Świętokrzyski National Park
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| Świętokrzyski National Park | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
| Location: | Świętokrzyskie Voivodship, Poland |
| Area: | 76.32 km² |
| Established: | 1950 |
| Governing body: | Ministry of the Environment |
Świętokrzyski National Park (Polish: Świętokrzyski Park Narodowy) is a national park in mid-Poland, in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship. It covers the highest ridge of the Góry Świętokrzyskie (Holy Cross Mountains) - the Lysogory, with two highest peaks - Lysica (612 meters above sea level) and Lysa Gora (595 meters above sea level). It also covers eastern part of the Klonowski Ridge and part of the Pokrzywianski Ridge.
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[edit] History
The history of efforts to protect this part of Poland dates back to the times before World War I. In 1921 a first forest preserve in Gory Swietokrzyskie was created - it was Jozef Kostyrko’s preserve on Chelmowa Gora (1.63 km²). Next year, two parts of the Lysogory with total area of 3.11 km² also became protected. In 1932 the area of the preserve was officially expanded to 13.47 km², but the Swietokrzyski National Park was not created until 1950. Its initial area was 60.54 km², now it is larger - 76.26 km² of which 72.12 km² are forested. There are 5 strictly protected parts with total area of 17.31 km².
[edit] Landscape
Gory Swietokrzyskie are the oldest mountains in Poland. Their origins date back to 520-400 million years ago. Their current outlook was created by movements of the Earth around 300 million years ago. Long ago there was sea here and many proofs of rich life forms were preserved in the rocks, including fossil traces of animals and plants. Around two million years ago Gory Swietokrzyskie were covered by a glacier.
[edit] Flora
The Park is famous for its trees, of which 674 are regarded as monuments of nature and as such are under protection. Park’s authorities successfully managed to reintroduce yew trees here - now there are around 1300 of them. Most of Park’s area is forested, mainly with pines and beeches. Fir trees are less numerous as well as forests of mixed oak-fir character. Among Park’s curiosities we must emphasize the endemic, unique only for this area fir wilderness and areas of Polish larch on Chelmowa Gora.
[edit] Fauna
Park’s fauna is represented by more than 4000 species of invertebrates and 210 species of vertebrae (including 187 protected). One of local animal’s life most precious features is the fact that many of species are of mountainous kind. These usually thrive in the strictly protected areas and deep in the forests.
[edit] Architecture
Apart from nature, the Park and its vicinity has a lot more to offer. There are several important architectural relics, most of which of sacral character. The most precious is the Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey from the first half of the XII century, located on the peak of Łysa Góra. It is probable that here the oldest example of Polish writing was created - Kazania Świętoktrzyskie (Holy Cross Sermons). Interesting part of local landscape are numerous, little chapels by the roads.
Other fine examples of architecture are situated beyond Park’s limits. These are: female monastery at Św. Katarzyna (1633), churches at Bielice (17th century) and Bodzentynów (15th century), ruins of a castle at Bodzentyn (14th century), parts of rampart around Łysa Góra (9th century) and museum of metallurgy at Słupia Nowa, where occasionally ancient method of producing steel is presented to tourists. Park is full of historical monuments connected with Polish national uprisings and the time of Nazi occupation.
