'''Dolno?l?skie''' [http://www.dolnyslask.pl/default.aspx?docId=5459 ], also '''Dolno?l?skie Voivodship''', '''Lower Silesia''' or '''Lower Silesian Voivodship''', is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voivodeship voivodship], also written voivodeship, in South-West Poland.

Regions

  • '''The Giant Mountains''' (Polish - Karkonosze, Czech - Krkono?e, German - Riesengebirge), divided between Poland and the Czech Republic. Note that originally Germans lived on both sides of this border, still visible on old cemetaries on the Czech side - the Polish cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WW2.
  • '''Snow Mountain''' (Polish - ?nie?ka, Czech - Sn??ka, German - Schneekoppe), the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.
  • '''Jeleniogorska Valley''' (Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogorska) - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Gora (German Hirschberg) aglomeration,
  • '''Klodzko County''' (Polish - Kotlina K?odzka, German - Grafschaft Glatz), a valley surrounded by several mountain ranges,main city K?odzko (German: ''Glatz''), contains several health resorts - Polanica Zdroj (German: ''Bad Alteheide''), Duszniki Zdroj (German: ''Bad Reinerz''), Kudowa Zdroj (German:''Bad Kudowa'').
  • '''Trzebnica Hills'''
  • '''Barten River Valley''' (Polish: ''Dolina Baryczy'')includes:
  • * '''Milicz Ponds''', a perfect place for bird watching
  • Cities

  • Wroc?aw (German: ''Breslau'')
  • G?ogow (German: ''Glogau'')
  • Jawor (German: ''Jauer'')
  • Jelenia Gora (German: ''Hirschberg'')
  • Karpacz (German: ''Krumhubel'')
  • K?odzko (German: ''Glatz'')
  • Kudowa-Zdroj (German: ''Bad Kudowa'')
  • Legnica (German: ''Liegnitz'')
  • Lubin (German: ''Lueben'')
  • Malczyce
  • Ole?nica
  • ?widnica (German: ''Schweidnitz'')
  • Wa?brzych (German: ''Waldenburg'')
  • Wambierzyce
  • Z?otoryja
  • ?roda ?l?ska
  • Other destinations

    UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Jawor Peace Church (German: ''Friedenskirche Jauer'') and ?widnica Peace Church (German: ''Friedenskirche Schweidnitz'') built only of wood and very simple exterior but overwhelming Baroque interior.
  • Centennial Hall (original name Jahrhunderthalle, now Hala Ludowa) in Wroc?aw huge hall from the beginning of the 20th century.
  • National Parks

  • Gory Sto?owe National Park – national park in the Sudetes around the Szczeleniec Mountain (~1000m) with bizarre rocks.
  • Karkonoski National Park – national park in the Sudetes around the ?nie?ka Mountain (1602m) with beautiful waterfalls.
  • Spas

  • Cieplice-Zdroj – spa in the Karkonosze.
  • Duszniki-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • D?ugopole-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • Jedlina-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • Kudowa-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • L?dek-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • Polanica-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • ?wieradow-Zdroj – spa in the Sudetes.
  • Understand

    In the early second millenium Lower Silesia started out as a part of Poland. In the 12th and 13th century Silesia fell apart into several duchies of which Wroc?aw, G?ogow, Wschowa and ?widnica are in Lowe Silesia. In the 14th centrury Wschowa became again a part of Poland, while the others came under Czech rule. Bohemia was ruled at this time by the German Luxembourg, later the Polish Jagiellonians and finally by the Austrian Habsburga. In 1741 Lower Silesia became a part of Prussia after Austria lost a decisive war over Silesia. After World War II Lower Silesia was annexed by Poland and almost all of its population (almost entirely German) was expelled and the country was resettled by Poles.

    Talk

    After most of the original population (Germans) had been terminated or deported after 1945 almost all residents of Lower Silesia today speak Polish - although a few German enclaves still exist. Most young people know at least a few words of English. Older people quite often understand basic German or Russian.

    Get in

    Some major airlines, Poland's national carriers [http://www.lot.com LOT Polish Airlines], and a low cost airline [http://www.centralwings.com Centralwings] (owned by LOT) and some other low cost airlines fly to Wroc?aw's [http://www.airport.wroclaw.pl Copernicus Airport] (WRO). Domestic flights operated by LOT (under Eurolot brand) connect Wroc?aw with Warsaw's [http://www.lotnisko-chopina.pl/?lang=en Frederic Chopin Airport] (WAW).

    Get around

    See

    Do

    Eat

    Drink

    Stay safe

    Get out

    '''Dolno?l?skie''' boarders three other Polish voivodships

  • Lubuskie,
  • Wielkopolskie,
  • and Opolskie,
  • as well as the Czech Republic and Germany.