Things to see and do Lublin

When it was set up in October 1941, Majdanek was a labor camp, controlled by the SS, in which Polish and Russian prisoners of war and Jews worked in armaments factories. From April 1942, it became an extermination camp. From 1942 until July 1943, when the Red Army liberated the camp, over 350,000 people were killed here, including 100,000 Jews. Today, this grim site is home to a highly impressive reconstructed camp. Admission is free, but under 14s are not permitted.

This solid medieval building in Gothic style is a precious testimony of the ramparts that surrounded the city in the 14th century. Over the centuries it has been remodeled: the clock dates from the 16th century and the baroque roof from the 18th century. In its tower is the Lublin Historical Museum (Muzeum Istorii Miasta Lublina), which exhibits for visitors a collection of engravings and photos tracing the history of the city. From the top of the gate, you can enjoy an interesting view of the old city, of which this point marks the main entrance.

This open-air museum is a collection of preserved old houses, most of which date from the 17th century. Over the years, authentic reconstructed buildings have been added, transforming the hamlet into a very successful and atmospheric traditional village. In spring and summer, Skansen hosts folk festivals and re-enactments of old-fashioned rural life that are well worth a visit. We recommend it.

The Rynek, the historic center of Lublin, shows the traces left by the passage of time, but also the effects of human genius when it comes to restoring its heritage. It is not difficult to find in the cracked facades and faded decorations of its magnificent buildings the Lublin of yesteryear. Especially since the center was hardly touched by the ravages of war. Despite the poor state of rehabilitation, the charm of the Rynek is already intoxicating. All around, beautiful and richly decorated houses. At no. 12, the facade and windows of the Konopnic family house (1512) are decorated with sculptures in the form of masks, dragon heads and male and female bodies. The Klonowicz house at No. 2 was inhabited in the 16th century by the poet mayor of Lublin, who gave it his name. In the 18th century it was remodeled in the neoclassical style. The central square is dominated by the Royal Court, whose size is disproportionate to that of the square. Before, it was the town hall (1578).

Today it is the starting point for a tour of the Lublin Underground (Lubelskie Podzemia, from May to October visits from Tuesday to Friday at 10-12-14-16h, weekends from noon to 5pm every hour, Mondays at 10am and 2pm, 10 zl). The tour lasts about 45 minutes and the temperature varies between 7 and 12°C. The underground route is about 300 meters long and consists of corridors and 14 rooms in which, in the 16th century, goods were kept.

The building takes its atypical form from its origin as a simple (though rather massive) Jesuit church built in an effort to convert the Orthodox East at the time of the Catholic Counter-Reformation movement that the Jesuits led. While the exterior facade is austere, the interior decorations are superb, especially the paintings that adorn the walls and vaults, done in the second half of the 18th century by Josef Mayer, following a fire. The richness of the decorations testifies to the opulence of the bishopric and the city at that time.

The museum is housed in the former Gestapo prison, the "house under the clock". The exhibition is dedicated to the martyrdom of the Poles during the Second World War. It's a small exhibition, partly financed by the European Union. The building was the scene of the cruellest tortures. The cell windows were barricaded and covered with earth, and despite the thick walls, the screams of the tortured reached the cells. It is estimated that two hundred people were murdered in the two years of operation.