a strategic defensive point of the Polish army during the 2nd World War
The Biebrza National Park is the biggest national park in Poland and one of the most vast, precious and relatively untouched fenlands in Europe with a unique variety of several communities of plants, rare wetland birds and mammals. The panorama of Biebrza from the viewpoint Góra Strękowa - a strategic defensive point of the Polish army during the 2nd World War The Aquatic Warbler is one of the birds most often cited on information boards next to most viewpoints in the park. Over 25% of the entire population of this endangered species can be found in Poland. The Biebrza National Park is one of the mot popular destinations of bird lovers. The Wiktor Wołkow Viewpoint is situated on the Western side of the Biebrza River. Wiktor Wołkow was a photographer-artist who is most famous for his photographic impressions of the Biebrza wildlife. The Biebrza National Park and its surroundings are generally home to many monuments dedicated to patrons of wildlife, such as the photographer-artist Wiktor Wołkow, filmmaker Włodzimierz Puchalski or even St. Francis from Assis. Most observation towers are decorated with shrines dedicated to St. Francis from Assis Apart from birds the Biebrza National Park is also famous for the biggest elk population. If you travel up the Carska Road you will find many warning signs with the elk symbol. Some of them are a word play. Elk in Polish is "łoś [pronunced: wos]", while carefully is "ostrożnie [pronounced: ostrod͡ʒə'gne]" - as you can see both words start with similarly pronounced letters, what has been cleverly used in the word play on the sign below. On the Carska Road you will find many viewpoints. Here is one of them. This wooden footbridge will lead you some way into the wetland from where you will be able to see the endless panorama of the wetland. Impressive, but terrifing as well. I guess it could be very easy to get lost on this wetland plain, but at the same time it could be a real adventure. Maybe yoy will be lucky enough to see the elk live. A guide is certainly a must! On you way watch out for the small lizards! There are plenty of them. Also have a close look at the plants growing on both sides of the footbridge. Some of them are very rare and can be found only here. This footbridge is only 400 metres long, while further on you can take a longer walk deep into the wetlands sometimes as long as 3 kilometers. It is very likely that you will be quite alone there. Only you and the wilderness. There are also many observation towers around. If you are, however, not so passionate about exploring the wilderness and you would rather prefer a bit more civilization, let me recommend a visit to a nearby city of Tykocin. On the left hand side the characteristic square roof of the Jewish synagogue. On the right hand side the baroque Holy Trinity Church towers over the city. This small town has preserved its original spatial layout with clearly outlined old Jewish part. Before the 2nd World War ca. 2,000 Jews lived here. As it was the case of most Jewish communities in Polish cities during the 2nd World War, the Nazi Germans exterminated the whole community in the nearby forests. Tykocin never recovered its Jewish population. Still many things remind of Tykocin's Jewish past - apart from the Jewish part of the city with many houses carrying characteristic Jewish decorations, the city is home to the 2nd biggest synagogue in Poland, which is part of the Jewish Musuem. One of the typical Jewish houses in Tykocin still carrying the Jewish symbol of Star of David A symbolic map of Tykocin painted on the walls of the Tejsza Restuarant The front facade of the Jewish synagogue in Tykocin The synagogue is very well restored! At the entrance you can collect an audio set with headphones with a recorded guide tour. The prayers painted on the walls are very beautifully decorated with ornaments! Most of them cannot do without peculiar animal representations. Lions, fish, birds, hare or ever squirrels! It is very characteristic for Jewish temples! One of Tykocin's restaurant nooks and crannies - the Jewish restaurant Tejsza is situated at the back of the synagogue. Tejsza in Hebrew means goose. And that is also the animal enchanted in Tejsza's logo visible on the wall from the main street. It is really a nice place to have a dinner. Tejsza is a small, but very cosy restaurant with a very nice service. No worries! The menu is also in English. As you can see most dishes cannot do without the crucial Jewish ingredient - honey. As I have learned, Tzimmes is one of Tejsza's signature dishes. English menu, but rather Polish currency. 20 zlotys stands for approx. 5 euros. And here for a change a dish without honey. The famous Jewish caviar - liver pasta with eggs and onion on matzah (sort of Jewish crispy bread).
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POLAND FOR BEGINNERS
Hi! My name is Victoria. Welcome to my personal travel photoblog about Poland created especially for you, my foreign friends, who are curious about Poland!
ABOUT MEEnglish philologist and film editor by education. Translator by occupation. A lover of my motherland Poland and globetrotter with journalist ambitions. Passionate about photography. I love traveling, active way of spending time and contact with nature. Experience and explore - that is what drives me! I am on the look for happy islands. Archives
March 2019
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