Things to do in Southern Poland, Poland: The Best Sights & Landmarks

Established by the Nazis in 1940, Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a symbol of terror, genocide and the Holocaust. Although the exact number of victims is unknown, many Jews, Poles and gypsies died here. The museum consists of two parts: Auschwitz I, the first and oldest camp (the number of prisoners fluctuated around 15,000, sometimes rising above 20,000) and Auschwitz II, Birkenau (which held more than 90,000 prisoners in 1944). The greater part of the apparatus of mass extermination was built in Birkenau and the majority of the victims were murdered there.

One of the most famous of Poland's churches, this Gothic structure features two striking towers of different heights and surprisingly richly decorated insight, mostly thanks to the vibrant polychromy by great Polish artist Jan Matejko. The greatest masterpiece is though the Main Altar by Veit Stoss - a late Gothic illustration for St. Mary's and Jesus life, including scenes of Mary's death and Assumption. Please note that the church, including Main Altar, is currently under long maintenance and renovation works, which may be of some inconvenience.

Huge 10-acre square, the largest in any of Europe's medieval cities, features the 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall and the splendid 14th-century Gothic Basilica of the Virgin Mary.

Sizable Jewish population of Krakow moved to this district at the end of the fifteenth century, which served as the main cultural center of the Polish Jewry for centuries.

The Museum Route in Cracow Saltworks Museum is located entirely on level III of the mine and is about 1.5 kilometres long. Sightseeing of the Route takes about 1 hour. Sightseeing of Museum Route does not entail any additional cost, it can be visited by the same ticket to the Mine. What are the major features on the Museum Route? The giant horse powered hoisting machines represent one of the chief attractions. The device known as the "Polish" is the world’s largest wooden mining machine! Lovers of arts and handicraft will surely be enchanted by paintings of Jan Matejko, the precious Horn of the Hewer Guild and a luxury train constructed for the top authorities of the Austria-Hungary Empire. The Museum Route also features smaller objects illustrating both work of historical Wieliczka miners, their customs and everyday life. There are also places that will attract attention of nature lovers, such as the exhibition of salt crystals from the famous Crystal Caves.