Nowy Sacz, Poland Rainy Walking Tour 🌧️ 4K With Captions
Welcome to the city of Nowy Sącz, which is one of the oldest in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, located in the heart of the picturesque Sądecka Valley.
We are in the Strzelecki Park, recently revitalized, where a brand new Amphitheater was built, opened in April 2021, replacing the old concert shell. It has about 3,000 seats for the audience.
Shortly after the opening of the Amphitheater, the Miss of Poland 2021 and Miss & Mister Supranational 2021 contests were held here. Since then, the selection galas of the most beautiful ladies and gentlemen take place every year, such as in 2022 and 2023. It is quite likely that they will also be held here in 2024. The television broadcast of this event is transmitted worldwide.
Around the Amphitheater, there are recreational areas for relaxation, and even food stalls. On a sunny day, this place is bustling with life. Unfortunately, fate has brought heavy rain during my stay in this city. At this moment, the sky is clearing up a bit, and perhaps the sun will come out. I hope…
The rain doesn’t stop… this will be my first rainy walk on this channel 🙁 Unfortunately, it’s been raining every day during my one-week stay. We’re leaving the park and heading towards the city center. Ogrodowa Street (Garden Street)
On the left side, there is the Academy of Applied Sciences – namely, the Medical and Health Sciences Faculty, and the Faculty of Physical Culture and Safety Sciences.
It’s worth mentioning that Nowy Sącz, as I mentioned earlier, is one of the oldest cities in this region – founded in 1292 as a royal city in the Kraków Land. It is also the third largest city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, with precisely 80,756 inhabitants in 2022.
The city is located at an altitude of 272–475 meters above sea level, in the flat bottom of the Sądecka Valley, at the confluence of the Dunajec and Kamienica rivers.
Straight ahead is the inactive Railway Station on Lenartowicza Street. This is a famous railway line in this region, No. 104 – “Podłęże – Piekiełko”, which is soon to be dismantled and rebuilt, along with the renovation of the stations.
After the construction is completed, in a few years, the train journey to Kraków and Zakopane will be significantly shortened. Jagiellońska Street City Gardens Called the Lungs of the City – founded in 1884.
Initially, paths, trees, and circular lawns were arranged on a small area. Later, the park was enlarged with an adjacent garden with a Scotch pine alley and a manor house, donated to the city by Józef Wieniawa Zubrzycki – it currently houses the Nowy Sącz Small Gallery. Nowy Sącz Small Gallery Adam Mickiewicz Monument
The rain is getting stronger ;/ Roman Catholic Church of St. Kazimierz Built between 1908-1912 mainly of brick, with characteristic stone elements in the neo-Gothic style. The green building is the Małopolskie Cultural Center “Sokół,” housing the Contemporary Art Gallery and Cinema.
Jagiellońska Street – a representative promenade of the city, closed to traffic, with numerous shops, cafes, and restaurants. The heart of the city – the Market Square, measuring 160 meters in length and 120 meters in width, laid out in 1292 in a chessboard pattern.
The buildings around the Square, in their current form, mostly originated after the great fire of the city in 1894. At the central point of the Square stands the Town Hall from 1897 – the seat of the city authorities, built in eclectic style with a magnificent interior in the form of neo-Renaissance and neo-Baroque.
Since 1901, the clock on the Town Hall tower has been striking the hours, ordered by the city authorities in Prague, powered by a mechanism with weights weighing 60 kg. Every day, the city clockmaker climbs 120 stairs to wind the clock, turning the mechanism handle 75 times. Basilica of St. Margaret
The oldest mention of the church dates back to April 24, 1303. Unfortunately, the exact date of construction is not known. In 1448, it was elevated to the status of a collegiate church by the Bishop of Kraków, Zbigniew Oleśnicki.
Over the centuries, it has changed its appearance, with additional chapels and bell towers built, and the temple rebuilt after fires that struck the city in 1486, 1522, and 1611, which severely damaged the interior and strained its walls.
During the Austrian partition, the collegiate church was converted into a parish church. The church bells were requisitioned by the Austrians for military purposes in 1916, and similarly by the Germans in 1941. In 1945, wartime activities damaged the upper floor of the north tower and the left side of the main altar.
On May 2, 1992, during the 700th anniversary of Nowy Sącz, the church was elevated to the dignity of a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II, and on December 29, 1996, Bishop Józef Życiński re-erected the collegiate chapter of St. Margaret. Currently, the church building has Gothic and Baroque elements. In recent years, from 2021 to 2023, the church underwent renovation.
