Administrative center of the Polish voivodeship. Voivodeships of Poland: description, history, list and interesting facts

Poland

State in Central Europe. The population is more than 38.5 million people, the territory is 312,679 km², according to these two indicators it is the largest country in Central Europe. The capital is Warsaw. The official language is Polish. Located in the center of Europe. It is washed in the north by the Baltic Sea. It has a land border with Russia (Kaliningrad region), Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany. Administratively, Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships, voivodeships in turn are divided into powiats, and powiats into gminas.

Capital

The capital and largest city in Poland by population and territory. The area of ​​the city is 523 km², the population is 1,810,598 people.

Voivodeships and cities

Voivodeship located in eastern Poland. Population 5,299,300 people.

• Warsaw
• Radom - a city in central Poland, on the Mleczna River, 100 kilometers south of the country's capital Warsaw. Population: 227,309 people.
• Plock - a city in the Masovian Voivodeship of Poland. The population is 127 thousand inhabitants. The city is located on the Vistula approximately 100 km northwest of Warsaw.
• Siedlce - a city in eastern Poland (Mazovia Voivodeship), the distance to Warsaw is approximately 90 kilometers. Siedlce is the administrative center of Siedlce powiat, but is not part of it, having the status of a city powiat. The area of ​​the city is 32 km². The population exceeds 77 thousand people.

Voivodeship located in southwestern Poland. Population 2893 thousand inhabitants.

• Wroclaw - the historical capital of Silesia, a city with the rights of a powiat, one of the largest (the fourth most populous in Poland after Warsaw, Lodz and Krakow) and oldest cities in Poland, located on both banks of the middle Odra, in the Silesian Lowland. Population - 633 thousand people.
• Walbrzych - a city in Poland, one of the most important centers in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, the regional center of the Walbrzych powiat (district). Population 122,411 people.
• Legnica - a large city in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Western Poland. Population - 103.2 thousand inhabitants.
• Other major cities: Jelenia Gora, Lubin, Glogow, Świdnica

Voivodeship located in northern Poland. The center and largest cities are the cities of Bydgoszcz (location of the administration) and Toruń (location of the voivodeship sejmik). Population 2,098,370 people. The territory area is 17.969 km².

• Bydgoszcz - a city in Poland, the administrative center of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Residence of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivode and mayor of the Bydgoszcz powiat. Bydgoszcz has a population of 356,177 people.
• Torun - a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. The birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city's population is 206,765 inhabitants. The “gingerbread” capital of Poland.
• Wloclawek - a city in Poland, in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Located on the Vistula at the confluence of the Zglowionczka River, the center of the diocese of the same name. Population is about 123 thousand people.
• Grudziadz - a city in Poland, part of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Covers an area of ​​58.70 km². Population 99,578 people.
• Other major cities: Inowroclaw, Brodnica, Swiece, Chelmno

Voivodeship located in eastern Poland. Center and largest city is the city of Lublin. It borders in the east with Ukraine, in the northeast with Belarus, in the south with the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in the southwest with the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship and in the west and northwest with the Masovian Voivodeship. Population 2191 thousand people. The territory area is 25,122.5 km².

• Lublin - a large city in Poland, the administrative center of the Lublin Voivodeship. Located on the Lublin Upland, on the Bystrica River - the left tributary of the Wieprza. In Lublin, two rivers flow into the Bystrica - Cernejufka and Czehufka. The area of ​​the city is 147.5 km². Population - 348,450 inhabitants.
• Chelm - a city on the banks of the Uherka River, in southeastern Poland, as part of the Lublin Voivodeship of Poland, 25 km from the border with Ukraine. It is the center of the historical region of Kholmshchyna, the commune of Chelm and a city with the rights of a powiat. The city has a population of 72.6 thousand inhabitants.
• Zamość - a city in the Lublin Voivodeship of Poland, about 240 km southeast of Warsaw and 110 km northwest of Lviv. Since 1992, the Renaissance city center belongs to World Heritage UNESCO.
• Biala Podlaska - a city in Poland, part of the Lublin Voivodeship. Covers an area of ​​49.46 km². Population 59,047 people.
• Other cities: Puławy, Krasnik, Bilgoraj

voivodeship located in western Poland. Center and largest cities are the cities of Zielona Góra (location of the voivodeship sejmik) and Gorzów Wielkopolski (location of the administration).
Population - 1009 thousand people. This is the most forested region in Poland (49% of the area is forest). The voivodeship received its name from the historical region of Lubusz Land. The territory area is 13,987.88 km².

