Krynica-Zdrój

Krynica-Zdrój
Krynica-Zdrój
	Health resort
	Flag Coat of arms
	Krynica-Zdrój Krynica-Zdrój
	Coordinates: 49°24′42″N 20°57′18″E / 49.41167°N 20.95500°E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lesser Poland
County	Nowy Sącz
Gmina	Krynica-Zdrój
Area
• Total	40.17 km2 (15.51 sq mi)
Elevation	590 m (1,940 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	11,243
• Density	280/km2 (720/sq mi)
Postal code	33-380
Website	http://www.krynica-zdroj.pl

Krynica-Zdrój [krɨˈɲit͡sa ˈzdrui̯] (until 31 December 2001 Krynica, Rusyn: Крениця, Ukrainian: Криниця) is a town in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It is inhabited by over eleven thousand people. It is the biggest spa town in Poland often called the Pearl of Polish Spas; and a popular tourist and winter sports destination situated in the heart of the Beskids mountain range.

History and economy

Krynica was first recorded in official documents in 1547 and became a town in 1889. 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, including the 1931 World Ice Hockey Championships, the 1958 and 1962 FIL World Luge Championships, the 1935 FIL European Luge Championships and the 2004 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge played in the town.

A gondola lift built in 1997 on the Jaworzyna Krynicka mountain 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 mountains are also a perfect setting for recreational cross-country skiing in winter and mountain-biking in summer.

The winter sport of bandy returned to Poland ine the 2010s, after many decades. When the country made their first international appearance in 2006 at the World Championships for boys U15 in Edsbyn, Krynica-Zdrój contributed with most players.^[1]

Krynica was home to Nikifor (birth name Epifaniusz Drowniak), a famous naïve painter in communist Poland.

Points of interest

Koncertowa in Park Slotwinski built in 1870 (today with a restaurant inside)
Pump-room Slotwinka in Park Slotwinski built in 1815 (open only in summer)
Historical 19th-century villas including The Góral Villa, The Biała Róża Villa , The Janina Villa and The Biały Orzeł Villa
19th-century Greek Catholic Tserkva of Guardianship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Modernist Patria Hotel designed by Bohdan Pniewski and built in 1932

International relations

Krynica is sometimes nicknamed "Eastern Davos" for the Economic Forum held there each year in September. Politicians (including heads of state) and businessmen from several countries of Central Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East meet there to discuss economic and political matters. Also, part of the inhabitants of Krynica belong to the Lemko minority who speak an Eastern Slavic language called Rusyn.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Krynica-Zdrój is twinned with:

Notable people

Jakub Czerwiński (boen 1991), footballer
Henryk Ebers (1855-1919), physician
Jan Kiepura (1902-1966), singer and actor
Nikifor Krynicki, (1895-1968), naïve painter
Joanna Kulig (born 1982), actress
Henryk Szost (born 1982), long-distance runner

External links

References

Notes

^ Bandy World Championships 2006: Poland roster. Homepage.

49°26′N 20°58′E / 49.433°N 20.967°E / 49.433; 20.967

[1] Bandy World Championships 2006: Poland roster. Homepage.

[1]

v t e Gmina Krynica-Zdrój
Town and seat	Krynica-Zdrój
Villages	Berest Czyrna Mochnaczka Niżna Mochnaczka Wyżna Muszynka Piorunka Polany Tylicz