There
is no other such a unique and exotic place in Europe like the
Biebrza valley, extremely vast, streaked with peat bogs, swamps,
leafy forests and flood waters. This place is so rare thanks
to its natural value and superb scenery.
If you have wandered through this kingdom of peat bogs with
islands of dry-ground forests and forest ranges; if you have
taken a boat on the flood waters of the Biebrza River and in
summer entered a maze of a thousand meanders; and finally if
you have been taken in by the beauty of russet sedge meadows
and golden birch woods - you will come back here!... In its
history, after the Jatzvingian tribe had been destroyed, the
proglacial stream valley of the Biebrza River was colonized
by Mazovians from the south and by Russians from the east. The
northern edges of the river valley were a natural border with
the Teutonic Order's country, while its eastern part, together
with the whole areaof Suwałki Region, belonged to the Grand
Duchy of Lithuania. The southern ends of the Biebrza valley
were controlled by the Polish king. During the partitions of
Poland the valley was divided between Prussia and Russia. After
the Vienna Congress, the Prussian part was incorporated into
the Kingdom of Poland, and the left-bank valley - into the Russian
Empire.
During the times of Polish national uprisings and both World
Wars this region was famous for the activity of armed resistance
movement. That period was filled with fights, battles as well
as the pacification and extermination of the local people by
the enemy forces. For many years of the Polish People's Republic
scientists, sightseers, and all people of good will had been
struggling to preserve the Biebrza valley for future generations.
Finally, in1989 Biebrza Landscape Park was established, which
later in1993 was changed into Biebrza National Park. The northern
part of it, situated in the Augustów region, stretches from
Lipsk to the place where the Netta and Biebrza Rivers join and
to the Red Marsh range. In this way, it constitutes the southern
ends of Suwałki Region. Several historical sites with valuable
monuments can be found here, for example Rajgród, Lipsk, Sztabin,
or Krasnybór. This part of Biebrza National Park is well worth
a visit.
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The
Biebrza valley
- info
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The
southeast edges of Suwałki Region are occupied by the upper Biebrza
valley. It is a part of Biebrza National Park (from the Niedˇwiedzica
River confluence to the Biebrza). This fragment of Biebrza area
is best visited from the town of Lipsk, the commune village of Sztabin,
and Rajgród town from where it is easy to get to the biggest reserve
in Poland - Czerwone Bagno (the Red Peat-Bog).
It is good to explore the Biebrza valley by car. A road to Lipsk,
through Krasnybór, Sztabin, Jaminy and from Dębowo to Goniądz (outside
Suwałki Region) crosses Augustów area. Along the valley runs a marked
green tourist trail. There are bus connections between the mentioned
towns and villages and Augustów. From Białystok via Sztabin there
goes the international road E8 to Lithuania (through the border
crossing in Budzisko).
Dębowo
- the first sluice from the south on the Augustów Canal route, built
in 1827. Tel. to the sluice guard: 641 30 27
Jaminy - a big village with an old, parish church. It is
the oldest wooden sacral building in Augustów Region, built about
1780. Telephones: the parish - 641 30 16, the post office - 641
30 16
Krasnybór - a village with a Gothic-Renaissance church from
the end of the 16th century, which is the oldest sacral monument
in Suwałki Region. In the nearby cemetery - cast-iron tombstones
from Sztabin ironworks of count Karol Brzostowski, the creator of
the so-called Sztabin Republic. Telephones: the parish - 641 40
12, the post office - 641 40 50, the health care center - 641 40
11
Lipsk - a town by the Biebrza, 2700 inhabitants, the seat
of the Town and the Commune Council (tel. 642 30 21). A pharmacy
and health care center (tel. 642 30 26), Bank Spółdzielczy (tel.
642 30 11), the parish (tel. 642 37 13), the post office (tel. 642
30 48), the police station (tel. 642 30 07), a restaurant "Biebrzanka"
(tel. 642 30 17), a watering-place, a campsite and a kayak rental.
Rajgród - a town on Lake Rajgrodzkie, 1700 inhabitants, in
the 13th century a Jatzvingian stronghold. Since 1566 - civic rights.
A holiday village, the seat of the Town and Commune Council. A good
starting point for trips to the middle Biebrza valley, especially
to the Czerwone Bagno reserve and Ełk Lakeland. In the town: a pharmacy
and health care center, a bank, a police station, a restaurant and
hotels "Gród" and "Raj", agrotourist houses, a car service station,
a filling station, shops, craft service, water equipment rental.
A
green tourist trail (hiking and biking) - Lipsk - Krasnybór
- Sztabin - Jaminy - Gabowe Grądy - Białobrzegi - Augustów (78 km).
A
kayak route - from Lipsk, along the Biebrza to the junction
with the Augustów Canal and next along the Canal to Augustów (88,5
km).
A sightseeing driving route - Augustów - Lipsk - Sztabin
- Jaminy - Dębowo sluice - Wrotki - Gabowe Grądy (a village of Old-Believers)
- Białobrzegi - Augustów (140 km).
The
Park's Administration address:
19-110 Goniądz, Wojska Polskiego 72, tel./fax (086) 272 06
20, tel. 272 06 21
Tourist information center at Goniądz: tel./fax (086)
272 07 85
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