Top 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in

Poland

Historic Centre of Krakow, © Dennis Jarvis / Flickr

From spectacular medieval castles to protected ancient woodlands and the infamous Auschwitz
Birkenau camp, Poland’s is home to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Culture Trip takes a
look at the 10 of the best.

Historic Centre of Kraków

Consisting of the spectacular gothic St. Mary’s Church towering over the 4,000 sq m market
square (Europe’s largest), countless medieval houses and atmospheric cobbled streets, the
historic centre of Kraków is Poland’s most favoured traveller destination. It was the first Polish
site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and 10 million tourists from all over the
world visit the city each year.

Old Town, Kraków, Poland

Historic Centre of Krakow | © Dennis Jarvis / Flickr

Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines

While in Kracow, make sure you take half a day trip to the nearby Wieliczka and Bochnia
complex, which is one of the oldest salt mines in the world. From the 13th century up until 2007,
the mines produced table salt, and in 2010 they were officially added to UNESCO’s World
Heritage Site List. Highlights of the mines include a spectacular chapel often used for weddings
or music concerts, rock salt statues and underground lakes.

Daniłowicza 10, Wieliczka, Poland, +48 12 278 73 02

Wieliczka Salt Mine |© Nik / Flickr

Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and
Extermination Camp (1940-1945)
Auschwitz Birkenau was the largest Nazi concentration camp, situated in the Polish city of
Oświęcim. Over a million people of 28 nationalities (majority of which were Jews) lost their
lives here between 1940 and 1945. The on-site museum commemorates the prisoners with an
unsettling collection of images, documents and personal belongings such as shoes, suitcases and
ceramics. Remaining camp barracks and ruins of crematoria and gas chambers are open for
visitors all year round.

Więźniów Oświęcimia 20, Oświęcim, Poland, +48 33 844 80 96

Auschwitz-Birkenau |© Dennis Jarvis / Flickr

Białowieża Forest
Białowieża, Poland’s oldest national park and one of Europe’s last ancient woodlands, is a true
paradise for nature lovers. Located northwest from Warsaw near the border with Belarus, it
provides excellent hiking and cycling paths as well as guided tours of the strictly protected parts,
which have remained undisturbed for hundreds of years.(The park’s first protection document
dates back to the 16th century). Other highlights include spotting numerous animal and plant
species such as European bison and 500 year old oak trees.

Parkowa, Białowieża, Poland, +48 85 681 23 06

Białowieża National Park |© Frank Vassen / Flickr

Old Town in Warsaw

Warsaw’s Old Town is the capital’s most representative quarter and a popular tourist destination.
Built in the 13th century, it was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War and
subsequently restored to its former glory in the following years. Nowadays, it’s virtually
impossible to distinguish reconstructed parts from the original buildings. Old Town is also home
to magnificent churches, museums, cafés and restaurants.

Old Town, Warsaw, Poland