If you want to escape from everyday mundane life to wonderful world of fairy-tales and become lost for a moment in the happiness of childhood, come and visit the European Fairy-Tale Capital in Pacanow which can be found nearly 100km to the east of Krakow.

Whether you want to believe it or not,
Pacanow really is in the world.
It is a beautiful village, yet modest
but a memorable place.

A king played here many years ago,
and made himself some wonderful clothes.
Goods from overseas merchants,
cast spells in the market.

Certain fairy-tales made it famous,
about some dashing blacksmiths,
that were shoeing goats,
and everyone knows what happened next?

Pacanow is famous for its Koziolek
known throughout the whole of Poland.
It has therefore become the capital of fairy-tales,
to put a smile on man's face.

Yes, yes, dear lovers of Fairy Tales!

The small hamlet of Pacanow, surrounded by meadows, fields and hills and located in the southernmost extremity of Swietokrzyskie Province, has gained notoriety over the years. Every child in Poland knows, all this has happened because of the resolute adventures of the character Koziolek Matolek (Matolek the Billy-Goat), from the children's books written by Kornel Makuszynski and illustrated by Marian Walentynowicz. The fame of "Koziolek Matolek" has survived the test of time and with him, in the hearts of Polish people of all ages, the memory of Pacanow.

Pacanow's celebration of the International Day of the Child coincided with the 70th anniversary of the "birth" of "Koziolek Matolek" on 1 June 2003. The founder and then-Culture Minister Waldemar Dabrowski, "Mr. Pacanow" officially nominated the town as the European Capital of Fairy Tales. From that day, work began to transform Pacanow and to create here a modern children's cultural centre and the European Centre Pacanow Fairy-Tales.

European Tale Capital in Pacanów