Things to see and do Sandomierz

This exceptional archaeological site was discovered in 1922. It is a vast Neolithic mine for striped flint, in operation between 3900 and 1600 BC, and comprising some 700 shafts 5 to 8 metres deep linked by a network of galleries. A visit to the mine shows how this semi-precious stone was extracted, and a workshop on the surface shows how it was worked. A simply fascinating visit not to be missed.

In 1587, Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński, a powerful Polish nobleman, gave the Ujazd estate to his son Krzysztof as a wedding present. The latter decided to build the most beautiful fortified residence in Poland. Today, all that remains of this beautiful star-shaped palace, built in the early ^17th century, are majestic ruins testifying to its lost grandeur. The site remains quite interesting, all the more so as it is possible to camp directly around the castle and also build a fire to liven up the evening.

A veritable network of cellars was dug beneath the merchant houses surrounding the Rynek between the ^15th and ^17th centuries, with the dual aim of linking the houses and shops to provide an escape route in the event of invasion and to store goods. The 500-metre labyrinth was forgotten and rediscovered by chance in the 1960s. Today, part of the old network is open to visitors. Its rooms house various small exhibitions.

The present Gothic building was built by King Casimir the Great in 1360. The exterior facade has retained its authenticity, but the interior has been redone several times. The interior is decorated with rococo altars, in black or pink marble. On the walls of the nave, paintings represent the destruction of the city by the Tatars and the Swedes. Others, grouped under the name of Kalendarium predicts in twelve parts the way in which everyone will die.

The Rynek is the main square of Sandomierz, set on a singular slope and surrounded by beautiful bourgeois houses where Gothic and classical styles alternate. Very beautiful is the Oleśnicki house at No. 10, the former post office. In the center of the square stands a beautiful town hall, one of the most beautiful Renaissance-style town halls in Poland. Its origin is said to date back to the 13th century, and it now houses a rather interesting, though very small, Historical Museum of the city.

Of its original Renaissance architecture, only the west wing remains. The other three wings surrounding an arcaded courtyard were destroyed by the Swedes in 1656. After the last partition of Poland in 1795, the castle was turned into a prison until 1959. Today it houses the Regional Museum. The exhibition traces the history of the city and the region. Of particular interest is the section devoted to the clothing, fabrics and traditions of the Poles of the early 20th century. From the courtyard there is a beautiful view of the city, the old port and the Vistula River.

This gate is the only remaining remnant of the old fortress built by Casimir the Great in the 14th century. The original system consisted of four gates along the roads leading to the cities of Opatów, Zawichost, Lublin and Kraków. They were integrated into a system of two revolving gates, as well as 21 defensive towers. Today, the Opatówska Gate marks the entrance to the Old Town and the Rynek. You can climb to the top of the tower and enjoy the view.

This now somewhat forgotten church, built in the early 12th century, is probably the oldest Romanesque red brick church in all of Poland, a style that later became very recognizable and symbolic of the countryside. The exterior has retained its original appearance, but the interior has been remodeled in Baroque style. Unfortunately, the decoration was ransacked in the early 1990s to give it a modern appearance. There are still some superb remains, such as a sarcophagus carved from a single block of oak.

Located behind the cathedral, this massive red-brick Gothic house was built under the orders of Jan Długos, the famous author of the first history of Poland, in 1476 who lived most of the time in the capital, Krakow. Today, it this building houses a collection of religious art from the thirteenth to the twentieth century that is not very extensive but complements the visit to the cathedral well. The exhibition also includes beautiful earthenware from the 16th to the 19th century. The garden is populated with beautiful carved wooden figures.