🇵🇱 Najciekawszy widok z wieży widokowej „Joanna” w Lubuskiem.

🇬🇧 The most interesting view from the „Joanna” observation tower in Lubusz Voivodeship in Poland.

#lubuskie #polska #poland #widok #view

Dobellus Duży Lake, Poland

The reservoir has a surface area of ​​0.042 km². Its maximum width is 430 m and its length is 100 m. It is an example of a ribbon lake of glacial origin.

The second lake, Dobellus Mały, is located nearby. Both lakes formed in clearly defined depressions resulting from the action of a glacier approximately 12,000 years ago.

On the eastern shore of the reservoir, there are shelters and a pier. An observation tower was built nearby. From its terrace, you can admire panoramic views of both lakes, as well as the bridges in Stańczyki. It was from there that I took this photo. :)

#jezioro #lake #natura #nature #woda #water #las #forest #suwalszczyzna #warminskomazurskie #widok #landscape #polska #poland #observationdeck #wieza

Hill of Three Crosses, Vilnius, Lithuania

On the hill stand three white crosses, each 12 meters tall. This place is a symbol of Lithuania’s national identity and commemorates tragic events from the 14th century, when, according to legend, seven Franciscans were murdered here by pagan inhabitants. Four of them were thrown into the nearby Wilenka River, and three crosses with the bodies of the martyrs were placed on the hill.

The first wooden crosses were erected between 1613 and 1636, and the existing concrete monument was created in 1916 based on a design by Antoni Wiwulski. The monument was destroyed by Soviet authorities in 1950 and later rebuilt in 1989, shortly before Lithuania regained its independence.

From the Hill of Three Crosses, there is a beautiful view of Vilnius’ Old Town, and the hill itself is a popular walking spot and an important historical and cultural symbol of Vilnius.

#gora #goratrzechkrzyzy #wzgorze #hill #HillOfThreeCrosses #wilno #vilnius #litwa #lithuania #pomnik #monument #historia #symbolnarodowy #franciszkanie #architektura #turystyka #widok #landscape #kultura #lietuva

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 3 of 3 - Fall, Reconstruction and the Present

In the 17th century, Trakai Castle, located in the then Grand Duchy of Lithuania (part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569), was severely damaged by numerous armed conflicts. In 1655, during the Polish-Russian War (1654–1667), when Russian and Cossack troops invaded Lithuanian and Polish lands, both the castle and the town of Trakai itself fell victim to plunder and destruction. Furthermore, between 1655 and 1660, during the so-called “Swedish Deluge,” the Swedes invaded large areas of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including Lithuania, continuing their devastation of Trakai and the castle.

Despite reconstruction attempts in the second half of the 17th century, the fortress fell into ruin. By the 18th century, the structure was abandoned, and towns had developed around the castle. In the 19th century, the castle became an inspiration for Lithuanian Romanticism and symbolized national identity. The first archaeological and conservation work began in the late 19th century, and the first serious reconstruction attempt was undertaken between 1930 and 1935.

After World War II, between 1950 and 1984, the castle underwent a thorough reconstruction, restoring its appearance to that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since 1984, the Trakai History Museum has operated here, and the castle is one of Lithuania’s most important tourist attractions, symbolizing the region’s rich history and culture.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 2 of 3 - The golden years and the change of function

After its completion, Trakai Castle became one of the most important political and military centers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1410, after the Battle of Grunwald, the castle’s military significance gradually declined, as the defeat of the Teutonic Knights reduced the threat in the area.

From 1420 to 1430, the castle served as the residence of Duke Vytautas and the site of important diplomatic negotiations.

In 1506, the castle underwent changes under the rule of Sigismund the Old, who commissioned the reconstruction of the residential areas in the Renaissance style. Further modernizations took place in the mid-16th century under Sigismund Augustus, who also adapted the castle for prison purposes.

