It’s time to go to Łódzkie…

The Promised Land and the Promising Land.
You do not have to go a long way to discover the Lodz Voivodeship. Lodz (Polish: Łódź) is close, from whichever Polish city you want to get there: from Cracow or Olsztyn, from Poznan, from Katowice or Wroclaw, let alone from Warsaw. All of us can thus be explorers, not only professional globetrotters. Also those who are not keen on distant journeys, but just need some rest, want to have inexpensive holidays and see something new. In the region of Lodz they can have it all.
Those who love monuments and history can visit towns that have contributed to the history of Poland many times, such as Łęczyca, Piotrków Trybunalski or Sieradz, to mention just a few. In Tuma near Łęczyca, there is a magnificent Roman collegiate church, which is a monument of the same rank as Gniezno or Krakow. And near the church, there is a well preserved 900-year old town where excavation works are in progress. Their effects are amazing – the objects found there can be seen in the Archeological and Ethnographical Museum in Lodz. In Tum you can see with your own eyes how the Polish state was born and developed. Soon, the old town will be reconstructed and transformed into a museum of Biskupin caliber. In a special building many unique objects will be exhibited, such as spurs, the ring of duchess Salomea (only three jewels like this have been found in Europe), her comb and delicate metal buckle of a book. Tourists can also visit the castle in Łęczyca (and maybe meet Boruta Devil, who is said to wander in the vault), the monastery in Sulejów, the palace in Nieborów and nearby Arkadia, the castle in Oporów – one of the most beautiful in Poland, and numerous manor houses of different sizes spread all around the region.
There are four culture tourist trails running through the area. The Roman Trail (Szlak Romański) – its jewel being the church in Tum, the Cistercian Trail (Szlak Cysterski), the Amber Trail (Szlak Bursztynowy) and the Trail of Warsaw-Vienna Railway (Szlak Kolei Warszawsko-Wiedeńskiej). The Amber Trail is a real feast to those who love both history and nature. It follows the old trade route along the Warta and Bzura Rivers that had been used by ancient merchants. Amber has become a tourist hit. In Konopnica, in summer, there is the holiday of amber organized, during which Romans, Vikings and Slav knights meet on the banks of the Warta River. Here, you have a unique opportunity to watch chariot races and to have a photo taken with a dangerous centurion. The event lures crowds of tourists, also foreign, Germans and visitors from other Western European countries among them. What is so attractive to them? Those truly beautiful landscapes, as the river runs through the place where the lowland and uplands meet – the area is referred to as the Wieluń Jurassic Upland (Jura Wieluńska). The valley of the Bzura River is also very picturesque. And the nature of the Amber Trail will enchant you.
The Lodz Voivodeship invests in active tourism. The longest horse ride trail in Europe of about 2,000 kilometers is being built here. It is composed of two loops: the outer and the inner. The latter leads around Lodz and is about 300 kilometers long. It has been already opened. The outer loop covers almost all the region. It is under construction now, but some 200 stables already wait for tourists. Those who enjoy agrotourism will also be happy here: farms offer accommodation, food and horses. But don’t worry if you can’t ride a horse! You can also enjoy a ride in a cart, wagon or carriage, and in winter you can go on a sledge ride. Everybody must have heard about the therapeutic effects of horseback riding – hippotherapy. And the region of Lodz is famous for its horses and has rich traditions in this area. There are famous studs here (for example in Walewice) and in Gajewniki every year a popular event called „Weekend w siodle” („Weekend in the saddle”) is organized. In 1939, Polish lancers fought in the Battle of the Bzura and in the Battle of the Warta, and in 1940 in Anielin, Henryk „Hubal” Dobrzański died, the last soldier of September fights and the first partisan of Poland.
The Lodz voivodeship is a paradise for those who love sailing and other water sports. You can sail here on two artificial lakes: Jeziorsko and Zalew Sulejowski. If you enjoy canoeing, Warta, Pilica, Bzura and Rawka – the rivers of the region – wait for you. And you do not have to be a professional canoe fan, as these rivers are not rushing mountain streams. They run quickly but they are not very deep and on their banks there are numerous places where you can stay for the night and have a meal. And they run through picturesque lands so you can watch the nature going back to places where people stopped to interfere. Forests, meadows, rare birds, even elks and beavers have come back to where they once belonged.
Some of you may choose horses, others – canoes and some – bicycles. There are almost one hundred cycling routes here, inviting for over 2,000 kilometer long journeys! You can follow the trail of birds, of old lindens, of manor houses, of wooden mills, of sanctuaries, or of places of Marian cult… From Łowicz to Wieruszów, from Kutno to Radomsko – tourists can find many interesting places, beautiful views, nice people and good accommodation and delicious food everywhere.
