Lubuskie

Lubuskie cow, Ziemia Lubuska, western Poland

Lubusz Province - Lebus - Lubuskie - Ziema Lubuska

The Lubuskie region (Lebus, Lubusz, Ziemia Lubuska) lies in the western part of Poland and borders with Germany. It extends from the Polish / German border to the east from the Oder and Nysa Luzycka rivers.
Lubuskie's two main cities, Gorzow Wielkopolski and Zielona Gora, are within a couple hours drive of Berlin, Germany. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is 450 km. away to the east.

The province of Lubuskie covers an area of 13,984 sq. km. (five times bigger than Luxemburg!), and has just over 1 million inhabitants. The population density in this region is low and amounts to 73 people per 1 sq. km. The biggest centres of population are Gorzow Wielkopolski (126,000), Zielona Gora (119,000), Nowa Sol (42,000), and Zary (41,000).

Over the centuries Lubuskie has been influenced by Prussian, German, Czech, and Polish cultures and traditions. This history is today reflected in a large number of monuments from different periods, cultures and traditions. Lubuskie has often been described as a cultural melting pot because after the German population were expelled from what was largely the Prussian province of Brandenburg in 1945 their place was taken by Poles from various parts of Poland, bringing with them traditions from all over Poland and most especially the Lwow area which is now Ukraine.

Over half of Lubuskie's territory is covered by forests owned by the state. Notable forests in Lubuskie are: Notecka, Barlinecki, Drawsko and the Lower Silesian forest. Some of the species of trees growing in these forests include: pine, birch, larch, alder, maple, spruce, poplar, hornbeam, oak, beech, ash and lime. The oldest tree in Poland, a 730 year old oak, can also be found in Lubuskie. The forests are full of wild mushrooms.

Areas of exceptional natural interest constitute as much as 40% of the region, including over 50 nature reserves and 7 landscape parks. Because of the unspoilt and undeveloped nature of most of Lubuskie, the region abounds with interesting fauna and flora. Visitors to Lubuskie might well come across animals such as roe and fallow deer, wild boar, hare, otters, and even elk, bison, and wolves. Birdwatchers will delight in the huge numbers of birds which can be seen in Lubuskie. These birds include the white stork, black stork, black grouse, wood grouse, corncrake, white tailed eagle, black woodpecker, and some rare species of owl. One of the largest bat reserves in Europe can be found at the Nietoperek bat reserve.

There are also a large number of lakes, where one can spend time sunbathing, fishing, swiming, canoeingand kayaking, diving, or sailing. The best of these lakes are in Lubniewice and Lagow. Every year Lubuskie plays host to major cultural events such as the Lagow Film festival, Grape Harvesting in Zielona Gora and the Woodstock Music Festival in Kostrzyn. Lubuskie is home to a number of interesting clubs including Polonia Cricket Club and the International 4x4 Off Road Club.

Lubuskie also boasts a number of very good hotels, guest houses, and campsites. Or if one prefers it is possible to stay with a Polish family either on one of the many farms in the region or even rent a room in a house or apartment of a Polish family. This type of accommodation sometimes includes additional attractions such as traditional Polish food, horse riding facilities, archery, carp fishing, or Polish language tuition.

Lubuskie is also home to many historical monuments and places of interest. Some of the many visitor attractions include: castles, palaces, manor houses, ancient churches and cathedrals, Jewish cemeteries and synagogues, Second World War German camps and fortifications, skansens, and numerous interesting museums.