Kielce

City with county rights

Postal code: 25-303 Dialling code: +48 (0)41 Area: 109 km² Population: 210.956

Set on the edge of the Swietokrzyskie Mountains and proud of its centuries old traditions and historical monuments, the city of Kielce is the major centre of a very interesting tourist region with diversified natural attractions and living folk art.
Kielce and its surroundings were the property of the Krakow bishops from the 12th century up to the end of the 17th century. The fast development of mining and metal industries in the region had a great influence on the economic wealth of the city in the 18th century. The most important city sight is the Bishops' Palace, a sumptuous 17th century Mannerist (early Baroque) structure, now home of the Kielce branch of the National Museum (period interiors, gallery of Polish painting, artistic crafts).
The cathedral facing the palace was originally Romanesque (founded in the late 12th century), but the present, neo-Baroque building dates back to the 17th century and has been altered several times since then. The interior decorations feature rich wall-paintings, numerous tombstones, sculptures, and a late-Gothic triptych.

East of Kielce spreads the highest central range of the Swietokrzyskie Mountains which is under protection of the Swietokrzyski National Park. A comfortable hiking path leads to the highest peak, Mount Lysica (612 metres). The range is best reached from the side of a small village, SWIETA KATARZYNA, founded by the Bernardine monastery in the 15th century. The monastic complex contains a church with St. Catherine's figure.
On the other end of the range stands SWIETY KRZYI, or Holy Cross, which is u Benedictine abbey built on top of Mt. Lysa Góra in the 12th century, for centuries a destination of multiple pilgrimages and the centre of the Holy Cross relics cult. Worth a visit is the Natural History Museum and a small monastic collection of mementoes connected with the abbey, as well as an African ethnographic display.
At the foot of the Lysogóry range sits the village of NOWA SLUPIA, known for its Museum of Ancient Metallurgy.