• Zielona Gora - a city in Poland, one of two administrative centers of the Lubusz Voivodeship. Population - 117.5 thousand inhabitants.
• Gorzow Wielkopolski - a city in Poland, one of two administrative centers of the Lubusz Voivodeship. Population - 125.4 thousand inhabitants.

Voivodeship located in central Poland. The center and largest city is the city of Lodz. The territory area is 18,219 km². Population: 2,571,534 people.

• Lodz - one of the largest cities in Poland. Located in the center of the country, 120 kilometers southwest of Warsaw, it is the center of the Polish textile and electronics industry. The city's population is 770 thousand people.
• Other cities: Piotrkow Trybunalski, Pabianice, Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Belchatow, Zgierz

Voivodeship located in southern Poland. Center: Krakow. Population - about 3,298,270 people. The territory area is 15,108 km².

• Krakow - a city in Poland, on the left bank of the Vistula, which becomes navigable from here and hosts Rudawa here. 760 thousand inhabitants, with the nearest suburbs - 1.2 million. The second most populous city in Poland after Warsaw, slightly ahead of Lodz. Administrative center of Lesser Poland Voivodeship.
• Tarnow - a city with the rights of a poviat in Poland, part of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Covers an area of ​​72.4 km². Population - 116,109 inhabitants.
• Nowy Sacz - a city in Poland, part of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It has the status of a city district. Covers an area of ​​57.58 km². Population 84,594 people.
• Other cities: Nowy Targ, Zakopane

Voivodeship located in southwestern Poland. Population 1,037,088 people. The territory area is 9412.5 km².

• Opole - a city in Poland on the Oder River, the capital of the Opole Voivodeship. Cultural (philharmonic society, theater) and scientific (university, polytechnic institute) center of the region. Opole is one of the oldest cities in Poland. Population 128,864 people.
• Kedzierzyn-Kozle - a city in Poland, part of the Opole Voivodeship, the center of the Kedzierzyn-Kozel County (district). Covers an area of ​​123.42 km². Population 64,219 people.
• Other cities: Nysa, Brzeg, Kluczbork, Prudnik, Strzelce Opolskie

Voivodeship located in southeastern Poland, between the Vistula and San rivers, in the Sandomierz Basin and the foothills of the Carpathians. It borders on the south with Slovakia, on the east with Ukraine. Area 17.8 thousand km². Population 2,098 thousand people. The administrative center is Rzeszow.

• Rzeszow - a city in southeastern Poland, the administrative center of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Located on the Wisloka River. It is the administrative center of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Has poviat rights. Railway junction. Population 164 thousand inhabitants; in the agglomeration - 661 thousand. Area 68 km².
• Przemysl - a border town with the rights of a poviat in the south-east of Poland, located on the San River, near Ukraine - 12 km from the border. The population is about 67 thousand inhabitants. Przemysl is an important customs station on the Lviv - Krakow railway.
• Staleva-Vola - a city in Poland, part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Stałowowola County. It has the status of a city gmina. Covers an area of ​​82.41 km². Population 68,472 people.
• Mielec - a city in Poland, part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Mieleck County. Covers an area of ​​47.36 km². Population 62,954 people.
• Tarnobrzeg - a city in southeastern Poland, on the eastern bank of the Vistula. It has the status of a city district and a city commune. Covers an area of ​​85.6 km². The population is 49,419 people. It borders directly with Sandomierz.
• Other cities: Krosno, Dębica

Voivodeship located in northeastern Poland. The administrative center of the voivodeship is the city of Bialystok. The population is 1,197,610 people. The territory area is 20,180 km².

