Five nature reserves
Kielce is a city located in southern Poland, in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. It is the capital of the Świętokrzyskie region and has a population of around 200,000 people. The city has a long history, dating back to the 10th century and has been an important center of trade and industry for centuries.
Kielce is known for its rich cultural heritage, including the Kielce Museum, the Kielce Theater, and the Holy Trinity Church. The city is also home to several parks and green spaces, such as the Botanical Garden, the Castle Park and the Bieszczadzki Park.
The city also holds a number of annual festivals, such as the Kielce Dance Festival, the Kielce Film Festival and the Kielce Theatre Festival, which showcase the cultural richness of the city.
Kielce is also a major center of industry in the region, with a well-developed industrial sector, particularly in the areas of machinery, textiles, and food processing. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by road and rail, with its own train station.
In recent years, Kielce has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, thanks to its rich history, beautiful architecture, and picturesque parks and gardens.
See the Top 10 Things to do in Kielce.
Karski Bench
The main street in Kielce is Sienkiewicza Street, which is 1.270m long and extends diagonally from the train station at Plac Niepodległości to Plac Moniuszki. The street was pedestrianised and renovated in the 00s and during the summer, you’ll find market stalls, street performers and outdoor tables for bars, ice cream parlours, restaurants and cafes.
Look out for the Karski Bench on the bridge over the River Silnica, it’s a good photo opportunity. Jan Karski was a member of the Polish underground army who smuggled himself into the Warsaw Ghetto and Nazi concentration camps with the intent of witnessing and recording the horror being perpetrated against the Jews. You’ll find a statue of Jan sat on the bench with plenty of room for you to sit down next to him.
Just 20km away from Kielce you will find the Museum of the Kielce Region Countryside Ethnographic Park in Tokarnia, which aims to maintain the most valuable monuments of rural and small-town housing in the Kielce Region and present them in an environment similar to the original. The museum exhibits an interesting collection of horse-drawn vehicles.
Kielce is a good base to explore the region’s tourist attractions such as Poland’s first Jurassic Park, the Bałtów Tourist Complex; which contains a 1 km long educational path with 100 life-size models of dinosaurs, the Jurassic Museum, the Prehistoric Oceanarium, a zoo and the Sabathówka Witches’ Village.
Other attractions you will find in the region are; the Krzemionki Archaeological Museum and Reserve, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, the Living Museum of Porcelain in Ćmielów and the ruins of Krzyżtopór Castle in Ujazd.
Welcome to the ‘Love Poland’ community where you will find further information about Kielce, amazing images, information from a local perspective and much, much more….
The Palace of the Kraków Bishops in Kielce was built in the 17th century as a summer residence for the Bishop of Kraków, Jakub Zadzik. The architect of the palace was Tommaso Poncino of Lugano who designed the building using both Polish and Italian building traditions. The design included a loggia with marble columns and four hexagonal domed towers on its corners. Above the loggia’s arches were cartouches with the coats of arms of Bishop Zadzik, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kraków chapter.
Kadzielnia is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kielce. The former quarry attracts visitors interested in music, extreme experiences such as ziplining and also geology enthusiasts. It is located on a hill as part of the Kadzielnia Range and is 295m above sea level. As a quarry back in the 18th century, it was a significant source of limestone, which was required primarily for road construction and you can still find traces of mining activity around the area. In the centre is the Geologists Rock and this is protected as part of the Kadzielnia Nature Reserve.
Krzyztopor Castle is located in the tiny village of Ujazd, 35km from the town of Sandomierz. The castle is in ruins today but still attracts many visitors who are free to explore the grounds, ascend the turrets and ponder its remarkable, yet bizarre history. The castle was commissioned in the 17th century by Krzysztof Ossoliński, an eccentric magnate with a fantastical imagination and it took 13 years to build (1631 to 1644). The construction was supervised and designed by Lorenzo Muretto, an Italian architect.
Holy Cross Province (Swietokrzyskie) is located in south eastern Poland and has the city of Kielce as its regional capital. Often referred to as, “The heart of Poland” the region is home to the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and Świętokrzyski National Park. Holy Cross Province isn’t the biggest in Poland at only 11,700 square kilometres and not the most famous of the regions of Poland but it is very popular with tourists. In addition to the National Park, there are nine Landscape Parks to explore and a multitude of other attractions. The Świętokrzyskie Mountains are not particularly high; however they are ancient. Quartzite has been discovered in the area that is 500 million years old. The highest peak is Mount Łysica at 614 m and is located within the Świętokrzyski National Park.
The Sanctuary of the Holy Cross Wood Relic and Museum of the Missionary Oblates of the Virgin Mary are located on Łysiec mountain, nowadays referred to as Święty Krzyż mountain. Święty Krzyż (Mount Holy Cross) is the second highest mountain in the region at 595m. If you believe local folk legend, the mountain was especially liked by witches and during their Sabbaths, they practised witchcraft and organised hellish parties and dances on the summit. Today, you can see remains of a 9th century stone rampart surrounding the top of the mountain in addition to the Benedictine monastery with its Relics of the Holy Cross Tree. The 1000 year old monastery is managed by the Missionary Oblates. Every year, the Holy Cross Sanctuary is visited by crowds of pilgrims, visitors and tourists.
There’s a huge amount of information about Poland within our Blog, some 300 articles so far and we add to these on a daily basis. If you want to know what Śmigus Dyngus is, what the best castles & palaces in Poland are, why Marzanna gets drowned by children every year and where you can find a lost Nazi gold train? – You’re find the answers within our Blog. Where’s the best places to go sailing, hiking, cycling? Where can you find European Bison, brown bears and grey wolves? Check out our Blog pages to find out. To make life easy for you, you can search our blog by category or keywords and everything is archived so you can easily see when posts were written, & what’s new? Our Agency is located in Warsaw and our team all live and work in Poland so you trust our content, we know Poland, the good & the bad!
FAQ for Kielce
Q: What is Kielce known for?
A: Kielce is known for its rich cultural heritage, including the Kielce Museum, the Kielce Theater, and the Holy Trinity Church. It is also known for its beautiful parks and green spaces, such as the Botanical Garden, the Castle Park, and the Bieszczadzki Park, and the annual festivals such as the Kielce Dance Festival, the Kielce Film Festival, and the Kielce Theatre Festival.
Q: What is the best time to visit Kielce?
A: The best time to visit Kielce would be from May to September, when the weather is warm and pleasant and the city’s many outdoor attractions can be enjoyed.
Q: How do I get to Kielce?
A: Kielce can be reached by train or bus. The city has its own train station and is well connected to other major cities in Poland.
Q: What are some popular tourist attractions in Kielce?
A: Some popular tourist attractions in Kielce include the Kielce Museum, the Kielce Theater, the Holy Trinity Church, the Botanical Garden, the Castle Park, and the Bieszczadzki Park.
Q: Are there any good hotels in Kielce?
A: There are many good hotels in Kielce to suit different budgets and preferences. Some popular options include the Hotel Centrum, the Hotel Qubus, and the Hotel Europejski.
Best Hotel Offers Kielce
Quality dental treatment in Poland at 50-70% off UK prices.
Combine affordable dental care with a holiday or short break