Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Off the Beaten Path in Oswiecim
Search:

Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Poland » Wojewodztwo Malopolskie » Oswiecim » Off the Beaten Path

Oswiecim Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Oswiecim Off the Beaten Path

Lomdei synagogue - Oswiecim
Lomdei synagogue
by sphynxxs
Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Oswiecim attractions, posted by real travelers and locals.
Oswiecim Map
Oswiecim Off the Beaten PathTips 1 - 10 of 23  
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Wieliczka Salt Mines
  • Tip Rating:
    • darthmilmo
  • By darthmilmo on March 14, 2004
  • Oswiecim Page by darthmilmo
    • Wieliczka Salt Mines - Oswiecim
    Wieliczka Salt Mines
    by darthmilmo
    The Wieliczka Salt Mines are located right outside Krakow. This mine has been in operation since medieval times (over 700 years). Thus, it is the oldest industry in Poland. The mine is made up of hundreds of tunnels covering over 300 km and descending to 327 meters underground. The tour itself covers a museum route of sorts. It made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. You basically walk for 2 km across this labyrinth with exhibits ranging from a statue of Copernicus (who was Polish), to the various exhibits showing the history of the mining techniques (first was men powered, then animal powered, it was followed by water/gravity power, then steam, and finally electricity and petrol). It even has a few altars and chapels. All the rooms and exhibits were made out of Salt (though some wood is used from time to time). The best exhibit is the Chapel of the Blessed Kinga, which is more like a church with beautiful religious carvings depicting scenes from the bible. Even the chandeliers are made out of salt! It took them over 30 years to built this room, from 1895-1927. A new addition is the statue of Polish Pope John Paul II.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Oswiecim?

    Read reviews about Oswiecim Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Tychy: hometown of VT’s own matcrazy1
  • Tip Rating:
    • darthmilmo
  • By darthmilmo on March 14, 2004
  • Oswiecim Page by darthmilmo
    • Maciek and Urszula from Tychy, Poland - Oswiecim
    Maciek and Urszula from Tychy,
    Poland
    by darthmilmo
    That afternoon, I met my friend Maciek and his wife Urszula from Tychy, Poland. We were later joined by Mischka. We spend a wonderful weekend touring that region of Poland and beyond. It involved tons of drinking at night of course :). Nevertheless we covered quite a bit. The town of Tychy is an industrial creation of the Soviet era. Except the old town, you can see hundreds of Soviet buildings surrounding this free-tax zone industrial city. One of the largest Fiat plants lies in this city. The other famous factory is the Tyskie brewery.

    Click here to visit Matt's home page

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Krakow
  • Tip Rating:
    • darthmilmo
  • By darthmilmo on March 14, 2004
  • Oswiecim Page by darthmilmo
    • Krakow - Oswiecim
    Krakow
    by darthmilmo
    Krakow was the capital city of Poland for hundreds of years before it was moved to Warsaw. My first stop was at St Mary's Church, which stands overlooking the main square. At the hour, a guard of sorts will plat the famous Mariacki Tune, which was a warning against intruders that attacked the city. Afterwards, I went to the Florian Gate, which to my dismay was being restored (thus it was covered). It's the last surviving gate of the old city. At least I was able to admire the walls around it. From the inside the old city wall was actually covered buy beautiful local artwork. The nearby Barbican, which lies right outside the gate, is definitely worth seeing. Funny thing is that I haven't seen many intact barbicans elsewhere in Europe. After admiring the architecture of the Teatr im Slowackiego and finding that the Church of the Holy Cross was closed, I walked to the Collegium Maus, which is one of the most historic bldgs of Krakow Academy, in turn one of Poland's most famous Universities. Right next door is the refined Baroque styled St. Anne's Church, which has serves as the University Church. Afterwards, I walked back to the main square, Rynek Glowny. The Town Hall Tower stood straight ahead, overlooking the square. Right besides it lies the Cloth Hall, which as the name implies used to be the place were cloth was sold. Today, it serves as a tourist market, a place where souvenirs can be bought. On the other side lies the Statue of Adam Mickiewicz, a local poet who is buried in the Wavel Cathedral. A bit further, at the NE corner, lays the St. Mary Church I discussed earlier. Walking south of the town square, you pass the Franciscan Church and the Dominican Church, each lying within 200 meters of each other in perpendicular angle to the Grodicka Street. A few hundred meters south, on the same street, you come across the beautiful Church of SS Peter and Paul. A few minutes further south lays the crown of Poland and Krakow, the incredible Wavel Castle (pronounced Vah-vel).

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Birkenau - ash pond
  • Tip Rating:
    • katmag
  • By katmag on November 14, 2002
  • Oswiecim Page by katmag
    • Oswiecim Off the Beaten Path
    by katmag
    After killing and burning their victims, the nazis were still faced with the problem of what to do with these tons and tons of ash. They started digging these holes in the ground and filling them up with ash. This is one that wasn't covered up when they were escaping. If anyone from anywhere in the world asks for a handful of ash of their family, this is where it's taken out of. The black marble 'tombstones' in front are memorial plaques in several languages.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Birkenau - men's barracks 2
  • Tip Rating:
    • katmag
  • By katmag on November 14, 2002
  • Oswiecim Page by katmag
    • Oswiecim Off the Beaten Path
    by katmag
    Inside the barracks there were rows of three level bunk beds. It was rotting in the summer, and freezing in the winter. In order to meet some health requirements, the nazis had to erect heating systems in the barracks. This they did, and the design for heating was incredibly efficient, using little coal and sufficiently heating the area. The only problem - the prisoners never got any coal to actually burn in there.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Oswiecim?