• Bialystok - a city in northeastern Poland, on the Suprasl River. Administrative center of Podlaskie Voivodeship. Population - 292,150 people.
• Suwalki - a city in Poland, part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Suwalki County. Covers an area of ​​65.24 km². Population - 69,527 people.
• Lomza - a city in Poland, part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It has the status of a city district. It has the status of a city gmina. Covers an area of ​​32.72 km². Population 62,946 people.
• Other cities: Augustow, Bielsk Podlaski, Zambrów, Grajewo, Hajnowka

Voivodeship located in northern Poland. The center and largest city is the city of Gdansk. Population 2192 thousand people.

• Gdansk - a city in northern Poland, the sixth most populous in the country (460,000 inhabitants). Together with neighboring Sopot and Gdynia, it forms the Tricity agglomeration - “Tricity” with a total population of over a million. Gdansk - major port on the Baltic Sea, a center of industry, in particular petrochemical and mechanical engineering.
• Gdynia - city ​​in northern Poland. Population - 255.3 thousand inhabitants. Together with Gdańsk and Sopot it forms the Tricity agglomeration.
• Slupsk - a city in northern Poland, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Population 104,964 inhabitants.
• Tczew - Polish city located in the lower reaches of the Vistula River upstream from Gdansk. Center of Tczew County, Pomeranian Voivodeship. It has the status of a city gmina. Covers an area of ​​22.26 km². Population 60,660 people.
• Other cities: Starogard Gdański, Wejherowo, Rumia, Sopot, Chojnice, Malbork, Kwidzyn, Lebork, Pruszcz Gdański, Kościerzyna

Voivodeship located in southeastern Poland. The center and largest city is Kielce. Population 1,281,796 people. It borders with 6 voivodeships: Mazowieckie in the north, Lublin in the east, Podkarpackie in the southeast, Lesser Poland in the south, Silesia in the southwest and Lodz in the northwest.

• Kielce - a city in central Poland, 170 kilometers south of the country's capital Warsaw. Large hub of automobile and railways. Population - 209,962 people.

Voivodeship located in southern Poland. The center and largest city is Katowice. The population is 4,654,115 people.

• Katowice - a city in southern Poland in Upper Silesia, the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship. Founded in the 19th century. The population of Katowice is 321,163 people, and a total of 3,487,000 live in the agglomeration.

Voivodeship located in western Poland. The center and largest city is Poznan. The territory area is 29,826 km². Population: 3,419,426 people.

• Poznan - a city in the central part of western Poland, on the Warta River, the administrative center of the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The fifth most populous city in Poland (607.5 thousand inhabitants).
• Kalisz - city ​​in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland. Kalisz is the oldest city in Poland. It is also the center of the Kalisz commune and a city with the rights of a poviat (city district). Covers an area of ​​70 km². Population 108,841 people. The city is located on the Prosna River.
• Konin - a city in Poland, part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship. Covers an area of ​​82 km². Population 80,355 people.
• Saw - a city in Poland, part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, Piła County. Covers an area of ​​102.68 km². Population 75,144 people.
• Ostrow Wielkopolski - a city in Poland, part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It has the status of a city gmina. Covers an area of ​​42.39 km². Population 72,672 people.
• Other cities: Gniezno, Leszno, Srem, Turek, Krotoszyn, Swarzedz, Wrzesnia, Lubon, Jarocin

Voivodeship located in northern Poland. The center and largest city is Olsztyn. Population - 1,451,700 people. The territory area is 24,173 km².

