Krynica-Zdrój

For other places with the same name, see Krynica (disambiguation).
Krynica-Zdrój

Health resort

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Krynica-Zdrój
Coordinates: 49°24′42″N 20°57′18″E / 49.41167°N 20.95500°E / 49.41167; 20.95500
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, Ukrainian: Криниця Krynytsia) 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 bandy winter sport (similar to ice hockey) has lately returned to Poland 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 (correct name: Epifaniusz Drowniak), a famous naïve painter in communist Poland.

Points of interest

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:

External links

References

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Krynica-Zdrój.

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

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, April 30, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.