POLSKA

I am a tour leader throughout Poland - not only a guide, but also an enthusiast who introduces travelers to the fascinating world of this country. I know the nooks and crannies of every corner of Poland, the pilot acts as a guide, animator and organizer, creating unforgettable group trips.

My knowledge covers the history, culture, traditions and modernity of Poland.

A pilot is not only a person who leads the group from point A to B. He is also the creator of extraordinary experiences, showing the beauty and diversity of the country. Organized, flexible and always ready for changes, the pilot ensures that the trip goes according to plan, while adapting to unexpected circumstances.

Passion for travel and an open mind make the journey not only a physical journey, but also a journey in time and culture. A tour guide in Poland is a guide who not only shows, but also shares his own delight, inspiring travelers to discover the beauty of the country in which he lives.

The newly established Polish state appeared on the map of Europe at the end of the 10th century AD. under the leadership of Prince Mieszko I of the Piast dynasty (the dynasty that ruled Poland almost until the end of the 14th century) to create a de facto Polish state and at the same time adopt Christianity as the official religion. The Polish state was officially transformed into a kingdom in 1025 by the son of the first governor, Bolesław the Brave, who, after being crowned the first king of his country and following a series of military successes, significantly expanded his state.

In 1138, Prince Bolesław III, before his death, divided Poland between his sons in his will, which led to the internal disintegration of the state and the erosion of the structures of the Piast monarchy in the 12th and 13th centuries, leading to a period of great destabilization.

The Piast monarchy was restored at the beginning of the 14th century by Prince Władysław I the Elbow-high (1306-33), who was crowned king in 1320.

King Casimir I the Great (1333-70), son of Władysław I and last of the Piast dynasty, strengthened, territorially expanded, and organized the restored kingdom, ushering in a period of progress and prosperity, thus laying the foundations of a modern medieval state in the center of Europe.

It was this king who founded the first university in Poland and the second in Eastern Europe.

In 1386, after the personal Polish-Lithuanian union, the adoption of Catholicism by Lithuania and the marriage of Grand Duke Jagiełło II with the Queen of Poland, Jadwiga, he himself was crowned king of Poland under the name Władysław I Jagiellon.

The Jagiellon dynasty lasted for almost two centuries with the last king, Sigismund Augustus, who in 1569 in the Union of Lublin led to the creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a federal state in which some authorities were common and others separate. A little later, when this ruler died without an heir, the nobility decided at the General Sejm that from now on the kings should be elected by Free Election.

This development lasted until the Swedish invasion and the two-year occupation of the country in 1655-57, known as the Deluge, because the invaders plundered and destroyed everything, stealing every valuable item they encountered on their way. After this inhumane siege, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth never returned to its glory days, gradually declining until the country was partitioned by its neighbors at the end of the 18th century.

The only exception that added to the glory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for a few years in the late 17th century was when Polish Marshal John III Sobieski (1744-96) was elected king thanks to his great military successes against the Turks. Specifically, he first defeated them at Chocim, in his own country, in 1673, and then crushed them in Vienna, Austria, in 1683, when, at the request of the Austrian Emperor and the Pope, he rushed to help spread Christianity throughout Europe.

In the 18th century, there was a situation of constant destabilization, because the elected kings (1697-1763), Augustus II the Strong and his son Augustus III Sass, came from Saxony and were only interested in the interests of their country, as well as of part of the nobility that elected them to power. So, in 1764, Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski undertook serious reforms to save the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but he failed to achieve much because of the first partition by three neighboring countries, Russia, Prussia and Austria. occurred in 1773. The last effort of the king and some of the nobility who supported him was the adoption of the Constitution by the Great Sejm on May 3, 1791, which was the first legal decision of this type in modern Europe. This was met with great hostility from conservative circles of the upper aristocracy of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Empress Catherine of Russia, who was determined to prevent the rebirth of a strong Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which led to its second partition in 1793 and the final partition in 1795, as a result of which it was partitioned for 123 years. Poland and Lithuania, a common superpower and one of the most developed countries in Europe, ceased to exist.

Although there was no sovereign Polish state in the years 1795-1918, the flame of freedom never went out, remaining alive throughout the period of enslavement. There were constant uprisings and other military operations against the forces that controlled them.

The First World War brought independence in 1918 after all the countries that divided it were defeated in the war.

Poland in 1918-1939 largely returned to its former glory with great prosperity in all areas, which was interrupted by World War II, which resulted not only in the occupation and destruction of the state, but also in attacks by the armed resistance movement. Poland lost 6 million citizens, making it the largest victim of this disastrous war.

The restoration of independence in 1945 placed the Polish state under Soviet control under the communist system for 45 years. This was the result of the Allied agreements against Germany. During this time, Poles, through hard work, managed to largely recover their country from the real devastation of the war.

Poland achieved great progress after 1989, when the communist system "exhausted" and the country returned to its European roots, with events such as joining NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

• Beautiful and historic Krakow, which has retained its medieval character, as most of the buildings have since been built and are preserved in excellent condition to this day.
• A picturesque martyr Warsaw, a modern city that was the biggest victim of Nazism in the last world war, as it was 85% destroyed and rebuilt within a few years.
• Fascinating Wrocław where you can find traces of many ethnic cultures that have left their traces on the city's over 10-century history