• Olsztyn - a city in northern Poland in the center of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship on the Łyna River, is the administrative center of the Voivodeship. Population: 176,387 people.
• Elk - a city in Poland, part of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Ełk County. It has the status of a city gmina. Covers an area of ​​21.07 km². Population 56,522 people.
• Elblag - a city in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland. Located near the border with Russia (Kaliningrad region), related to the cities of Kaliningrad and Baltiysk. The Elbląg Canal runs near the city. Population 123,977 people.
• Other cities: Iława, Ostróda, Giżycko, Kętrzyn, Szczytno, Bartoszyce, Mragowo

Voivodeship located in northwestern Poland. The center and largest city is Szczecin. Formed on the territory of the former Szczecin and Koszalin voivodeships. It borders in the west with Germany, in the north it is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, in the northeast - with the Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the southeast - with the Wielkopolska Voivodeship, and in the south - with the Lubusz Voivodeship. Population - 1694 thousand people. The territory area is 22,892.48 km².

• Szczecin - a city in northwestern Poland with a population of 411 thousand people, the 7th largest city in Poland, the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
• Koszalin - a city in Poland, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Located 5 km from the Baltic Sea coast. The population of the city is 109,183 people.
• Stargard-Szczecinski - a city in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland, located on the Ina River 36 km southeast of Szczecin. Population 71,017 people.
• Other cities: Kolobrzeg, Swinoujscie, Szczecinek, Police, Walcz, Bialogard, Goleniow, Gryfino

Voivodeship is the largest administrative unit in Poland. Since 1999 there have been 16 of them:

Poles believe that the current division of the country into 16 voivodeships most successfully reflects the historical destinies of the country. While quite recently, until 1998, the country was divided into 49 voivodeships. Such a huge number of regions were introduced immediately after World War II. Among Poles one can find opinions that the communists deliberately divided the country for easier control of the situation, in full accordance with the ancient principle - divide et impera. In this way, it was possible to more effectively monitor the masses and prevent popular disturbances. But let's leave this to history. He will only remember that today there are 16 of them.

Each of the regions of Poland is worth paying attention to. Among tourists, of course, the Lesser Poland Voivodeship receives the most attention, thanks to the old capital of Poland – Krakow and the most high mountains in the country - Tatras. Only a sophisticated tourist is sometimes tempted to visit the resort Masuria or the Baltic coast. Meanwhile, Poland is much wider and more interesting than already trodden paths. And why don’t we get to know the treasured and secluded corners of the country, whose language we so willingly learn.
Well, I promise you that very soon we will begin our virtual journey through the famous and not so famous corners of the Republic of Poland. I am sure that this will only add to our interest and encourage you and me in learning the Polish language.

P.S.: My short video with a map and location of each of the 16 voivodeships, as well as advice on how to remember more than half of the voivodeships with minimal effort.

The office of the voivode (governor) is located in Bydgoszcz, and the Sejmik is located in Toruń.

Almost all states are in one way or another divided into regions, districts, etc., depending on the structure of the country. In this regard, Poland is no exception. The administrative division of the state implies the division of the country into voivodeships. These units are assigned special functions of self-government. Voivodeships of Poland have their own capitals - the largest administrative centers in each region of the country.

What is a voivodeship?

Voivodeships are usually called the largest administrative units of a given state. The functions of executive power belong to the marshal. Voivodes represent the regions in the national Council of Ministers.

What are the powers of government authorities? administrative units? First of all, these are issues that are not resolved at the city and poviat levels. Voivodeships of Poland have the right to solve problems related to the distribution of funds and trade within the region. Also within their competence are issues related to education, both school and university, as well as investments.

Voivodeship capitals

Each voivodeship has its own capital. It is the largest city in the region and hosts local authorities. The center of a voivodeship in Poland is generally a cultural, economic and political center. The state, in accordance with the 1999 reform, is divided into 16 administrative units with their own capitals.

It should be said about the Warmian-Masurian voivodeship with its center in Olsztyn, Lodz with the capital Lodz, Mazowieckie with Warsaw, Opole with the city of Opole, Świętoszyski and the city of Kielce, Wielkopolski (Poznan); Lublinsky (Lublin); Lower Silesia (Wroclaw); Podlaski (Białystok); Silesian (Katowice); Pomeranian (Gdansk); West Pomeranian (Szczecin); Lubuski (Gorzow Wielkopolski and Zielona Gora); Podkarpackie (Rzeszow); Kuyavia-Pomerania (Bydgoszcz and Torun), as well as Lesser Poland (Krakow).

