Świętokrzyskie is a land of ancient mountains and stone legends where the earth is older than anywhere else in the country. This region is the center of the Holy Cross mountains scenic drive through a landscape of dark pine woods and grey rock fields. You can hike to the top of Łysa Góra to see the stone walls of an old pagan site and a monastery that holds a holy relic.
The road takes you to the Chęciny Castle where three stone towers look out over the hills from a high rocky ridge. You can visit the Paradise Cave to see a world of white stone needles and underground pools that look like a dream. The landscape here is full of history with prehistoric flint mines and massive ruins like the Krzyżtopór palace that once had stables with marble troughs.
Nearby the town of Sandomierz sits on a high bank above the river with a maze of tunnels dug deep into the soft earth below the streets. You can walk through the loess gorges where the roots of the trees create a natural roof over the path. This region is a place of magic and old stories where the rocks speak of a time before the first humans walked the land.
Świętokrzyskie highlights
- Krzyżtopór Palace Ruin Explore a massive shell of a palace that once had an aquarium for a ceiling and mirrors in the stables. It was built in the shape of a calendar with four towers for the seasons.
- Holy Cross Monastery Climb the old mountain to find a shrine that holds a piece of the holy wood from the cross. The views from the top show the grey rock fields that are millions of years old.
- Paradise Cave Raj Walk through a world of white stone needles and underground pools in one of the prettiest caves in the land. The tunnels are small and full of strange shapes made by the water.
- Chęciny Castle Towers See three high stone towers that rise from a rocky ridge like a crown over the valley. You can climb to the top to see the old ruins and the hills for miles around.
- Bałtów Dinosaur Park See life size models of giant lizards in a valley where real dinosaur tracks were found in the rock. It is a fun stop with a zoo and an old wooden mill by the river.
- Szydłów Polish Carcassonne Walk through a town that is still completely surrounded by its old stone walls and gates. The castle inside holds a museum and the town is famous for its purple plums.
- Krzemionki Flint Mines Go under the ground to see where people mined striped flint stones over five thousand years ago. The tunnels are small and show the marks of the tools used by the first miners.
- Tokarnia Village Museum Explore a huge park of wooden farmhouses and manors that show the life of the people in the hills. You can see old mills and a church that looks like it is from a story.
- Sandomierz River Bluffs Stand on the high white cliffs to look out over the wide river and the red roofs of the town. The town has a maze of tunnels dug into the soft earth under the streets.
- Ujazd Palace Gardens Walk around the massive walls of a ruin that was once the most lavish home in the whole land. The gardens are quiet and offer a great view of the white stone against the green.
The local Four
History of Świętokrzyskie
Świętokrzyskie is a land of stone legends where mountains are some of the oldest on the planet, dating back over 500 million years. The grey rock fields, known as gołoborze, were formed during the ice age and have stood still for centuries. This ancient past is the spirit of the Holy Cross mountains scenic drive through a landscape of dark pine and hidden caves.
The region was a center of early industry where the first humans mined striped flint stones in Krzemionki over 5,000 years ago. Later, in the 1630s, the lords of the land built the massive Krzyżtopór palace. This giant ruin was built as a stone calendar with 4 towers for the seasons, 12 halls for months, and 365 windows for the days.
The monks of the Holy Cross built their abbey on a high peak in the 11th century to guard a piece of the holy wood. The site became a place of journey that drew thousands of travelers across the rugged hills for centuries. From the white needles of the Paradise Cave to the stone towers of castles, this region is where the history of the earth is written in rock.