Did you know that Masuria is not the Land of a Thousand Lakes? Do you realize that bisons, wild horses and storks make their home in this part of Poland? We have prepared 10 little-known facts about this extraordinary place.
There are approximately 2,600 lakes in Masuria, which is almost 3 times more than previously thought. I wonder how many days it would take to see them all.
The largest lake in Poland is located in Masuria. This is, of course, Śniardwy, with an area of 113.8 km2. In the Land of Great Lakes there is also the longest lake in Poland, Jeziorak, which is approximately 27.45 km long.
Tarpans are a species of wild horses that became extinct over 200 years ago and once inhabited the forest areas of Europe. Fortunately, today you can still meet the descendants of these wild animals. Where to look for them? On the Popielin Peninsula, where 4 herds of Polish horses live in natural conditions.
Apart from wonderful landscapes, Masuria is also rich in places that have become a permanent part of Poland's history. Two objects worth the attention of every historian are certainly the area of Grunwald, where the memorable battle took place in 1410, and the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters located in the middle of the forest.
Although pyramids are mainly associated with Egypt, one can also be found in Poland. In Masuria, in the town of Rapa, there is the tomb of the family of Baron Friedrich von Fahrenheit. Modeled on the Egyptian pyramids, it is almost 16 meters high.
The International Screaming Contest has been held in the town of Gołdap in Masuria for over 20 years. This event is one of the few competitions of this type in the world. All you need to do is shout to the special equipment for 5 seconds. The best results exceeded the value of 138 dB.
The small Masurian town of Żywkowo was called the stork village. Every year, nearly 100 storks come to this charming place, and twice as many fly away in autumn.
Can you be in three places at the same time? Theoretically, yes, Masuria is the northernmost point of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, where the borders of three countries meet - Lithuania, Russia and Poland.
There is a Bison Breeding Center in the Borecka Forest in Masuria. It is the second largest center of this type in Poland.
For some, the origin of the name "Masuria" may be a surprise. The word comes from the prefix "maz-", which meant "to tar" (formerly the noun "maź" meant tar). By combining the prefix "maz-" with the suffix "-ur", a term was created for tar makers living in forest areas in this region, and it is from them that the name Masuria comes from.