Historical reference

According to the original plan, it was supposed to divide the state into 12 parts, but later they took as a basis the scheme that was considered in 1975 and provided for division into 17 large regions. Thus, the 1999 reform reduced Poland’s voivodeships from 49 to 16. Moreover, a sufficient number of large cities lost their title of capital. Below you will find information about some regions of the state.

Masovian Voivodeship

The largest in the state is the Masovian Voivodeship. Poland owes its famous capital Warsaw to him. This part of the country is home to a large number of famous attractions and historical monuments. Travelers love to come to see the wonderful palaces, dense forests and villages, which offer a lot of new experiences to travelers. You can have a wonderful rest here.

The usual tourist route in the Masovian region includes visiting Płock, Wyszogród, Modlin, Mlawa, Ciechanów, as well as the castle in Czersk.

The region is the birthplace of F. Chopin and J. Kochanowski, which also attracts those who travel to Poland.

In this voivodeship there is the opportunity to plunge into the waters of rivers such as the Bug, Narew, Wkra, and also swim in the Zegrzyn Bay. The Mazowieckie region will pamper travelers with fish pate, salceson and honey beer.

Lublin Voivodeship

Voivodeships in Poland also include Lublin, or Lubelskie Voivodeship. The Poles living in this region honor guests with traditional food such as cybulaki, pralines, and you can also try raspberry and currant wine with a wonderful smell.

The capital of the voivodeship is Lublin, which has ancient history. Here you can feel like a participant in a real knightly tournament, visit the territory of the Old Market, look at the Grudskaya Brama, etc.

Do you think that it is difficult to feel the atmosphere of bygone centuries? Eastern Europe? The Lublin Voivodeship proves the opposite. Poland provides the opportunity to feel like a resident of a Medieval city. In addition to historical attractions, there are a large number of natural monuments. Just look at the forests, spurs of the Carpathian Mountains and nature reserves like Kazimierz. The feeling of the grandeur of nature will wash over you in these places, so positive emotions and aesthetic pleasure are guaranteed.

The pearl of the Lubelskie Voivodeship is considered to be monuments and places for recreation in towns, among which the sights of Naleczow, Radyn Podlasski, Chelm, Pulawy, etc. should be noted. They can become an ideal haven for those who are looking for an atmosphere of peace and also want to enjoy views of ancient architecture , learn more about Polish history, folk myths and legends.

Pomeranian Voivodeship

One of the most picturesque and attractive voivodeships for tourists is Pomeranian. Here travelers relax in boarding houses on Lake Chazhikovskoe, as well as in the valley. The traditions of the ancient Slavs-Pomors combined with the waters of the Baltic Sea are a wonderful combination for a great holiday.

The Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland) will give you the medieval tale of the Teutonic and Kwidzin), the unique atmosphere of the emerald Kashubian mountains and the sandy coast with a magnificent landscape.

You can try delicious cabbage rolls with liver and mushrooms, Kashubian dumplings, and also which the inhabitants of the voivodeship keep in the strictest confidence.

Among the interesting cities in the region are Ustka, Leba, as well as Sopot in the Tricity - one of the largest agglomerations in the country. Tourists come year after year to enjoy the beauty of the sand dunes in the Słowinsky Nature Reserve, as well as the wild Bor Tucholski, where you can go kayaking on the Brda or Vda rivers.

If you are looking for the atmosphere of a medieval Eastern European city, you should look at the old bridges in Tczew or learn more about the unusual secrets of the Kocew Fortress. Pomerania will also provide the traveler with the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the dunes and crossings in Žuławy.

It is located in southwestern Poland, bordering the voivodeships of Lubusz, Opole, and Wielkopolski. 80 km of the state border is with Germany, 432 km – with the Czech Republic. The Lower Silesian Voivodeship covers an area of ​​about 20 thousand square kilometers, which is 6.4 percent of the total area of ​​the Republic of Poland. This territory is home to about 3 million people, there are 91 cities, including three - Wroclaw, Walbrzyg, Jelenia Góra - with the rights of powiats. Almost 72 percent of the region's population lives in cities...