It is really worth discovering the Lodz region. And to see with your own eyes that the old stereotypes have gone completely. As it is also sometimes said that Lodz is a city of noisy industries and pollution. Yet, it ended in 1990s. Huge factories that produced textiles and polluted the air have all been gone. In the largest factory of the city, the former factory of Poznański, now there is a huge shopping and entertainment center called „Manufaktura” known all over Europe. And in the former factory of Scheibler – luxury lofts are being built. The former „Fala” swimming pool is a good example to illustrate the transformations in Lodz. It was built in 1970s of poor quality materials and was closed soon after the opening. Years after that, it has been replaced with Poland’s largest aquapark also called „Fala” („The Wave”). It is an attractive place for those who just want to come to Lodz to walk around the city and visit Piotrkowska Street – Europe’s longest avenue of pubs, which in summer invite to their tea gardens. The legend says that nobody has managed to pass along the whole street and have a beer in each of its pubs… On your way along the street, you also have to sit down on the bench of Tuwim – Polish famous poet. The figure of the poet is always there – you have to rub his nose as it brings luck. And inspires for further trips in Lodz and in the region.
Julian Tuwim is the poet who described Lodz – his hometown – in his poems, as well as other towns of the region, such as Inowłódz, Kutno, Łęczyca, Sieradz, Tomaszów and other places related to his youth – so you can follow his life visiting these places. Or you can visit the places described in The Promised Land (Ziemia obiecana), a novel by Władysław Reymont or in The Doll (Lalka) by Bolesław Prus. The hero of the latter novel, Stanisław Wokulski, wanted to throw himself in front of a train in Skierniewice. The railway station in Skierniewice has preserved the ambience of those times and soon the monument of the protagonist will be erected here. From here, it is not far to Koluszki, where a huge junction point used to be some time ago. It is not widely known that Koluszki officially became a city not long ago, just after the Second World War, in 1949. It is worth visiting this town before… a war breaks out here. Luckily, this would be the old war – the First World War. Hardly anybody remembers that there was a big battle here. In 1914, near Lodz, the Russian, German and Austrian armies fought and some 200,000 people were killed. There were many Poles among them, forced to fight in the armies of the three countries responsible for the partitions of Poland. In the area, there are some 200 cemeteries and in the forests you can find old trenches, shrapnels and bayonets. Soon, a 16-hectare thematic park will be built in Koluszki, dedicated to this forgotten battle, as the climax of the battle took place here. The tourist slogan of the area may seem paradoxical as it reads „A Big War As a Chance for Development” („Wielka wojna szansą rozwoju”). Yet, there is something to it, as descendants of those who died in the battle already come here from Russia and Germany. Soon, mock battles will be performed here by groups from many parts of Europe, which is supposed to attract even more tourists. The second phase of the Lodz operation took place in spring 1915, when near Bolimów the Germans used battle gas for the first time in the eastern front. Mock attacks have been presented here for a few years, and in May 2010, the authorities of Skierniewice plan to organize a great event in which a plane from the First World War will be used. The replica of the plane will be transported from the Czech Republic. There are also plans to organize a bombardment from the air – the show will take place in the area where a highway is to be built so nobody is to suffer.
From the times of the First World War, there are also other tourist attractions, namely two narrow-gauge railways built in the years 1914-1915: the Krośniewicka and Rogowska Railways. The Rogowska Railway runs from spring to autumn and is looked after by hobbyists who renovate it and reconstruct the old rolling stock; they even organize summer holidays for children from the neighborhood. The journey from Rogowo to Rawa Mazowiecka will for sure be memorable. The Krośniewicka Railway is waiting for somebody to take care of it. It is not an easy thing, though, as it is the longest narrow-gauge railway in Europe having over 160 kilometers. A lot of effort and a lot of money are needed to change it into an attraction on a European scale. Yet, it is worth going to Krośniewice now to see the old junction from which you could (and will be able to) get to Włocławek, Gniezno and Koło. Krośniewice is the hometown of General Stanisław Anders, a great patriot and fantastic commandeer. The museum in the town has a rich collection of mementoes of the general. The Lodz region is also the area where the Battle of Bzura took place in September 1939. The reconstructions of the fights attract crowds of tourists every year. In mock battles, authentic armored fighting vehicles from the Second World War take place. Some of them were taken out from the river.
So the Lodz region is a place for those who love history, monuments, military items, horses, canoeing, cycling… And for whom else? For example for those who love skiing. Near Bełchatów, there is the Kamieńsk Mountain, made from a huge heap of ground extracted during many years of exploitation of brown coal, which was later reclaimed. The mountain is well known among skiers. You can also ski in the Lodz Hills that were left here, as well as numerous valleys and gorges, by a glacier ages ago. It is the area of the landscape park called Park Krajobrazowy Wzniesień Łódzkich.
Another attraction of the region are geothermal springs in Uniejów which are used for treatment and rehabilitation. Once you visit the place, it is also worth seeing the castle and watch knight’s tournaments. Geothermal springs are a perfect proposal for those who just want to rest, relax and improve their health.
You also must go to Spała, which was the place where Russian tsars loved to hunt and Polish presidents had their residence after the country regained independence. President Ignacy Mościcki loved to come here. There also is the Olympic Preparation Center (COS) here. So don’t be surprised if you meet Adam Małysz or Justyna Kowalczyk in the street.
In one word – each of you will find something interesting here. Reymont called Lodz „the promised land”. If he was to create his novel today, he would probably write about the whole region and change the title to „The Promising Land”. As it is really promising with all these things it can offer.
No description is to replace what you can see with your own eyes, though. So that is why you should go to Lodz and visit its neighborhood to see for yourselves. It is so close and so interesting. And it is always worth getting to places where you have never been before. Especially to the Lodz region, as everybody is able to get there and have fun without spending a fortune.