- Świętokrzyski National Park
Infobox_protected_area | name = Świętokrzyski National Park
native_name = Świętokrzyski Park Narodowy
iucn_category = II
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location =Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship ,Poland
nearest_city =
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area = 76.26 km²
established = 1950
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governing_body = Ministry of the Environment__NOTOC__Świętokrzyski National Park ( _pl. Świętokrzyski Park Narodowy) is a National Park inŚwiętokrzyskie Voivodeship in centralPoland . It covers the highest ridge of the Świętokrzyskie (Holy Cross) Mountains – the Łysogory – with its two highest peaks: Łysica at convert|612|m|ft and Łysa Góra ("bald mountain") at convert|595|m|ft|abbr=on. It also covers the eastern part of the Klonowski Ridge and part of the Pokrzywianski Ridge. The Park has its headquarters inBodzentyn .History
The history of efforts to protect this part of Poland dates back to the times before
World War I . In 1921 a first forest reserve in the Swiętokrzyskie mountains was created - this was Józef Kostyrko’s reserve on Chełmowa Góra (1.63 km²). The following year, two parts of the Łysogory with total area of 3.11 km² also became protected. In 1932 the area of the reserve was officially expanded to 13.47 km², but the National Park was not created until 1950. Its initial area was 60.54 km², but it has since expanded to convert|76.26|km2|sqmi, of which 72.12 km² is forested. There are five strictly protected zones with a total area of 17.31 km².Landscape
The Swiętokrzyskie are the oldest mountains in Poland, dating back 400–520 million years. Their present appearance was created by movements of the Earth around 300 million years ago. Long ago there was sea here and much evidence of rich life forms was preserved in the rocks, including fossil traces of animals and plants. Around two million years ago the range was covered by a glacier.
Flora
The Park is famous for its trees, of which 674 are regarded as monuments of nature and as such are under protection. Park’s authorities successfully managed to reintroduce yew trees here - now there are around 1300 of them. Most of Park’s area is forested, mainly with
pine s andbeech es.Fir trees are less numerous as well as forests of mixedoak -fir character. Among the Park’s curiosities we must emphasize the endemic, unique only for this area, fir wilderness and areas of Polish larch on Chełmowa Góra.Fauna
Park’s
fauna is represented by more than 4000 species ofinvertebrate s and 210 species ofvertebrae (including 187 protected). One of local animal’s life most precious features is the fact that many of species are of mountainous kind. These usually thrive in the strictly protected areas and deep in the forests.Architecture
Apart from nature, the Park and its vicinity has a lot more to offer. There are several important architectural relics, most of which of sacral character. The most precious is the
Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey from the first half of the XII century, located on the peak ofŁysa Góra . It is probable that here the oldest example of Polish writing was created - "Kazania Świętoktrzyskie" (Holy Cross Sermons ). An interesting feature of the local landscape is the numerous roadside chapels.Other fine examples of architecture are situated beyond the Park’s limits. These are: female monastery at
Św. Katarzyna (1633 ), churches atBielice (17th century ) andBodzentynów (15th century ), ruins of a castle atBodzentyn (14th century ), parts of rampart around Łysa Góra (9th century ) and museum of metallurgy atSłupia Nowa , where occasionally ancient method of producing steel is presented to tourists. Park is full of historical monuments connected with Polish national uprisings and the time of Nazi occupation.External links
* [http://www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~zbzw/ph/pnp/swie.htm University site]
* [http://www.mos.gov.pl/kzpn/en/swie_gb.htm Government site]
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