Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Polish cards

To continue, more cards sent by Emerich, this time polish cards from Zamosc with the Tenement Houses at the Great Market Square, Gdansk and its Wisłoujście Fortress and a lake in the Karkonosze mountains.

"Great Market is one of the biggest European squares dating back to the 16th century. At each side of the square there are eight tenement houses with arcades, which used to house merchant shops and wineries.
The tenement houses are decorated with friezes, false fronts, reliefs and frescos. They still have splendid portals as well as wooden ceilings and polychrome." - in:
http://www.zamosc.wonder.pl/Monuments-Great-Market-en
Each house has it's own history and name. The 5 most exquisitely decorated houses are these on the card, known as Wilczka, Rudomicza, Pod Anołem, Szafirowa, Pod Madonną.

"Until the 16th century, when the growing Westerplatte peninsula finally separated it from the sea, Wisłoujście Fortress stood on the seashore and served as a lighthouse. It also served as a strategic point of defence for Poland, with about 40 bronze cannons and room inside for 1,000 men. The fortress was later seized by the Prussians and used as a prison." -in: http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/gdansk/sightseeing/placesofinterest/Wisloujscie-Fortress_16191v

Wielki Staw is post glacial natural lake in the Karkonosze mountains, in western Poland. It is situated in the Karkonosze National Park.
With its area of 8.3 hectares, it is the biggest glacial lake in the whole range. Its depth reaches 25 m, the shores are covered in subalpine species.