Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with about 66,756 inhabitants. It is one of a select group of the oldest and the most beautiful Polish towns. Przemyśl owes its long and rich history to the advantages of its geographic location. The city lies in the Przemyśl Gate, an area connecting mountains and lowlands, with open lines of communication. It also lies on the navigable San River.

Early history

Przemyśl, the second-oldest city in southern Poland (after Kraków), appears to date from as early as the 8th century. The region subsequently became part of

the 9th-century Great Moravian state. Archeological remains testify to the

presence of a monastic settlement as early as the 9th century.

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Przemyśl Fortress

With technological progress in artillery during the second half of the 19th century, the old fortifications rapidly became obsolete. Around the city, in a circle of circumference 45 km, 44 forts of various sizes were built. The older fortifications were modernised to provide the fortress with an internal defence ring

The fortress was designed to accommodate 85,000 soldiers and 956 cannons of all sorts, although eventually 120,000 soldiers were garrisoned there.

The most interesting forts of the Przemyśl Fortress are:

SIEDLISKA Fort I

„Salis-Soglio’’ in Siedliska was built between 1882 and 1886.

In the area of the fort following items have survived: a brick entrance gate, barracks in the gorge part with casemates, ammunition stores and lift shafts, artillery emplacemenst and shelteres for the crew on the rampart. The fort is situated only several dozen metres from the Ukrainian border.

Fort XV ,,Borek”In the vicinity of fort no. I, which is also located in Siedliska, is the armoured fort XV ,,Borek” dating back to the years 1897-1990.The fort consists of, among other things, the already restored entrance gate, barrack connected with the main shelter, the casemate remnants with a restored observation site, as well as ruins of the armured battery.

At the entrance to the fort there is a commemorative plaque honouring the Polish and American airmen, who fought for independence in 1920.

KUŃKOWCE Fort VIII ,,Łętownia”

It dates back to the years 1854-1855, when the Austrians built one of their artillery earthworks on a hill west of Przemyśl. The fort obtained its present shape between 1881 and 1882. The area of the fort is well-developed. During the season one can see an interesting exhibition inside devoted to the Fortress of Przemyśl.

Fort XII ,,Werner” in Żurawica.

It was opened for tourist for the firts time in 2010. Fort ,,Werner” was erected in the years 1882-1886 and it belongs to the single defensive artillery ramparts. It is very well preserved. While touring the fort one can see entirely preserved neck barracks, where the museum exhibition is being set up, as well as an ammunition shelter, emergency, a huge axial postern currently linking the main shelter with the moat and well apreserved wall in the moat’s reverse slope.

WORTH SEEING

The Castle Ereced after 1340 by

king Casimirus the Great on the hill towering over the city. In its yard one can find the remnants of the old rotunda and palatium from the time of King Bolesław I the Brave.

The Roman-Catholic

Archcathedral

Built in yhe Gothic style in the 15th and 16th centuries in place of the older Romanesque one, whose remnants have been preserved in the vaults. It was renovated in the 18th c. in the Baroque style. Next to the cathedral there is the Bishop’s Palace and the late-Baroque 71-metre high belfry.

The Greek-Catholic

Archcathedral in the old Baroque church of the

Sacred Heart of Christ built for the Jesuit order in the 17th c. In the 20th c. it was a military church. In 1991 Pope John Paul II handed the church over to Greek Catholics, who adapted it for the purposes of the Eastern rite. When inside, do not fail to see the 17th-c. iconostasis from the church in Lubaczów. Next to the archcathedral there is a modern-day belfry.

The 17th-c. Carmelite church and monastery

tower Over the Old Town. The

Austrian authorities handed the Baroque church over to Greek Catholics, who turned it into their cathedral, changing its appearance and converting the adjacent monastery. In recent years the Carmelites restored the original look to the church and monastery. Also the grand interiors were restored.

The Clock Tower

Built in the 18th century in the late-Baroque style as the belfry of the planned but never erected new. Greek Catholic cathedral. For 123 years the tower was used by firemen as a watchtower and a vantage point. It is worth seeing the Museum of Bells and Pipes housed inside it.

The Franciscan Church

Built in the 18th c. in place of an old Gothic church combines elements of the late Baroque and the Classicism. The church has an impressive rococo interior with an abundance of sculptures and frescoes.

The houses in the Market Square

Of 16th and 17th-c. origin which stand on three sides of the square. Most of the houses renovated in the 19th c. have retained the original arcades. Of note is also the Market Square itself, where once a Renaissance Town Hall stood, pulled down in 1812 by the Austrian authorities.

The Museum of the History of Przemyśl

16th-c. house with the basement open to the public. When in the Museum one should not miss the interesting middle-class house interiors, the 19th-c photographer’s studio as well as exhibitions devoted to the over-thousand-year-old history of Przemyśl

The National Museum of the Przemyśl Land

In a new building erected in 2008 in the place of town houses destroyed during WWII. The interior is still undergoing furnishing, nevertheless it the oldest museum that can be proud of the biggest collections in the Podkarpacie Region.

The town walls

Best preserved in the sections in Basztowa Street, were builit in the 16th and 17th century the Austrians ordered the walls surrounding the town. The same happened to the 9 towers and 3 entrance gates.

The 17th-c Reformed

Franciscan Church

Was once surrounded with a defence wall with embrasures and, along with the monastery, acted as a barbican for the non-existent now Brama Lwowska. After pulling down the town walls and filling in the moat the ground level was raised so high that at present the church seems to be sunken in the ground below the street level.

