1. Polish historical places

2. 1. Gniezno Gniezno is the first capital of Piast Poland (940 – 1039). It’s the seat of the first Polish Roman Catholic archbishop. The most important places in Gniezno are: The Primatial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Wojciech, Boleslaus the Brave Monument, Museum of the Origin of the Polish State and Townhall.

3. 2. Kraków Kraków is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, situated by the Vistula River. The city dates back to the 7th century. It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1569. Main Market Square, Wawel Castle, Barbican, St. Mary's Basilica, St. Peter and Paul Church, Collegium Maius

4. 3. The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork. The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork is the largest castle in the world by surface area, and the largest brick building in Europe. It was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders. The Order named it Marienburg (Mary's Castle). The town which grew around it was also named Marienburg (Malbork).

5. 4. Grunwald The Battle of Grunwald was fought on July 15th 1410 during the Polish-Lithuanian and Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, decisively defeated the German–Prussian Teutonic Knights. The battle shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe and marked the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in the region.

6. 5. Częstochowa Częstochowa is a city in south Poland by the Warta River. The city is known for the famous Pauline monastery of Jasna Góra, which is the home of the Black Madonna painting, a shrine to the Virgin Mary. The Siege of Jasna Góra took place in the winter of 1655 during the Second Northern War — known as the Swedish invasion of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Eclectic Merchants’ Tenement House, Fountain at Stanisław Staszic Park, View of May Third Park and Jasna Góra Monastery, View of Holy Virgin Mary Avenue and Jasna Góra, Częstochowa City Hall

7. The Łazienki Palace, the Baths Palace; also called the Palace on the Water, or Water Palace and the Palace on the Isle, is a Baroque palace in Warsaw Royal Baths Park. Since 1775 it was a summer residence of king Stanisław August Poniatowski. 6. The Baths Palace

8. 7. The Royal Castle in Warsaw The Royal Castle in Warsaw is a castle residency and was the official residence of the Polish monarchs. It is located in the Castle Square, at the entrance to the Warsaw Old Town. The personal offices of the king and the administrative offices of the Royal Court of Poland were located there from the 16th century until the Partitions of Poland. In its long history the Royal Castle was repeatedly devastated and plundered by Swedish, Brandenburgian, German, and Russian armies.

9. 8. Belweder Belweder Palace, from the Italian belvedere, is a palace in Warsaw, a few kilometers south of the Royal Castle. The present building is the latest of several ones that stood on the site since 1660. Belweder once belonged to Poland's last king, Stanisław August Poniatowski. After the re- establishment of Poland's independence following World War I, it was the residence of Marshal Józef Piłsudski. Now, the President of the Republic of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski, resides at Belweder.

10. 9. Westerplatte Westerplatte is a peninsula in Gdańsk, located on the Baltic Sea coast. It is famous for the Battle of Westerplatte, which was the first clash between Polish and German forces during the Invasion of Poland and thus the first battle at the European theater of World War II.

11. 10. Gdańsk Shipyard Gdańsk Shipyard is a large Polish shipyard located in the city of Gdańsk. The yard gained international fame when Solidarity was founded there in September 1980. It was the first non-Communist Party-controlled trade union in a Warsaw Pact country. The Round Table Talks between the communist government and the Solidarity- led opposition resulted in semi- free elections in 1989. By the end of August a Solidarity-led coalition government was formed and in December 1990, Lech Wałęsa was elected President of Poland.