statue of St. Anthony and a hand- request of the Municipal Commu- shaped reliquary of the Saint from the nist Party Committee and Chairman eighteenth century are placed in the of the National Council of the City. Baroque altar from 1903. As we continue along ks. Sajna street When entering the city from War- we get to Szpitalna street. Today, the saw one can see the former Piarist former Piarist College houses the So- College, founded in 1675 by Bish- cial Welfare Home. op Wierzbowski. One can get here We head back towards the center, by walking from the chapel along this time down Pijarska street. It was ks. Sajna street. A bust of Piłsudski, at Pijarska 5 and 10/12 where a syna- reconstructed in 1989, is what you gogue and a zaddik courtyard were can see in Marshal Józef Piłsudski once located. Today only cast-iron col- square. The obelisk was founded umns remain. One of the most impor- by officers of the Polish Army field tant centers of Polish Hasidism was artillery and unveiled on August 3rd established in Kalwaria in the nine- 1931. The obelisk commemorates teenth century. Icchaak Meir Alter, the decoration of the field artillery the founder of the whole zaddik dy- 9 IN THE LAND OF WORSHIP AND A GLORIOUS PAST MAZOVIA. WEEKEND TOURISM The castle in Czersk nasty, settled here in 1859. The zaddik is, located nearby, a former courtyard community drew pilgrims from Po- of zaddik, who was the founder of the land and all over Europe. Even a nar- dynasty. Close to the Catholic ceme- row-gauge railway line was opened tery, at Zakalwaryjska street, is a Jew- in the nineteenth century to bring ish cemetery with several surviving pilgrims from Warsaw. A zaddik was gravestones and a newly built ohel a shareholder in the railway. Before (grave), i.e. a brick building, which World War II the courtyard of zaddik is the resting place of the zaddik. We Abraham Mordechai Alter, a Member can get there through Piłsudski, Ka- of Parliament and a senator, was one lwaryjska and Zakalwaryjska streets. of the strongest centers of Jewish re- We return to the town hall and fol- ligion in Poland. Alter managed to go low the green trail to get to a church to Jerusalem at the beginning of the from 1674 located outside the town, occupation, where he died in 1948. dedicated to the Divine Providence A brick house of worship from the in Marianki; it was one of the ele- early twentieth century, located in the ments of the Calvary, called the Cena- yard of Pijarska street (at no. 10), cur- cle. It is managed by Marists. The orig- rently serves as a home of religious inal building was largely rebuilt. The studies of the Alter family. Dating interior features a sarcophagus of the back to the mid-nineteenth century founder of the Marian Order - Father 10 IN THE LAND OF WORSHIP MAZOVIA. WEEKEND TOURISM AND A GLORIOUS PAST The knights’ tournament at the castle in Czersk Stanisław Papczyński. The Stations We can reach the castle through of the Cross, composed of fifteen the church area. The church was built carved chapels, are located in the sur- in the years 1805-1806, the tower rounding park.