Kaszuby

Kashubia (Kaszëbë or Kaszëbskô) is the region in the northern part of Poland. As the part of Pomerania, these lands have been inhabited for centuries by the indigenous Kashubians, who have preserved their customs and have thus managed to retain their own language and literature.

This is the most beautiful and attractive tourist region of Poland. Enchanted forests, lakes and meadows are its treasure. Kashubia is actually known as "the land of a thousand lakes" or "Kashubian Switzerland" rich in thousands of lakes and ponds, creating picturesque and colourful landscape, which must be seen in person.

What's worth seeing in our region?

Railway Heritage Park in Kościerzyna

Railway museum is located in Kościerzyna, Pomeranian Voivodeship. The museum is located in an old locomotive depot near Kościerzyna railway station, Towarowa street. Besides rolling stock displayed in the open air, visitors can also see several exhibitions of machines and devices connected with Polish railway history inside the shed. The exhibit consists mostly of steam locomotives, but several diesel and electric locomotives, as well as electric multiple units and diesel multiple units are also presented to visitors.

It is open every day from 10 am until 6 am. The admittance fee is 3 PLN for a regular ticket and 2 PLN for a discount ticket.

http://www.infokoscierzyna.pl/?id=18

Teodora and Izydor Gulgowski Kashubian Ethnographic Park Museum at Wdzydze Kiszewskie

The museum in Wdzydze Kiszewskie is one of the most visited places in "Kashubian Switzerland", established in the beginning of the 20th century. The museum is located in an area especially attractive to tourists, linking landscape features with educational and recreational facilities. The picturesque buildings of old farms, houses, windmills from Kaszubia and Kociewie have been recreated on a 22-hectare site above the "Kashubian Sea", which is a popular name for the complex of Wdzydze lakes. In the area of the museum You can also find 18th century wooden St Barbara church, with services held on Sundays at 8 a.m.

The admittance fee is 9,60 PLN for a regular ticket, 7,50 PLN for a discount ticket, 7,00 PLN for a group ticket. Guided tour - 50 PLN.

Opening hours - Apr., Sept. - 9.00 - 16.00, Tuesday to Sunday; May, June - 9.00 - 16.00, Tuesday to Friday; May, June - 10.00 - 18.00 , Saturday and Sunday;  July, Aug. - 10.00 - 18.00, Tuesday to Sunday; Jan., Feb., March, Nov., Dec.,- 10.00 - 15.00, Monday to Friday.

National Anthem Museum in Będomin

The house in the Kashubian village of Będomin, in which Józef Wybicki was born, was turned into the Museum of the National Anthem (branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk) in 1978 and it's the only one Anthem Museum in Poland and Europe. The exhibition of the White Eagle, exposing over 1300 commemorative, patriotic postcards and lots of fine art, graphics and keepsakes inspired by famous "Dąbrowski's March" Anthem as well as genuine music box playing the anthem make this place worth seeing.

Please book the guide service in advance by e-mail: mhn@muzeum.narodowe.gda.pl or phone: 058 687 71 83.

The admittance is 7 PLN for a regular ticket, 3 PLN for a discount ticket, 15,00 PLN for a family ticket ( parents + children at school age), group ticket ( min 15 p.) - 3 PLN pp, guided tour - 50 PLN.

Opening hours: May - Sept. : 9.00-17.00 Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00-17.00 Sunday and holidays; Oct. - Apr. : 9.00 -17.00 Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00-15.00 Sunday and holidays

http://www.muzeum.narodowe.gda.pl/mod.php?dz=39

Hydro-electric power plants route

Hydro-electric power plants opened to visitors:

  • Power plant Struga
  • Power plant Gałążnia Mała
  • Power plant Strzegomino
  • Power plant Krzynia
  • Power plant Skarszów Dolny
  • Power plant Poganice
  • Power plant Żelkowo
  • Power plant Smołdzino
  • Power plant Biesowice
  • Pumped-storage water power plant Żydowo

http://www.elektrowniewodne.com.pl/turystyka.htm

Devil's stone in Owśnice

One of the biggest field stones in Kashubia. In the legend, stone was dropped by the devil who wanted to destroy a nearby church with it. The thunderbolt hit him while he was flying with it in his hands. Once the devil wanted to lift the stone, the sun started to shine and devil had to hide inside of the stone. Local priest put the cross in the front of it, so that devil can't run away. Stone is high for 2 m, and its perimeter is more than 13 m.

http://taisha.blox.pl/2007/03/diabelski-kamien.html

Museum exhibition "Koscierzyna and its land". Town hall.

The museum is located in city centre, in town hall built in 1843. The historic exhibition about Koscierzyna and its land can be seen here.

The main attractions are 17th century Holy Bible, with Martin Luther comments and the maquette of 18th century city architecture, with characteristic square market, old buildings and sacred structures.

The town hall invites also to its temporary exhibitions.

Kościerzyna, Rynek 9 Street, phone 0-58 680-04-88
e-mail: muzeumkoscierzyna@koscierzyna.gda.pl

Polish Red Cross exhibition

A collection of documents, keepsakes, medals, distinctions, as well as first aid equipment can be seen here.

