Rzeszow has welcomed visitors for almost 700 years. Its oldest written records date back to 1354, when the Medieval city Resovia was granted civic rights. Since then, it has been a meeting point of many European nations: the Byzantine East and Mediterranean West, people from the South and North of Europe. Rzeszów is an excellent example of how a modern, young and dynamically growing agglomeration of 163,000 inhabitants is positioned within its historical heritage. The town is the base for the local government and administrative authorities and has a University and a Polytechnic University. Rzeszów is also an important industrial center with brand name retailers and commercial facilities, shopping and service centres. Rzeszów is the capital of the Podkarpacie Region. It is situated in the South-East of Poland, at the frontiers of Poland, Ukraine and Slovakia and can be considered as the eastern outpost of the European Union. The eastern border of the region is the Polish-Ukrainian borderland and the southern frontier is marked by the Polish-Slovak border. These lands were the crossroads of the main trade routes from East to West and from North to South. Today important transportation links traverse the town: the international highway E-40 from Dresden and Krakow to Kiev in the Ukraine and highway E-371 from Gdansk through Warsaw to Slovakia, Hungary and further to the more southern parts of Europe. In Jasionka, just a few kilometers from the center, is an airport which services domestic and international flights (from New York, London and Dublin). Rzeszów has a very friendly and inviting atmosphere. The inhabitants of the town, the whole region in fact – suburb chefs of local and international cuisine and masters of organising gastronomic festivities – know how to welcome and look after their guests with the result that visitors to the region frequently want to return.

Famous Resovians and Rzeszow’s families

In the 14th century Rzeszow belonged to the knight and diplomat Pakosławic, who took the name Rzeszowki. The town was subsequently ruled by Mikołaj Spytek Ligęza – the founder and builder of the castle, churches, trades and crafts guilds. The famous markets down through the ages, where goods manufactured by craftsmen and goldsmiths could be bought, have drawn merchants from almost the whole of Europe and Western Asia. The subsequent owners of the town – the magnate family of Lubomirscy – were patrons of culture, of the arts and science. Under their reign Rzeszów developed rapidly and its role and position in the region significantly increased. After the partitions of Poland the town went into decline. It soon, however, found its new role as a center of patriotic and liberation movements. It was on these grounds that the first, and still in existence, Polish peasant party was formed in 1895. Rzeszów is the hometown of many famous Polish artists, scientists, politicians and businessmen. The former Piarist school founded in the 17th century, currently the Stanisław Konarski High School, is still one of the best high schools in Poland. Among its graduates are: Ignacy Łukasiewicz (1822-1882) the inventor of the oil lamp and the builder of the first oil well and the first oil refinery and general Władysław Sikorski (1881-1943) politician and statesman. Rzeszów is also well known through the work and performances of many of its contemporary artists: Adam Harasiewicz – pianist, interpreter of Chopin; Józef Szajna – director, scenographer and painter, considered one of the most interesting artists in Polish theatre of the 20th century; Jerzy Grotowski (1933- 1999) – the founder of Laboratorium Theatre, instigator of a new philosophy of theatre and creator of an unique method of training actors and Tadeusz Nalepa (1933-2007) – the Polish rock and blues legend.

From Gothic to Secession. The Underground Labirynths

Rzeszów was built along the route which Atilla the Hun took on his way to conquer Asia in the 5th century and, according to legend, Atilla was buried in Przemyśl. More modern history of the town has been inscribed on its Medieval walls. In the course of this long history the town saw the movement of merchants from all parts of the world, Russian boyars, different Polish kings, Austrian emperors, wild, invading hordes and armies of occupation. Rzeszow was destroyed by fire several times but after each disaster the city was rebuilt and its economic position grew and was strengthened. Rzeszow’s monuments are a testimonial to its history. The historical part of the town occupies the area around the Medieval Market Square. The most eye-catching structures are the Town Hall (rebuild in the 19^th century) and an old well. The most important historic places include: the Gothic Parish church with a tower from the 16th century, the Bernardine church and monastery, the ancient Piarist Convent, the castle, the Renaissance summer palace of the Lubomirski family (Rzeszów belonged to them till the middle of the 19th century) and two synagogues. The secession influence can be seen on the tenement-houses and villas of the townspeople. On one of them there is an engraving stating: you can see the hour, but you cannot tell the hour. Under the pavements of the Rzeszów Market Square and the tenementhouses there is a labyrinth of underground tunnels, cellars and passages. During those times when trade was flourishing they were used to store goods from all over the world; in the times of war and invasion they served as a shelter for the local inhabitants, the Resovians. The ‘subterranean stores’ – cellars just below the ground floor, where shopkeepers (mainly Jews) sold groceries – were still functioning in the 20th century. Today, this mysterious labyrinth is partly open to visitors and can be toured with a guide. The Underground Tourist Trail is about 340 meters long and it consists of 50 cellars. Its lowest point lies 10 meters below ground level.