The voivodeship appeared on the map of Poland in 1950 as a result of the division of the Silesian-Dąbrowskie voivodeship into Opole and Katowice voivodeships. More than a million people currently live on an area of ​​about 9.5 thousand square kilometers. Located in the southwest of the country, the smallest voivodeship of Poland is “sandwiched” from the west by the Lower Silesian voivodeship, and from the east by the Silesian voivodeship. In the north it borders with the Greater Poland and Lodz voivodeships, and in the south with the Czech Republic...

This is the name of the region lying in the west of Poland and bordering the voivodeships of Opolskie, Lower Silesia, Lubuskie, West Pomerania, Pomerania, Kuyavia-Pomerania, Lodz. The Wielkopolska Voivodeship appeared within its present borders in 1999; it spreads over an area of ​​almost 30 thousand square kilometers, which is 9.5 percent of the total area of ​​the country. More than 3.4 million people live here, with most of them urban population. The biggest and main city Voivodeship – Poznań...

The Lesser Poland Voivodeship, spread over an area of ​​15 thousand 144 sq. km, divided into 22 powiats and numbering about 3 million 300 thousand inhabitants, borders on the west with the Silesian Voivodeship, on the north - with Świętokrzyski, in the east - with Podkarpackie, and in the south - with Slovakia. The capital of the voivodeship is the city of Krakow. In addition to this city, one of the most important for Poland from a historical point of view and interesting from a tourist point of view, on the territory of the voivodeship there are cities rich in attractions such as Tarnow, Nowy Sacz, Wadowice, Zakopane, Olkusz, Nowy Targ and others...

The Silesian (Śląskie) Voivodeship in Poland is an unusual region in many of its qualities. To begin with, about 4.7 million people live in a relatively small area (12.3 thousand sq. km). On a national scale, it looks like this: in terms of its territory, the Silesian Voivodeship ranks 14th, and in terms of population – 2nd place in comparison with other voivodeships. The population density is 383 people per square kilometer, with an average in Poland of 122 people/km. The next feature of the region follows from the previous one: the voivodeship is characterized by a high degree of urbanization: almost 80 percent of its population lives in cities...

The Lodz Voivodeship is located in the middle of Poland. If someone wants to visit the very center of the current Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it is enough to drive 35 kilometers north of Lodz to the village of Piątek. The voivodeship is home to about 2.5 million people and its area is more than 18 thousand square kilometers. There are 44 cities in this territory, including the capital of the voivodeship - Lodz with a population of 737 thousand people. This number of residents puts the city in third place in the Republic of Poland after Warsaw and Krakow. But quite recently, back in the nineties of the last century, only Warsaw was ahead of Lodz...

The Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship is located in south-eastern Poland. It appeared relatively recently - in 1999, when administrative reform was carried out in Poland and voivodships were enlarged. Then the lands of the neighboring voivodeships of Tarnobrzeg, Częstochowa, Piotrkowski and Radom were added to the former Kielce Voivodeship. But even after such a generous allocation of foreign territories, the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship remains one of the smallest. It covers 116,672 square kilometers, which is only 3.7 percent of the entire territory of Poland. 1 million 289 thousand people live here, that is, 3.4 percent of the country's population. The boundaries of the voivodeship are marked by rivers - in the southeast and east by the Vistula River, in the west by the Pilica River. The center and largest city is Kielce...

Subcarpathian Voivodeship is an administrative division of Poland, one of 16 voivodeships created in 1999. The region covers an area of ​​17,846 km2 and ranks 11th in the country. In terms of population (2,103,505 people), the region is in 9th place in Poland...

Poland was divided into voivodeships in the Middle Ages. Their names and quantities changed periodically. Now nothing has changed for many years. To understand geographical position Poland, you need to know which sides certain voivodeships are on.

Let's start with the fact that this is the administrative unit of a specific district in Polish state. To make it clearer, this is the same as our regions or provinces. Each Voivodeship solves the problems of its own district only. It can be financial questions, education, investment, population accommodation, etc.

