Zywiec

www.zywiec.pl

GPS: 49°41'09,0'' 19°12'50,3''

Zywiec is a town in southern Poland. It is situated in valley in the forks of river Koszarawa and Soła.

It has rich history of more than seventy years. Town was private property of the kin of Komorovsky and Wielopolsky since the times of King Kazimierz Jagiellońsky until the year 1945; in years 1883 ? 1939 it was a property of kin of the Hapsburgs. In the year 1967 Zywiec got new form thanks to reconstruction of dam Zywiec lake. Town is known especially for Zywiec beer whose tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, for its burgher?s traditions, rich mountaineering culture, keeping and developing of folk trades, traditions, songs and dancing. Zywiec is an important tourist centre of Beskydy, centre of summer and winter sports.

Places of interest:

- Gothic cathedral of Holy Virgin Mary

- Saint crucifix church

- St. Mark Church

- Castle of the first half of the 15th century (kin of Komorowski)

- Palace of the Hapsburgs

- Medieval square with stony Bell tower

- Historical town-hall

- Burgher houses

- Museum

- Chinese house

- Brewery

Leisure time:

- Educational library

- Town cultural centre

- Cinema Janosik

- Dam lake

- Three mountain tourist paths

- Riding houses

- Swimming pools

- Sports halls

- Tennis courts

- Ski resorts

- Ski lifts

Tip:

Museum of beer in Zywiec

Museum was opened in the year 2006 on the occasion of 150th anniversary of brewery establishment by Frederyk the Hapsburg. Visitor is transferred by ?time machine? to the years of brewery establishment to return slowly in the end to the real time. Great sound distribution of rooms enables good listening to all commentaries. Everyone likes the Zywiec beer after the return and half-litre bottle is taken for granted as a souvenir too. Over short period of its existence the annual attendance reaches to more than 100 thousand visitors.