Koscierzyna, 31 Dluga Street, phone: 0-58/ 686-28-80, fax . /0-58/ 680-01-55
e-mail: it@infokoscierzyna.pl

Kashubian Golgotha in Wiele

Kashubian Sanctuary of Jesus' passion and death in Wiele was built 1915 - 1927 to commemorate the victims of the World War I as a monument of love of the Kashubians for their Motherland.

Ostrich farm at Garczyno.

It is the first ostrich farm in Poland,  founded in 1993. The flock is about 100 birds. You get the chance to taste a scrambled ostrich egg, and you can have a ride on camel or ostrich.

The admittance is 4 PLN for a regular ticket, 2 PLN for a discount ticket (guide included). Opening hours: everyday, 9.00-17.00 .

Stone rings

Stone rings - circular setting of large standing stones are the characteristic and mysterious Pomeranian prehistoric monuments. In Kashubian literature circles are the relic of ancient Kashubia inhabitants - "stolem" giants, who used to gather here and commemorated their presence by setting up the stones.

Węsiory stone rings

In Węsiory reserve You will find over 140 tombs, 20 barrows and 4 stone rings. The place is very interesting, causing different reactions of visitors - sometimes stone circles are believed to have a bad influence on people's wellbeing.

Odry stone rings

Stone circles are the Goth's culture relics . In Odry reserve You will see prehistoric tombs, barrows and stone rings.

The admittance is 2 PLN for a regular ticket , 1,50 PLN for a discount ticket, guided tour - 20 PLN. Opening hours: July - Aug.: 8.00 - 20.00; Sept. - June: 10-16, Monday to Friday, 11-17 Sunday and holidays.

http://www.naszekaszuby.pl/modules/artykuly/article.php?articleid=18

Golubie Kaszubskie Botanic Garden

The garden, founded in 1972 covers the area of 2 ha. Over 4000 plants species, 120 of them legally protected, can be found here.

The admittance is 4 PLN for a normal ticket , 2 PLN for a discount ticket, guided tour - 20 PLN. Opening hours: 14.00 - 20.00, Monday to Friday; 10-18, Saurday, Sunday and holidays, guided tour - 40 PLN. Workshops available.

http://www.golubie.pl/

The world longest board and the upside-down house in Szymbark!

The longest board in the world was made in local lumber Mill "Danmar". It was made from a Douglas fir over 51 metres high. The board is 36,83 m long and weigh 1100 kg. The board has been cut for 9 days, 16 hours each day and needed 14 saws to be finished, forming a table for 200 people. The longest board in the world was registered in the Guinness Book of World Records on June 12, 2002.

http://kartuzy.info/index.php?m=1&id=2073

Museum of Kashubian Pottery in Chmielno

The museum exhibits the famous pottery works of the Necel family form Chmielno, are active from the 19th century to the present day. You can watch here the process of crockery being made by hand, decorated and fired. The admittance is 3 PLN for normal and discount ticket, with guide. Opening hours: 09.00 - 18.00, Monday to Saturday; Sunday and holiday visits to be agreed.

http://necel.w.interia.pl/

Wieża Widokowa w Wieżycy

At 329 m above the sea level, Wieżyca is the highest hill in the Baltic coast area. Panoramic view of Kashubia nad Ostrzyckie lake from the view tower situated on the top of the hill attracts tourists all year round.

The admittance is 2,5 PLN for normal , 1,20 PLN for discount ticket ( up to age 16). Opening hours: 09.00 - 19.00, all year round.

Golden Hill, Ręboszewo, Brodnica

A panoramic view of Ostrzyckie and Brodno lakes from the view tower situated on the top of the hill and Kashubian Partisants Memorial are worth seeing places of the region.

Church in Kartuzy - a part of the former Carthusian Monastery

Kartuzy was founded in the 14th century as a "St. Mary's Paradise" - one of the villages of the Carthusian Order in medieval Poland. Seven monks came to Kartuzy in 1383 and built their monastery here with 18 hermitages around. With small alterations, it is preserved in its primary form until today. When visiting the church it is worth to notice the gothic altar from 1444, 17th century cordovans (richly ornamented wall facing made of kidsuede), Renaissance main altar and side altars, Baroque gallery railing from 1640, and 14 precious religious paintings from 17th century, as well as the sundial with "Memento Mori" sentence..The church has a characteristic roof in the shape of a coffin, which is an architectonic symbol of the town until this day.

F. Treder Kashubian Museum

The history of the Kashubian Museum is connected with the person of its founder and first custodian - Franciszek Treder and his collector's and scientific passion. This son of Kashubian Land was born in 1903 in Łączyńska Huta near Kartuzy and died in 1980 in Gdynia.

http://www.muzeum-kaszubskie.gda.pl/

Teutonic Order Castle in Bytów

It was constructed on the turn of the 14th and 15th century and is the second largest of the preserved Teutonic Order castles (after Malbork) of this kind. At present there is a West-Kashubian Museum in the Castle, which holds temporary exhibitions and a permanent ethnographic exhibition on Bytow Kashubs culture relics.

W naszym kraju mòje bëcé,
W naszi łące mój je kwiat;
Tu mie rosce słodczé żëcé,
Mój kaszëbsczi môłi swiat.

"Swiat kaszëbsczi"

Mój tata kùpił kòzã,
Sto złotëch za niã dôł,
Ùwiązôł jã do wòza
I fuksa pòdcygnął.
Jedze tata, jedze,

"Tata i kòza"