Krynica-Zdrój (until 31 December 2001 Krynica, Rusyn: Криниця ) is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Nowy Sącz County __NOTOC__ Nowy Sącz County () is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovak border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local govern ...

Lesser Poland Voivodeship Lesser Poland Voivodeship ( ) is a voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of 3,404,863 (2019). Its capital and largest city is Kraków. The province's name recalls the traditional name of a h ...

, southern Poland. It is inhabited by over eleven thousand people. It is the biggest

spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath, Somerset, Ba ...

in Poland often called the ''Pearl of Polish Spas''; and a popular tourist and winter sports destination situated in the heart of the

Beskids The Beskids or Beskid Mountains (, , , (), ()) are a series of mountain ranges in the Carpathians, stretching from the Czech Republic in the west along the border of Poland with Slovakia up to Ukraine in the east. The highest mountain in the Be ...

mountain range.

History and economy

Krynica was first recorded in official documents in 1547 and was granted town rights in 1889. In the 17th century, mineral waters were discovered in the area. In 1856, the town began rapidly developing into a health resort largely thanks to the activities of Józef Dietl, a

Jagiellonian University The Jagiellonian University (, UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by Casimir III the Great, King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and one of the List of oldest universities in con ...

professor considered the "father of Polish balneology". By the end of the 19th century, the town had acquired a considerable reputation for its picturesque location and its health resort facilities. It was frequented by Polish elites and intellectuals. Among notable visitors were

Jan Matejko Jan Alojzy Matejko (; also known as Jan Mateyko; 24 June 1838 – 1 November 1893) was a Polish painter, a leading 19th-century exponent of history painting, known for depicting nodal events from Polish history. His works include large scale ...

Artur Grottger Artur Grottger (11 November 1837 – 13 December 1867) was a Polish Romantic painter and graphic artist, one of the most prominent artists of the mid 19th century under the partitions of Poland, despite a life cut short by incurable illness. B ...

Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish epic writer. He is remembered for his historical novels, such as The Trilogy, the Trilogy series and especially ...

and

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski Józef Ignacy Kraszewski (28 July 1812 – 19 March 1887) was a Polish novelist, journalist, historian, publisher, painter, and musician. Born in Warsaw into a noble family, he spent much of his youth with his maternal grandparents in Romanów ...

. In the interbellum period the town attracted such individuals as

Ludwik Solski Ludwik Solski (20 January 1855 - 19 December 1954), born Ludwik Napoleon Karol Sosnowski, was a Polish stage actor and theatre director. From his stage debut in 1876 until his death (his last performance took place six months after his 99th birth ...

Helena Modjeska Helena Modrzejewska (; born Jadwiga Helena Mizel; October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909), known professionally in the United States as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish-American actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles. She was success ...

Władysław Reymont Władysław Stanisław Reymont (; born Rejment; 7 May 1867 – 5 December 1925) was a Polish novelist and the laureate of the 1924 Nobel Prize in Literature. His best-known work is the award-winning four-volume novel '' Chłopi'' (''The Peasant ...

Julian Tuwim Julian Tuwim (13 September 1894 – 27 December 1953), known also under the pseudonym Oldlen as a lyricist, was a Jewish-Polish poet, born in Łódź, then part of the Russian Partition. He was educated in Łódź and in Warsaw where he studied ...

, K.I. Gałczyński and Jan Kiepura. Krynica's development was also boosted by the construction of a railway line to

Muszyna Muszyna is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. Population: 4,989 (2006). It plays host to a railroad junction, located near border with Slovakia, with trains going into three directions - towards Nowy Sącz, Krynica-Zdrój an ...

in 1876, which was further expanded to Krynica-Zdrój in 1911. After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, many of the town's buildings were renovated and new spa facilities were built including ''Nowe Łazienki Mineralne'', the Lwigród Guesthouse, and the New Spa House. A popular

funicular railway A funicular ( ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite ends ...

was also constructed to Mount Parkowa. Due to its convenient location, infrastructure and rail connections with major cities in Europe, Krynica-Zdrój (Zdrój means mineral spring in Polish) was the location of winter sports tournaments during the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

, including the 1931 World Ice Hockey Championships and the 1935

FIL European Luge Championships The FIL European Luge Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have taken place since 1914. From 1914 to 1934, these championships were part of the Internationaler Schlittensportsverband (ISSV - International Sled Sport Federa ...

