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Czestochowa

By some considered the religious capital of Poland, Czestochowa is a popular tourist destination and can be easily reached from Krakow. Cracow and Czestochowa are also linked by the 'Eagle Nests Trail' (Szlak Orlich Gniazd), a tourist route running through the so-called Eagle-Nest Castles, part of a medieval defense line of the Polish borders.

The Jasna Gora Sanctuary in Czestochowa

The quarter-million town of Czestochowa is usually associated with the Jasna Gora, a Pauline monastery, considered one of the holiest places in Poland by Catholics. The monastery was created in 1382, and, after it had been raided a few times, turned into a fortress in the first half of the 17^th century. Several years later during the so-called Swedish Deluge (a time between 1655 and 1660 when the Swedes invaded and occupied Poland), the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa was one of the first places in Poland to successfully repulse a Swedish siege, and, though the victory wasn't important military-wise, it gave a boost to the Polish nation's morale and is considered a major turning point of the war.

The Black Madonna of Czestochowa

The most prized possession of the Jasna Gora Sanctuary in Czestochowa is the holy Black Madonna of Czestochowa (Matka Boska Częstochowska or Czarna Madonna in Polish), an icon of the Virgin Mary, supposedly painted by Luke the Apostle himself, and, after a long journey through Constantinople and Rus' it finally reached Czestochowa in the 15^th century. The actual date of the creation of the painting is difficult to determine, as the Black Madonna was ineptly renovated in the medieval times.

Considered miraculous, the icon of the Black Madonna is one of the most recognized symbols of Poland. Each year, as many as 4 million pilgrims visit the Jasna Gora Monastery to witness the painting.

Other Facts about Czestochowa

Czestochowa was also the location for World Youth Day in 1991. 1.6 million young people gathered there to celebrate their faith with pope John Paul II. The pope himself was very fond of Czestochowa and visited the Monastery six times during his pontificate.

Apart from the Monastery, there are some other things in Czestochowa worth seeing, notably the Old Town district or the Ulica 7 Kamienic (7 Tenements Street) with a few nice 19^th century preserved buildings.

Getting from Krakow to Czestochowa

To get from Krakow to Czestochowa you need to drive the A4 freeway to Myslowice and then turn right to the E75 (road no. 1). The 142 kilometer road takes about 2 hours.

Direct trains from the Krakow Train Station leave a few times a day (7:11a.m., 9:05a.m., 2:06p.m., and a few times between 5 and 9p.m.). The trip takes under 2.5 hours.

Buses from the Krakow Bus Station leave slightly more often than once an hour and they get to Czestochowa in 2-2.5 hours.