The treasures of the Podkarpacie region

One of the most attractive tourist destinations here is an area located in the south-east of the region – encompassing land from Rzeszów to the borders with Slovakia and Ukraine – the Northern range of the Carpathian Mountains. As it has been at the crossroads of different cultures and religions for many centuries the area has been inhabited by Poles, Wolos, Lemkos, Bojkos, Germans, Austrians, Hungarians and Jews who have created the unique character and beauty of the local villages and small towns. Among these with a Medieval birth certificate and a rich history are: Pilzno, Sanok, Jarosław, Przemyśl, where history has left numerous valuable traces. Because of its natural qualities, unique fauna and flora, a large part of Podkarpacie region has been turned into national parks and nature reserves.

One of the most interesting localities is near Leżajsk where a species of azalea (Azalea pontica) grows. Rzeszów is an important point of convergence from where there are many connections to the beautiful castles in Łańcut, Krasiczyn, Baranów Sandomierski, the trail of historical works of sacral and wooden architecture in Haczów and Blizne, which are on the UNESCO world cultural heritage list, and the national parks of Pogórze, Bieszczady and Lower Beskid.

The Carpathian foothills

In the heart of the Polish Carpathians, 100 km from Rzeszów, are the Bieszczady lands. It is the favourite destination for adventure seekers, dreamers, poets, artists, lovers of wildlife and those who hanker for more active forms of spending their leisure time. The Bieszczady are a favourite desti nation because of the wonderful natural charm of the region, its serenity, peace and its pristine, unpolluted air. In the forests, pastures and even on the tourist trails, there are many of traces of the wild animals of the region – bison (bison bonasus), wolves, lynxes, bears. This is a part of Poland where wild life, birdlife and the natural unspoiled fauna can be observed in its unblemished surroundings. In summers the artificial lake Solina, which is called the Sea of Bieszczady is visited by many sailors. Hotels, inns and agro-tourist farms offer many interesting services and ideas to make a summer holiday there more enjoyable. In the summer they offer walks, excursions, cycling tours, horse-back riding, sailing and windsurfing. In winter skiing is very popular and the local cuisine is delicious the whole year round.

Tasty and healthy – the local cuisine

The local restaurants and inns serve traditional dishes prepared according to old recipes using organically grown food. The specialties of the Podkarpacie region include: white and smoked cheeses made from goat and sheep’s milk, sausages and smoked bacon, proziakis (pancakes from flour and sour cream baked in old-fashioned wood fired ovens), whey soups, cabbage dumplings, bread baked as it has been for three hundred years in cabbage or horse-radish leaves. The healthy and tasty honey which is proposed is from the purest pastures and forests and is called ‘gold’ from the Podkarpacie region.

Gifts and souvenirs – artistic handicraft

Here, in Reszów and the whole Podkarpacie region, silver jewelry designed and manufactured by artisans can be purchased. Galleries offer contemporary paintings and sculptures for sale. The most sought after gifts from the region are original glass pieces from the glass works in Krosno – vases, jugs and glass made by hand, after the designs of 19th century masters. Folk artists use wicker, wood, clay, wool and thread. Real marvels can be found in small-town markets: original baskets, sculptures, clay figures and mugs, woolen carpets, ingenious embroidery and lace work, toys and everyday items.

• the official website of the city of Rzeszow

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