. In the post-war period, the town has hosted the 1958 and 1962

FIL World Luge Championships The FIL World Luge Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have taken place on an almost annual basis in non-Winter Olympics years since 1955. These championships are shown for artificial tracks. See FIL World Luge Natural ...

, the 2004 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge, and the 2018 and 2020 Winter World Polonia Games. A

gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate suppo ...

built in 1997 on Mount Jaworzyna Krynicka overlooking Krynica, and subsequent investment in modern skiing facilities (apart from the former track of bobsleigh) made Krynica one of the most important ski resorts in Poland. Nearby

Beskid Sądecki Beskid Sądecki is a mountain range in the eastern section of the Western Beskids, within the Outer Western Carpathians. It is located in the border region between Poland and Slovakia. On the Poland, Polish side, it stretches along an area ...

mountains are also a perfect setting for recreational cross-country skiing in winter and hiking as well as mountain-biking in summer. The winter sport of

bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two team sport, teams wearing Ice skates#Bandy skates, ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The playin ...

returned to Poland in the 2010s, after many decades. When the country made their first international appearance in 2006 at the World Championships for boys U15 in

Edsbyn Edsbyn () is a locality and the seat of Ovanåker Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 4321 inhabitants in 2020. It is located in the historical province of Hälsingland. Edsbyn is most famous for its former ski and nowadays office furni ...

, Krynica-Zdrój contributed with most players. Krynica was home to Nikifor (birth name Epifaniusz Drowniak), a famous

naïve Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may ...

painter in communist Poland.

Geography

Krynica-Zdrój is located in Southern

Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name ''Małopolska'' (; ), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate cult ...

, within the Poprad Landscape Park protected area. The city center lies in the valley of Kryniczanka river and is connected with the nearby Mount Parkowa and Mount Jaworzyna Krynicka by cable railways.

Points of interest

* Pump-room Slotwinka in Park Slotwinski - built in 1815 (open only in summer) * Koncertowa pavilion in Park Slotwinski - built in 1870 (today with a restaurant inside) * Old Baths (''Stare Łazienki'') - built in 1866 by Feliks Księżarski * Old Spa House (''Stary Dom Zdrojowy'') built 1880-1889 by Jan Zawiejski in Renaissance Revival style * New Spa House (''Nowy Dom Zdrojowy'') built 1938-1939 by Witold Minkiewicz in

Modernist style Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architecture wa ...

* Main Pump Room (''Pijalnia Główna'') built 1969-1971 by Zbigniew Mikołajewski and Stanisław Spyt in

International Style The International Style is a major architectural style and movement that began in western Europe in the 1920s and dominated modern architecture until the 1970s. It is defined by strict adherence to Functionalism (architecture), functional and Fo ...

* 19th-century

Lemko Lemkos (; ; ; ) are an ethnic group inhabiting the Lemko Region (; ) of Carpathian Ruthenia, Carpathian Rus', an ethnographic region in the Carpathian Mountains and Carpathian Foothills, foothills spanning Ukraine, Slovakia, and Poland. Lemkos ...

Greek Catholic Greek Catholic Church or Byzantine-Catholic Church may refer to: * The Catholic Church in Greece * The Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Ea ...