    Read reviews about Oswiecim Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Birkenau - memorial
  • Tip Rating:
    • katmag
  • By katmag on November 14, 2002
  • Oswiecim Page by katmag
    • Oswiecim Off the Beaten Path
    by katmag
    This is the memorial built at the back of the camp between the ruins of the two gas chambers. Back in the operational days of the camp, this area really was nice, there was a sort of garden and hedges. It was all done to keep the prisoners calm as they were tricked into going inside. Unlike the ones in Auschwitz, the gas chambers here really did look like showers. There were much larger numbers of prisoners murdered here, so the nazis had to keep them very calm because if panic broke out, they wouldn't be able to control it.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Birkenau - from above
  • Tip Rating:
    • katmag
  • Updated By katmag on November 14, 2002
  • Oswiecim Page by katmag
    • Oswiecim Off the Beaten Path
    by katmag
    This place is enormous. Over 300 prison barracks, four huge gas chambers complete with crematoria. Each gas chamber accomodated 2000 people and Birkenau could hold 200,000 prisoners at a time.

    Visiting Info: The entrance to the camp is free. Give yourself at least an hour to walk around and see everything. Hire a tourguide. They will give you many facts you might not pick up otherwise, as there are no informational plaques of any sort here. It's open at the same time as Auschwitz I: June July August 8am-7pm; May September 8am-6pm; April October 8am-5pm; March November 8am-4pm; December January February 8am-3pm.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    The Memorial...
  • Tip Rating:
    • coceng
  • By coceng on October 9, 2003
  • Oswiecim Page by coceng
    • A memorial for the vitims in Auschwitz - Oswiecim
    A memorial for the vitims
    in Auschwitz
    by coceng
    A memorial has also been set up in Auschwitz 2.
    The monument is called The International Monument to the Victims of Auschwitz.
    It is a commemoration to the prisoners who perished here.
    This monument is situated at the end of Auschwitz 2.

    IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS IN AUSCHWITZ 2, PLEASE GO TO MY BRZEZINKA PAGE.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    The Railway Tracks...
  • Tip Rating:
    • coceng
  • By coceng on October 9, 2003
  • Oswiecim Page by coceng
    • Railway tracks in Auschwitz 2 - Oswiecim
    Railway tracks in
    Auschwitz 2
    by coceng
    Also in Birkenau, you can see the railway tracks which transport the prisoners to the camp.
    Walk on the tracks, as most people love to do. Say a prayer, get a solemn feeling...
    It was on these tracks that the train came in & once the train stopped, the prisoners were thrown out of their wagons & the selections began.
    Those who were able to work, stayed as hard labour workers & those who were unable, especially old folks & young kids were immediately transported to the death chambers.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    The 2nd of 3....
  • Tip Rating:
    • coceng
  • By coceng on October 9, 2003
  • Oswiecim Page by coceng
    • Human oven in Auschwitz 2 - Oswiecim
    Human oven in Auschwitz 2
    by coceng
    Birkenau is the 2nd camp after Auschwitz 1 & there's another one called Auschwitz 3 in Monowice.
    If you pay for the tour guide to visit Auswitz 1, then the tour guide will also guide you through Birkenau/Auschwitz 2.

    There's a bus transportation from Auschwitz 1 to Auschwitz 2. That's why you shouldn't leave your group just to look for ghosts in Auschwitz 1 because what you could see in Auschwitz are more ghostly sights that you would probably remember for the rest of your life !...

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    1 | 2 | 3
    More Oswiecim Tips
    Overview
         		Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 11 - Photos: 8
    Things To Do
    Tips: 233 - Photos: 289    		Nightlife
    » Add a tip now
    Transportation
    Tips: 36 - Photos: 17    		Restaurants
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 1
    Shopping
    Tips: 4 - Photos: 1    		Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 23 - Photos: 23
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 1    		Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 14 - Photos: 7
    Local Customs
    Tips: 2 - Photos: 1    		Packing Lists
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 2
    Sports Travel
    » Add a tip now    		General Tips
    Tips: 65 - Photos: 64
    Best Oswiecim Travel Deals

    Villa La Estancia
    Luxurious Family Holiday Make Your Reservation Today!

    Bed & Breakfast Krakow
    Luxury B&B In The Heart Of Krakow. Book Online Now!

    Trecius Krakow
    Charming guest house in Old Town one block from the Main Square !

    Krakow Accommodation
    Amazing location near Main Square competitive prices from owner

    Warsaw Apartments
    Big Discounts. From 1 night stay. Warsaw Apartments in city Centre!

    Sponsored Links

    More Oswiecim Travel Deals

    The Ritz-Carlton Resorts
    A Deluxe Room, Breakfast for Two Internet, Parking & More Included!

    Hotels in O?wi?cim
    Book your Hotel in O?wi?cim online. No reservation costs. Great rates

    Cheap Warsaw Hotels
    Save up to 70% off Warsaw Hotels Book now, Instant confirmation!

    Sponsored Links

    Oswiecim Hotels

    Cheap hotels from
    Cheap flights from
    Cheap car rentals from
    Cheap cruises from
    Cheap vacations from




    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.