Poland: History's crossroads recast as tourist hot spot

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Malbork, a particularly fine example of a medieval brick castle, fell into decay, but was meticulously restored in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After suffering severe damage in WWII, it was once again restored, using the detailed documentation prepared by earlier conservators.

Malbork Castle is the most complete and elaborate example of a Gothic brick castle complex built in the distinctive style of the Teutonic Order, a style that developed independently of the contemporary castles of Western Europe and the Near East.

The castle consists of three separate castles - the High, Middle and Lower Castles - separated by multiple dry moats and towers, and once housed approximately 3,000 knights.

The castle is also strategically positioned by the River Nogat, which gives it a breathtakingly picturesque appearance.

But according to our guide and interpreter Piotr Karpinski, one of Poland's best areas is the ancient city of Krakow, which is among those rare cities in Europe where the medieval town is still the vital heart of the modern metropolis.

Karpinski says to walk Krakow's streets is to take a journey through the ages, seeing the city through its many layers: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Modernist. The city contains an impressive 6,000 historic buildings and monuments, and Krakow's Old Town is on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List.

The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum, preserved as a reminder of one of humankind's darkest periods, was a Nazi concentration and extermination camp where more than 1 million people were killed. Exhibits include piles of shoes, suitcases and hair from victims. The site in southern Poland is the location of the famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work will make you free") gate and has been visited by millions who think history is important to remember, Karpinski says.

chenyingqun@chinadaily.com.cn