City of Lublin

Lublin is the largest and the fastest developing city on the right side of the Vistula River. Lublin is one of the oldest cities in Poland. It is also the capital of Lubelskie Voivodeship since 1574. Lublin has around 350.000 inhabitants and is the largest academic centre in this part of the country. The rich history of the City and the fact that is located in a multicultural melting pot define its characteristic and unique values. Lublin is very typical with its architecture, topography and cultural development. Our City enchants with its rich history that spans incessantly by seven centuries. The proud history and long tradition of the City are to this day hidden among the old walls and alleys in Lublin Old Town, which is one of the oldest and well preserved in Poland. Authentic historical building create magic and unrepeatable atmosphere of the City, where culture and religions have intertwined over centuries.

The first settlements of Lublin date back to the 6 th century. In 1317, the city acquired city rights. From the Middle Ages Lublin architecture developed rapidly. We can admire the oldest architectural monuments of these days. We can start our sightseeing from Old Town – where The Cracow Gate is situated. It was built in 1341 and it is part of old fortifications surrounding the Old Town. The Cracow Gate is the architectural symbol of Lublin and link between the Old Town and the City Centre. Behind the Cracow Gate we can admire The Old Town Market where we can find various architectural styles, from Gothicism to Classicism. In the central part of the Market Square is situated The Crown Tribunal which was built in 1389. The Old Town paths and alleys lead us to Po Farze Square – that is the place where Fara has been intended for a city square. It was fenced off and sowed with grass around 1899. In the middle a cross on a stone base was placed to commemorate the location of the church. The next well-known Lublin monument is the Castle which is located in the Castle Hill. Characteristic buildings from the historic and present days in Lublin Castle Hill are: the donjon, the castle and neo -gothic prison, the Holy Trinity Chapel and the Lublin Province Museum. While our sightseeing tour, we should finally visit The German concentration camp popularly called “Majdanek”, where an estimated 150,000 prisoners entered and 80,000 people, including 60,000 Jews, were killed according to the most recent research.

Lublin is also one of the largest academic centres in Poland. There are both public and private universities including: John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Maria Curie – Skłodowska University, University of Life Sciences or Lublin University of Technology. In all universities study about 100.000 students. Teaching facilities are spread around the city, yet the academic campus is located in the west part of the city.

Even if you come here for a short time, you will be able to see the showpieces of our region located but a short distance from Lublin:

• Kazimierz Dolny - Janowiec - Puławy - popular tourist resorts picturesquely located on the Nałęczów Plateau and along the Little Poland gorge of the Vistula river. These little towns offer a wealth of historic monuments, mostly Renaissance and Classicist architecture (Puławy);
• Nałęczów - a truly romantic health resort set in a beautiful countryside and featuring fine wooden and brick villas, palace and park complex and biographical museums of Bolesław Prus and Stefan Żeromski, distinguished Polish novelists;
• Museum of the Zamoyski Family in Kozłówka (Muzeum Zamoyskich w Kozłówce) - one of the most beautiful palace and park complexes in Poland with very well preserved interiors from the turn of the 19th century.

More information: www.lublin.eu