Sandomierz is without a doubt the most beautiful town in the whole Świetokrzyskie province. Founded in times of a legendary Sudomir, the settlement served a vital role at a beginning of the polish state back in Xth and a XIth century. It was called one of the main residence of kings together with Cracow and Wrocław. Later it expanded with patronage of princes and kings from the Piast and Jagiellonian dynasties.
Sandomierz sits like a crown on loess hills over the queen of polish rivers – Vistula that played a central role in development of a town into a trade centre and a port of inland sailing. Along with the fertile soil surrounding the town, like black earth, it brought wealth to this royal administrative centre.
Often called Little Rome where, in a quite small area, twelve churches were raising over roofs of houses. A romansque masterpiece Saint Jacob church amid them with a stunning portal – so called Gates of Heaven. There is also a soaring body of a gothic cathedral established by king Casimir the Great with byzantine-style frescos paid by other crowned ruler Władyslaw Jagiełło.
Notable polish figures lived in Sandomierz, like a chronicler Wincenty Kadłubek or Marcin from Urzędów, author of one of the first herbarium in a country. A composer who made first attempts to connect melody to lyrics, Mikołaj Gomółka was born here. A well-known medieval historian Jan Długosz erected a house for mansionaries. And last not least is Father Mathew – a TV series detective who solved crimes in the town. We can still find here sites and objects connected to those people.
Sandomierz reflects history of Poland with its ups and downs, times of wealth and times of hardship. Destroyed many times but also miraculously saved on a numerous occasions it fully deserves the fame it has.
Beside the afro mentioned churches there are more landmark sites to visit with a tour guide. For example, the gorgeous loess gorge of Saint Jadwiga, the Gate to Opatów, Opatowska street, town square and an underground passage made by linking old basements that once served merchants as storage room for their goods.