Tserkva of Guardianship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1875–1879) * Church of the Assumption - built 1887-1892 by Jan Zawiejski in Renaissance Revival style * Historical 19th-century villas including ''The Góral Villa'', ''The Biała Róża Villa'' , ''The Janina Villa'' and ''The Biały Orzeł Villa'' * Modernist ''Patria'' Hotel designed by Bohdan Pniewski and built in 1932 * Viewing tower built on top of the Słotwina Arena ski resort in 2019

Gallery

File:Krynica-Zdrój, Stare łazienki (HB1).jpg, Old Baths (''Stare Łazienki'') File:Krynica-Zdrój, Stary Dom Zdrojowy (HB12).jpg, Old Spa House (''Stary Dom Zdrojowy'') File:Main (Główna) Pump House in Krynica-Zdrój, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, May 2022 (2).jpg, Main Pump Room (''Pijalnia Główna'') File:Krynica-Zdrój, cerkiew Świętych Apostołów Piotra i Pawła (HB4).jpg, Tserkva of Guardianship of the Blessed Virgin Mary File:Krynica-Zdrój, kościół Wniebowzięcia NMP (HB1).jpg, Church of the Assumption File:Krynica-Zdrój, sanatorium Patria (HB1).jpg, ''Patria'' Hotel File:Krynica-Zdrój, Nowy dom zdrojowy (HB2).jpg, New Spa House (''Nowy Dom Zdrojowy'') File:Krynica-Zdrój, fontanna, w tle Stary dom zdrojowy (HB2).jpg, Musical Fountain File:Krynica-Zdrój, willa Witoldówka (HB3).jpg, Witoldówka Villa File:Krynica wieża.jpg, Viewing tower

International relations

Krynica was sometimes nicknamed "Eastern

Davos Davos (, ; or ; ; Old ) is an Alpine resort town and municipality in the Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of (). Davos is located on the river Landwasser, in the Rhaetian ...

" for the Economic Forum held there each year in September since 1992 until the forum was transferred to the Lower Silesian town of Karpacz in 2019. Politicians (including heads of state) and businessmen from several countries of Central Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East met there to discuss economic and political matters. Also, part of the inhabitants of Krynica belong to the

minority who speak an Eastern Slavic language called Rusyn.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Krynica-Zdrój is twinned with: *

Amersham Amersham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, in the Chiltern Hills, northwest of central London, south-east of Aylesbury and north-east of High Wycombe. Amersham is part of the London commuter belt. There ar ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Bad Sooden-Allendorf Bad Sooden-Allendorf () is a spa town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location The spa town of Bad Sooden-Allendorf lies in the Werra valley near the Hoher Meißner, right on the boundary with Thuringia, almost at German ...

Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Bardejov Bardejov (; , , , , ) is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region on a floodplain terrace of the Topľa River, in the hills of the Beskids, Beskyd Mountains. It exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely i ...

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

Khmilnyk Khmilnyk (, ; ; ) is a resort town, resort city in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Khmilnyk Raion within the oblast. Population: The town is situated in the upper part of the Southern Bug River, northeast o ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Notable people

* Henryk Szost (born 1982), long-distance runner * Jakub Czerwiński (born 1991), footballer *

Katarzyna Kawa Katarzyna Kawa (; born 17 November 1992) is a Polish professional tennis player. Her career-high WTA rankings are No. 64 in doubles, set on 10 October 2022, and No. 112 in singles, achieved on 9 November 2020. She has won five WTA Challenger d ...

(born 1992), tennis player * Jan Kiepura (1902–1966), singer and actor * Joanna Kulig (born 1982), actress * Nikifor Krynicki (1895–1968), naïve painter *

Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (née Skalniak; born 22 April 1997) is a Polish bicycle racing, racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's Team, UCI Women's WorldTeam . Major results ;2014 :2nd Polish National Road Race Championships, Road r ...

(born 1997), racing cyclist * Andrzej Zabawa (born 1955), ice hockey player

External links

*
Krynica-Zdrój tourism

References

Notes

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Lesser Poland Voivodeship Nowy Sącz County Spa towns in Poland