The Railway StationBuilt between 1859 and

1860 and renovated in 1895 is one of the

grandest buildings on the rail line which links

Cracow with Lviv. In 1872 Przemyśl obtained also a rail connection

with Budapest.

Zniesienie

The hill towerind over the town, the name of which commemorates the defeat of the Tatars in this very place. The most famous point of Zniesienie is the mysterious Tatar’s Barrow. As legend says, it was built by the Tatars as a mound of the Khan who was killed in battle here.

ACTIVE TOURISM

Przemyśl , situated upon the clear San, has a lot to offer lovers of water tourism.The San River is one of the most beautiful rivers in Poland. The “Blue San” Water Route was marked out on this main river in Podkarpacie. You can see interesting monuments along the whole length of the “Blue San” Water Route. Tourists can safely swim in the San} in the very centre of Przemyśl {during summer.The town also offers an indoor swimming pool.

Special cycling routes were marked out in Przemyśl and its surrounding areas:

The Fortress Cycling Route (green)

The FCR consists of walking trails: Their courses largely overlap with the course of the walking black Fortress Route.

1. the northern route: Przemyśl- Kuńkowice - the northern part of the external ring of the Przemyśl Fortress- Bolestraszyce - Przemyśl

2. the southern route: Przemyśl- Górna Dybawka - the southern part of the external ring of the Przemyśl Fortress – Hurko-Łapajówka - Przemyśl

Walking Router of Przemyśl The Walking Routes of

Przemyśl consist of two trails: the Old Town Route (blue) and the San Route (red). They are marked with symbols accepted for walking routes. The Walking Routes of Przemyśl make it possible to visit the most important points and objects in the town in just one day. The total lenght of both routes is 12.5 km.

The Old Town Route (BLUE)

Route: The Old Town – Zamkowe Mountain – Trzech Krzyży – Zniesienie – the Old Town. Location of the route: Przemyśl Foothills. Lenght of the route: 3.5 km.

The San Route (RED)

Route: The Eaglets of Przemyśl Square – Lipowica – Winna Góra – The Eagleta of Przemyśl Square. Location of the route: Dynów Foothills. Length of the route: 9 km.

Przemyśl has excellent conditions for practicing winter sports.    The ski slope in Przemysl is situated close to the city centre, on the north-west slope of Zniesienie Mountain.Skiers are served by an electronic access system (ski pass). At the top of the ski run you will find a snack bar and the post of GOPR (Volunteer Mountain Rescue Service).  The routes are fully lit, snowed artificially, and prepared with snowgroomers. Moreover, there is a ‘bunny slope ’ for beginners.

For skating lovers there is also an artificial skating rink, open in winter near the lower station of the chairlift, at Sanocka Street.

Cross-country skiers and hikers will also find suitable conditions for practicing winter sports.

Cross-country skiers and hikers will also find suitable conditions for practicing winter

sports.

TOURIST ACCOMODATION

HOTELS•ALBATROS***- ul. Ofiar Katynia 26•GROMADA***- Wyb. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 4•GLORIA***- ul. Wilczańska 4•EUROPEJSKI**- ul. Sowińskiego.

GUEST ROOMS•„Faho’’- ul. Batorego 55A•„Zjazd u Jana” – ul. Batorego 5•„Domek Ogrodnika”- ul. Mikołaja Reja 6

YOUTH HOSTEL•PTSM „MATECZNIK” Youth Hostel cat. I- ul. Lelewela 6

DIDACTIC AND HOTEL CENTRES

•„Belferek”- ul Kraszewskiego 7a

GASTRONOMIC BASE

Restaurants:• „Albatros” - ul Ofiar Katynia 26• Gromada - Wyb. M.J. Piłsudskiego 4• „Dominikańska”- Plac Dominikański 3• „Karpacka” - ul. Kościuszki 5• „Barcelonka” - ul. Sienkiewicza 7• „Gardner’s House” - ul. Mikołaja Reja 6

Bars:• CAFE-BAR- ul. Św. Jana 14• Forteca - ul. Mostowska 2• Margherita - ul- Rynek 1

CLUBS:• Niedźwiadek - Rynek 1• Neo - ul 3 Maja 19• „Imperium” - ul. 3-go Maja 23

PUBS AND CAFES:• Fort XXLL - Wyb. M.J. Piłsudskiego• „Libera” - Rynek 26 (at the bookstore

Libera)• „Little Black” - ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego

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PIZZERIAS• La Bamba - ul. Śnigurskiego 9• Hit- ul. Ratuszowa 16• „mamma Mia” - ul. Franciszkańska 22

Restaurant„Gardner’s House”

Restaurant

„Dominikańska”

TOURIST AGENCIES

• ALBATROS Tourist AgencyUl. Ofiar Katynia 26

• BUKOWINA Tourist Agency od Przemyślul. Ks. P. Skargi 2

• POŁONINY Tourist Agency and ServicesUl. Borelowskiego 1

• GLOBTUR Travel Agencyul. Czarnieckiego 17A

• GROSZTUR Tourist Agencyul. Słowackiego 4

• „Gromada” Tourist Agencyul. Franciszkańska 16

• Tourist Information

RECREATIONAL OBJECTS• KKS „Czuwaj” tennis court

ul. 22-stycznia 6• LOK Sports Shooting Range

ul. Słowackiego 40

• FIGIEL Centre of entertainment for childrenul. 3 Maja 19 DH „Szpak”

• Horseriding – The Hucul horses farmul. Zakopiańska

• „CHOCHLIK”- ul. Krakowska 24

• NEO – ul. 3-go Maja 19

Billard Club "IMPERIUM"

JAPA Bowling Club

Shoppin Centre "Galeria Sanowa"