By the way, each voivodeship has its own capital - a city in which the self-government body, the Sejm and the voivode are located. The Kuyavian-Pomeranian and Lubuskie voivodeships are especially worth noting. These administrative units have two capitals, one of which contains the voivode, and the other the self-government body and the Sejm. Thus, in Bydgoszcz in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship there is a voivode, and in Torun there is a Sejm and self-government bodies. But in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, the voivode is located in the city of Gorzow Wielkopolski, and the Sejm and self-government bodies are located in the city of Zielona Gora. The capitals of the remaining voivodeships of Poland can be found on the map.

A little history

Today, the Republic of Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships, but this number of administrative units was not always there. Their number varied from 49 to 14. The largest number of voivodeships in Poland - 49, existed from 1975 to 1998. The smallest number of voivodeships - 14, existed in the period from 1946 to 1950.

From 1582 to 1634, there were 34 voivodeships in Poland, in 1634 another one appeared, and all 35 voivodeships existed until 1660. Afterwards, two voivodeships were abolished and until 1768 Poland was divided into 33 administrative units.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War Poland began to recover and come to its senses again. But at the end of the war in 1945, there were 11 voivodeships in the country, and in 1946 there were already 10, then 14, then 17 and 49. And only in 1999, the country’s authorities carried out an administrative reform, according to which the Republic of Poland was divided into 16 voivodeships.

Lublin (Lubelskie) Voivodeship

The capital of this voivodeship is the city of Lublin. He has an ancient and interesting story. Knight tournaments often take place here. There is also an Old Market in Lublin, where citizens can buy any item they like. Sometimes there are very good discounts.

In Lublin and the cities closest to it, food such as tsybulyaki is in demand. This is a flatbread in which poppy seeds and onions are wrapped. Sometimes other ingredients are added to taste. The result is a flavorful and original dish. Pralines are also often served at the table in Lublin. This is ground ginger fried in sugar. It has an amazing bittersweet taste.

Lublin has many medieval monuments, beautiful forests, the Carpathian Mountains and nature reserves. Tourists often come here to admire the local attractions.

Greater Poland Voivodeship

This Voivodeship is considered the second largest in Poland and the third largest in terms of population. There is an unusually colorful culture, amazing Baroque architecture and many other attractions.

There are 109 cities in this Voivodeship. The largest of them are Poznan, Leszno, Konin. The population of the Voivodeship is very large, but a quarter of the land is covered by forests. Also in this area there are almost 1000 lakes, not only small, but also large.

Subcarpathian Voivodeship

This region was created back in 1999. It ranks 9th in terms of population. This is a tourist region where citizens from all over the world come. It is believed that the most favorable conditions are here climatic conditions for recovery.

There are more than 70 nature reserves and 10 natural parks here. Subcarpathian Voivodeship is one of the cleanest regions and there are a lot of resorts. That's why many tourists come here.

Masovian Voivodeship

This is one of the large regions. The capital of Masovian Voivodeship is Warsaw. There are a lot of historical monuments and attractions here. There are many beautiful palaces, pure forests and ancient villages in the Masovian Voivodeship.

Pomeranian Voivodeship

The most picturesque Voivodeship. There is Lake Chazhikovskoe, for which not only residents of the country, but also tourists often come. Citizens stay in clean and comfortable boarding houses.

Tourists also come here for the sand dunes, where they can relax and have fun. You can visit cities such as Gdansk, Gdynia or Lebu. These are ancient and very beautiful places.

Opole Voivodeship

This is a very small region of all. However, he has something to brag about to his brothers. Opole is the capital of the Voivodeship. There are many cities here that are famous for trade and wonderful things that you can buy as souvenirs.

There are many interesting sights in the Opole Voivodeship. This is the town hall Cathedral, monasteries, temples, tower, rivers. The capital itself often hosts festivals of Polish music. All of the above attractions are a godsend for tourists.

Major cities of Polish voivodeships

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