In the 16th and early 17th centuries, the castle served as a representative residence, although its military significance had diminished. It also served as a storage facility for important state documents and valuables.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 1 of 3 - Beginnings and construction

The history of Trakai Castle begins in the 14th century, during a period of rapid expansion for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1323, Duke Gediminas moved the capital of Lithuania to Trakai, which initiated the construction of the first fortress. In 1337, during the reign of Duke Kęstutis, the first brick castle was built on a peninsula on Lake Galve, intended to defend against invasions by the Teutonic Order. Unfortunately, the castle was captured and destroyed by the Teutonic Knights in 1377. Following these events, in 1378, Kęstutis decided to build a new fortress on an island in Lake Galve. Construction began around 1382. After Kęstutis’s death, his son, Grand Duke Vytautas, continued the construction and expansion of the castle. The fortress was ultimately completed between 1404 and 1408, representing the Gothic architectural style. The castle served as a strategic defensive fortress and a princely residence, constituting an important defensive point against the Teutonic Knights.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

The Nemunas River, Birštonas Observation Tower, Lithuania (Part 2 of 2)

The Nemunas was the main river of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but its lower reaches and mouth lay within the borders of the Teutonic Knights and subsequent Prussian states.

After the Third Partition of Poland, it formed the border between the Prussian and Russian partitions. From 1807, when the Duchy of Warsaw, and later the Congress Kingdom of Poland, was established in part of the Prussian partition, the Nemunas formed the border with the territories annexed to Russia.

From September 23–28, 1920, one of the largest battles of the Polish-Soviet War (1919–1921) took place in the Nemunas region between units of the Polish Army under the command of Józef Piłsudski and Soviet forces under the command of Mikhail Tukhachevsky, ending in a Polish victory and the Russian withdrawal.

#niemen #neman #nemunas #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #poland #polska #widok #view #landscape #rzeka #river #photography #photo #las #forest #dolina #valley #history #historia

The Nemunas River, Birštonas Observation Tower, Lithuania (Part 1 of 2)

It is Lithuania’s largest river, with a total length of approximately 937 km, of which approximately 475 km flows through Lithuanian territory. The Nemunas originates near Minsk in Belarus and flows through Lithuania, then through the Kaliningrad Oblast, emptying into the Curonian Lagoon on the Baltic Sea.

In Lithuania, the Nemunas forms a valley ranging from 1 to 4 km wide, often meandering, and its current is calm and slow, especially in its lower reaches. The river valley is picturesque, with numerous islands and sandy shallows, and in its lower reaches, attractions such as the “Dydysis Dzukijos Akmuo” erratic boulder – an inanimate natural monument.

The Nemunas Delta, located at its mouth on the Baltic Sea, creates an extensive network of channels and canals, and on the island of Rusnė – Lithuania’s largest island – there is a large town with a population of approximately 2,500.

The most important cities in Lithuania on the Nemunas River include Druskininkai, Alytus, Kaunas, and smaller towns such as Merkini and Nemunaitis.

#niemen #neman #nemunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #rzeka #river #photography #photo #las #forest #dolina #valley

Aleksotas Hill Observation Deck, Kaunas, Lithuania (part 2 of 2)

Here, you’ll find a sculpture depicting Perkunas, the Lithuanian god of thunder. This sculpture draws on ancient Baltic traditions and beliefs, recalling the roots of Lithuanian culture and the region’s original myths.

In Old Lithuanian beliefs, Perkunas was one of the most important deities – he personified the forces of nature, particularly storms, thunder, fertility, and rebirth. The contemporary sculpture, placed at the viewing terrace, is a symbol of the combination of history, local myths and modern urban space.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #panorama #miasto #city #aleksoto #aleksotas #photography #deity #perkunas #perun #piorun

Aleksotas Hill Observation Deck, Kaunas, Lithuania (part 1 of 2)

The most popular observation deck in Kaunas (Aleksoto apžvalgos aikštele). It is located on the southern bank of the Nemunas River, near the Vytautas the Great Bridge. The deck offers stunning panoramic views of the Old Town, the castle, the church towers, and the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Access to the deck is via the historic Aleksotas Funicular, one of the oldest of its kind in Europe, operating since 1935.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #panorama #miasto #city #aleksoto #photography