Places worth visiting in Kielce
Kielce is the capital of the Świętokrzyski voivodeship. Located in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, Kielce is the economic and tourist centre of the region. What is more, the city has great building traditions and is strategic for tourism, culture and geology. On the city grounds , there are five nature reserves: Ślichowice, Kadzielnia, Wietrznia, Biesak (inanimate nature) and Karczówka – a landscape reserve called Sufraganiec. Cycling paths, multiple ski-lifts, horse-riding centres and picturesque tourist trails guarantee the tourists unforgettable experiences.
The Palace of the Krakow Bishops
The Palace of the Krakow Bishops was built between 1637-1644 on the Krakow's Bishop Jakub Zadzik's initiative. It is a grand and the most precious example of the still-existing Polish residences of the Waza's Era. It has been assigned to the zero category in the old monument classification.
The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary's Assumption
The Cathedral is a small Roman Collegiate Church built in 1171 by the Bishop of Krakow Gedeon. It was built on the highest hill of the old part of Kielce (280 m above sea level). It looks a bit like a fortress – with its two shooting towers and hewed stone walls. Between 1514 and 1522 it was rebuilt several times (the addition of the vestry, the friar gathering room and the presbytery) which made the Cathedral lose its original shape.
The City Park
The City Park is situated in the centre of Kielce and it is one of the oldest parks in Poland. Since 1972 it has been listed in the monument register of the voivodeship. Its size, including the pond, is about 7 hectares.
The Zieliński Palace
The palace is a neo-Gothic residence furnished by the chief of the district of Kielce Tomasz Zieliński. The residence includes a towered palace, a pavilion, a garden and a surrounding wall with a round tower called “the gossiper”, which can be admired from the park as well.
Kadzielnia
Kadzielnia is a hill in the South-West part of the city. It was built from limestone and is 295 m high. Once used as a quarry, it is now workings filled with water that create an underground Emerald Lake. Since 1962 there has also been the Kadzielnia Reserve there. Several dozen small caves have been discovered on that area.
Karczówka
Karczówka is a monastery founded by the bishop of Krakow Marcin Szyszkowski as a vote of gratitude for saving Kielce from the 1622 plague.