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Wielkopolska Region Wielkopolska Region Koszuty Kujawy Region Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) is a historical region in western and central Poland, occupying the basins of the Warta, part of the middle Oder and the lower Vistula. It is the country's oldest province, dotted with monuments from the formative years of the Polish state. Although not as popular with visitors as the Tatras or Masuria, the region has plenty of attractions, its cities, towns and villages abounding with treasures: old manor houses and stately homes once belonging to eminent noble families, magnificent mansions and castles, churches, open-air museums of traditional folk architecture, and archaeological parks. The region's capital is Poznań, a historic city which attracts the biggest crowds of tourists (as well as visitors to the international trade fairs). This is where the Piast Route begins, which covers the places that were the political and ecclesiastical centres of Poland under its first royal dynasty a thousand years ago. Other towns worth seeing are Kórnik near Poznań, with a splendid castle and grounds; Gniezno, Poland's first capital; and Biskupin, with a reconstructed fortified Iron Age village discovered in the early 20th century. And if you seek nature rather than mementoes of the past, you'll find both lakes and forests here, along with a variety of opportunities for relaxation. The Greater Polish landscape is dominated by vast flat fields that you will appreciate if you like quiet, open countryside. There are no significant elevations and the highest hill, Kobyla Góra near Ostrzeszowo, is just 284 m a.s.l.; the lowest point (29 m) is in the western part of the Notec Valley. The Barycz River that flows across the flat fields of Greater Poland has the lowest gradient in Poland (0.037ş - compared with the Vistula's 1.01ş). The two main rivers are the Warta and Notec, both running westwards through broad valleys. The biggest concentration of lakes is in the northern part of the region (the Greater Polish Lake District) while the largest forest is the vast pine Puszcza Notecka (Notec Forest), north-west of Poznan, between the Warta and Notec. The most interesting and valuable landscapes in Greater Poland are protected by two national parks: the 7584-hectare Wielkopolska (Greater Polish) National Park established in 1957 and Poland's newest national park, set up on 1 July 2001, the 7955-hectare Ujscie Warty (Warta Confluence) National Park. The picturesque Lubusz Lakeland - a part of less known Kujawy region is intersected by a range of moraines, overgrown with pine forest with an admixture of birch. Its most scenic part is the countryside around Łagów. There are numerous tourist routes and trails connecting the sights of Wielkopolska and Kujawy - palaces, monasteries, open-air museums etc. The landscape, flat in some places and gently rolling at others, is cut by river valleys and punctuated by lakes. Many "agrotourist farms" offer rooms for tourists, making Wielkopolska and ideal place for a quiet holiday in picturesque surroundings.

• Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) (2532) Author of the Polish epic Pan Tadeusz (Lord Thaddeus), Adam Mickiewicz is held in the highest esteem in his homeland as "The National Poet of Poland".  • Biskupin (2619) A fortified village built between 750 and 400 BC by a tribe of the Lusatian Culture. It was a fairly big settlement with a population of up to 1,200. They lived by farming, livestock breeding and fishing.  • Gniezno (2670) Gniezno is a special place on Poland's map. Almost all of its historic buildings date back to the early years of Polish statehood.  • Kórnik (2295) Kórnik is one of the most frequently visited places in Greater Poland. Tourists come to see the impressive stately home and arboretum. Situated just 20 km from Poznan, Kórnik is becoming increasingly popular as a dormitory town.  • Poznań (2775) Picturesque and appealing to visitors, Poznań can easily compete with other historic cities in Poland like Kraków, Gdańsk, or Toruń. It has all that contributes to a special atmosphere: a charming Old City, fine architecture, delightful nooks, bustling student hangouts and a profusion of pubs, clubs and cafés offering you all kinds of night entertainment. Poznan is the region's biggest city. A thousand years ago it was one of the main centres on the map of the emerging Polish state, as the royal seat and a cathedral town.