Lublin Province (voivodeship) with the capital of Lublin, one of the most developed areas in the Eastern Poland, occupies the central and the eastern part of the country. The territory of the Province is the main transport network of Europe. Lublin Province area is 25,000 square kilometers, which is the third part of Poland. The population of this region is 2.2 million people (353.483 of them live in Lublin). The eastern part of the Province borders on Belarus and Ukraine. The largest cities are Lublin, Chelm, Zamoscie, Biala Podlaska and Pulawy. This is a unique place in point of the climate, the rich landscape, cultural heritage as well as tourism and recreation facilities. Lublin Province is considered to be one of the ecologically clean European areas. The diverse landscape, the rich natural and cultural heritage are its most remarkable features.

It is recommended to visit…

Lublin is the largest industrial, cultural and academic center of Lublin Province. 
On Lublin’s city coat of arms there is a goat and a vine at the red-coloured background. The old symbol has a new meaning for its contemporary citizens. 
The trip to Lublin is a wonderful discovery for those who are unfamiliar with this city. Such gorgeousness! And how near! Here you can find everything that attracts tourists in old European cities: a castle on the hill, old tangled side streets and historical memories of many centuries. The city of Lublin has been the centre of the most important historical events in the whole Eastern Europe for many times. First of all, it is remembered by the famous Union of Lublin Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth founded in 1569.  This event marked the tracks on the city map. The place where a string of carts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania had been standing during the Sejm in 1569 was later called Lithuanian Square.  
In the 13th century building of the castle was started on the hill. Unfortunately,  nowadays its look does not remind much of the old one. The time is inexorable.  The oldest buildings in the castle are the donjon and the chapel built at the times of Saint Kasimierz. Polish King Jogaila nourished warm feelings to Lublin. Owing to him, the Holy Trinity Chapel in the Castle became one of the treasures of the Polish culture. This unique masterpiece of art displays the interference of the eastern and  the western cultures. The Gothic Catholic chapel is painted in colorful frescos in Byzantine style. It reminds us that Jogaila’s mother was Russian Duchess Ulyana of Tver!
In the first half of the 16th century the look of the Castle was changed into the characteristic style of the Renaissance. It was here where the glorious Lublin’s Sejm of 1569 took place. The Castle was fully destroyed by the numerous wars in the 17th century. Only the donjon and the chapel remained by a miracle. In early 19th century the castle was reconstructed in the pseudo-Gothic style which had been a prison for a long time and later turned into the main Lublin Museum. This building became the visiting card of the city.   

Would you like something extraordinary that you have not got in Belarus for sure? Then you should go to the city’s museum placed in old basements under the central square. The guide will give you a torch with the light of which you will set off …to the depth of land and history. The narrow underground passages were used by the citizens in the past to keep food and wine. Today these passages have been linked together for walking. And a short performance depicting the Lublin Fire will crown the tour. Are you interested? The impressions will be really unforgettable.   
The architectural monuments of Lublin belong to different epochs; they are variable. The Krakow Gate was erected in the mid 14th century together with the shielding walls. A narrow built-in winding staircase leads upward, to the land of bells and clockworks, which in old days was available to a bell-ringer only. Nowadays any tourist can look over Lublin from the tower observation deck.  You must be brave because it is very high; but your courage will be rewarded with enjoying a splendor of the city panorama of old side streets labyrinths and breath-taking magnificent Roman Catholic churches. 

At that Lublin is fairly considered to be the academic centre. Several famous Polish universities set the pitch to the city life.  The most famous among them are University named after Maria Curie-Sklodowska and Catholic University named after Jan Paweł II where the Pope-to-be taught. The citizens say the population is diminished by a third during holiday months.  In summer the city is calm without noisy youth, students’ parties, so the cafes profits considerably go down.  
In Lublin various cultures meet, mixing and amazingly interweaving. In the 11th century one of the most significant Poland’s Jewish communities began to be formed in Lublin. The Jewish culture mostly shaped the city’s look and life style.   During World War II the Jewish population of the city was exterminated and the Jewish quarter at the bottom of the Castle Hill was dismounted. This tragedy of the Jewish of Lublin has been reflected in the work of a perfectly unique centre “Brama Grodska-Theatre NN”. The location of the centre is symbolic by itself. The Grodsk Gate led from the Christian world to the Jewish one. The nonstandard events holding by the centre are aimed to commemorate the world disappeared in the 20th century.  

Save up your time and patience: around Lublin there are a lot of èlite palaces worth seeing. The noble names of the former hosts will tell much both to Poles and Belarusians. They are the families of Sapeg, Radziwill, Chartoryski, Sangushko and Lubomirski. Their vast lands were spread all over Rzeczpospolita. Don’t lose your chance to drop in at the Palace of Zamoyski in Kozluvka, to walk around affluently decorated chambers, to breathe in the magnates’ farmstead air. Many tourists are attracted by Pulawy, the residence of Chartoryski. If the weather is fine, it is pleasant to stroll in the parks customarily surrounded by palaces.

Many today’s Lublin palaces are used by various establishments. Now the students of Lublin Technical Institute are walking along the corridors of the Palace of Sobeski whose owner once was Polish King Jan Sobeski himself. One of the buildings of University named after Maria Curie-Sklodowska is placed in the Palace of Lubomirski in House 3 on Lithuanian Square. What concerns House 2, the former Palace of Chartoryski, it has sheltered the Lublin Scientific Society now.  
The theatrical life is surprisingly rich in Lublin.  Both children and adults are welcome by the Puppet Theatre of H.C.Andersen placed in the Dominican monastery buildings. Y.Osterwa Theatre and the Musical Theatre set the pitch with their performances. A great deal of students’ theatres with their new trends is attracted by the audience of different generations and tastes. Such motley theatrical neighbourhood couldn’t help appearing theatre festivals among which there are “Drama Confrontations”, the Central European Theatre Festival “Neighbours” and many others are defined. Only lazy people can be bored in Lublin… 
During summer holidays, when the sunny days and the warm nights make the citizens and tourists leave their places for a walk along the city streets, Lublin opens its mysteries to them. It can be always found something interesting in this city for everyone. 
There is an opportunity for you to open your own Lublin which can’t be seen on any post card. The living city where the history continues… Like a ship, Lublin is going towards the future in full sail, remembering its past…