Wąska Street (Narrow Street) Church of the Holy Spirit and the Jesuit Monastery 3 May Square Evangelical-Augsburg Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
On the right side, behind the parking lot, there is the Synagogue, built at the end of the 1770s. It belongs to the nine-pole synagogues, with a vault supported in the middle by four columns.
Rebuilt at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. During World War II, it was located in the territory of the closed ghetto and was completely devastated and looted. In 1971, it came into the hands of the District Museum in Nowy Sącz, which, after a major renovation, opened it to visitors in 1982.
Irena Styczyńska Park In the park, there are ruins of the Castle. Archaeological research is currently being conducted here, confirming that the castle hill was inhabited by humans since prehistoric times. This is evidenced by found stone tools and fragments of clay vessels from the Stone Age dating back over 12,000 years.
Pottery from the Bronze and Iron Ages, as well as from the Roman influence and early Middle Ages, has also been discovered. Kowalska Tower
The castle was built between 1350–1360 by King Casimir the Great on the escarpment within the city fortifications. In the past, the castle had two corner towers, a tower, a residential building, and a bailey.
The destruction during the Swedish Deluge, fires, and the consequences of the economic crisis in the 17th century caused the castle to start declining. In 1768, another fire broke out, caused by the march of Bar Confederates and their recklessness, which destroyed the castle.
During the partitions, the Austrian authorities partially renovated the castle to use it as police offices. Unfortunately, in 1813, a powerful flood undermined the castle’s escarpment, causing the western wing of the castle to slide into the Dunajec River. The remaining part was converted into barracks and military warehouses in 1838, and in 1846, it was turned into a prison.
In 1848, the government sold the castle to the city, which, due to a lack of funds for renovation, leased it to the Austrian army for use as uniform and weapons warehouses.
Partial reconstruction of the castle ruins and the reconstruction of the tower took place in 1905. After Poland regained independence, further conservation works were carried out, completed in 1938. Later, during the German occupation, the castle was turned into barracks and an ammunition depot.
The castle was completely destroyed in 1945 when several soldiers of the Peasant Battalions, under the command of Tadeusz Dymel, detonated a German ammunition depot stored in the castle. The explosion was so powerful that windows shattered several kilometers away.
In the 1950s, the Renaissance Kowalska Tower and sections of the perimeter walls with attics were restored. The current city authorities have plans to rebuild the castle. Unfortunately, for now, these are just plans and ideas. Thank you for watching, despite the rainy weather!
Nowy Sącz is one of those cities that provide unforgettable tourist experiences and are full of attractions. It is also one of the oldest towns in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, situated in the picturesque Sądecka Valley. With a population of approximately 84,000, Nowy Sącz is the largest towns in the region, serving as the county seat, and the surrounding towns and villages within the county exceed a total of 214,000 inhabitants.
One of the first landmarks that welcome tourists is the remains of the Kazimierz Castle. These picturesque ruins, along with the Kowalska Tower, are valuable remnants of the city’s medieval history. Equally fascinating is the Market Square, the heart of the city, presenting itself impressively with its eclectic town hall, distinctive tower, and beautiful facade. Currently, the town hall serves as the seat of the city authorities. In the square, you can also admire numerous townhouses in Renaissance and Baroque styles, some of which boast preserved Gothic cellars. When in the vicinity of the square, one should not forget about the Basilica of St. Margaret. Construction began in the mid-15th century, and it captivates visitors with medieval frescoes and rich furnishings. Another unique religious monument is the Church of the Holy Spirit, along with the nearby Jesuit monastery, forming a fascinating part of the city’s cultural heritage.
The walking tour begins at Strzelecki Park, which houses an amphitheater, and then proceeds to the old part of the city center, concluding the stroll at the castle ruins.
The video was recorded on October 2023. Enjoy watching the walking tour in 4K Ultra HD quality with captions!
▬ Video Content ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 – Nowy Sacz, Poland INTRO
0:30 – Strzelecki Park and Amphitheater
8:00 – Nowy Sącz Railway Station on Lenartowicz Street
8:32 – Tadeusz Kościuszko Street
12:17 – Planty (City Greenery)
19:26 – Roman Catholic Church of St. Kazimierz
23:08 – Jagiellońska Street (Promenade)
26:14 – Nowy Sącz Market Square
28:18 – Basilica of St. Margaret
29:34 – Wąska Street
32:15 – 3 Maja Square
34:50 – Evangelical Church of the Transfiguration
37:14 – Irena Styczyńska Park
38:52 – Kowalska Tower (Castle Ruins)
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