Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country of 38 million people located in Central Europe. Situated at a geographic crossroads, Poland links the forested lands of northwestern Europe to the sea lanes of the Atlantic Ocean and the fertile plains of the Eurasian frontier. Now bounded by seven nations, Poland has waxed and waned over the centuries, buffeted by the forces of regional history. In the early Middle Ages, Poland’s small principalities and townships were subjugated by successive waves of invaders, from Germans and Balts to Mongols. In the mid-1500s, united Poland was the largest state in Europe and perhaps the continent’s most powerful nation. Yet two and a half centuries later, during the Partitions of Poland (1772–1918), it disappeared, parceled out among the contending empires of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. In modern times, the country is home to many vibrant, modern cities, impressive natural sights, and rolling rural farmlands for as far as the eye can see. Today, let's take a trip to Poland and visit some of the country's most famous sights.
We'll begin in Northern Poland, in the city of Gdańsk - a port city on the country's Baltic coastline. At the center of its Main Town, reconstructed after WWII, are the colorful facades of the bustling Long Market, now home to shops and restaurants.
Gdańsk is also one of the largest seaports on the Baltic Sea and is home to many large shipyards, seen here from above. In 1980 these yards gained international attention for their role in the founding of Solidarity, a non-governmental trade union - and today, the word "shipyard" is synonymous with the city.
We head south and visit another one of the country's largest cities - Łódź. This former textile-manufacturing hub of nearly 700,000 is home to a mixture of vibrant shops, bustling shopping districts, sprawling industrial districts, and large apartment complexes.
Poland is located at the heart of the Great European Plain - over the centuries, huge swaths of this ancient forest have been cut down to make way for agriculture. Here we see a typical rural scene from rural Poland with the distinctive criss-crossed patterns of farming plots from above.
About 70 miles east is Poland's most famous city however - Warsaw. The capital and largest city of Poland, this metropolis stands on the Vistula River in east-central Poland and is home to 1.8 million people. The city has grown greatly from a small fishing village called Warszowa and has been ruled by many empires and kingdoms over the centuries. WWII brought widespread devastation to the city - leaving much of the city's historic central core in shambles. The city's famed old town was rebuilt over the decades and in 1980 was named a UNESCO World Heritage Center - today it's one of Poland's most popular tourist destinations.
Warsaw is home to one of central Europe's most impressive skylines - modern skyscrapers, apartments, and hotels are surrounded by the imposing tower of the Palace of Culture and Science, the city's most famous building and a showpiece of Socialist Realism architecture.
Warsaw's sprawling skyline is quite stunning when seen from above.
After exploring the capital, we head start heading South towards the Tatra Mountains, stopping in a number of small cities along the way. Here we see a typical scene from the suburbs of Katowice, where the architecture is simple yet unique.
Southern Poland is home to another one of the country's most iconic cities - Kraków. The center of the city is home to one of Europe's most beautiful city squares, Market Square, which is also one of its most popular tourist destinations. At the center of the square is the elongated medieval Sukiennice Cloth Hall - a reminder of Kraków's historical place as a hub of trade and commerce in Eastern Europe.
Just outside of central Kraków on the city's eastern edge is one of Europe's largest industrial zones - the Nowa Huta Industrial Complex. This colossal center of heavy industry is home to countless steelworks, coking plants, lime processing plants, and much more - and its billowing stacks of smoke can be seen for miles around. Although the district played an important role in reviving the economy when it was first built - sections of it have fallen into disrepair in recent years, and the entire district has come under criticism for the heavy pollution that's threatened the locals health.
An aerial overview of the sprawling Nowa Huta Industrial Complex and some of the surrounding villages from above.
Our tour of Poland concludes with a plane ride over one of the country's most impressive natural features - the majestic Tatra Mountains, found on its southern border with Slovakia. Protected as national parkland, this mountain chain is home to many popular destinations for winter and summer sports, and many rare species of animals can be found on it's slopes. They're truly one of Europe's most beautiful destinations and a fitting end to our trip.
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-korver
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