Fact 1: Home to the largest castle in the world
Poland is home to the largest castle worldwide. The Malbork Castle, built in the 13th century by the Order of Teutonic Knights, is a classic example of a medieval fortress. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that spreads over a massive 21 hectares, making Disney's Cinderella castle appear almost modest.
Fact 2: Birthplace of world-renowned scientists and mathematicians
Poland is the birthplace of Marie Curie, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, and Nicolaus Copernicus, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at its center. Poland is also the birthplace for many renowned mathematicians like Stefan Banach and Benoit Mandelbrot.
Fact 3: Inventor of the most significant weapon of World War II
While World War II was a dark period in Poland’s history, it's noteworthy that a Pole, Marian Rejewski, is credited for first breaking the German Enigma machine code—a development vital to the outcome of the war.
Fact 4: Poland is the world's largest exporter of Amber
Poland has the world's largest deposits of amber, also known as 'Baltic gold', and is the leading global exporter. Gdańsk, a city in northern Poland, is particularly known for its Amber trade as well as the annual international amber fair, Amberif.
Fact 5: The oldest restaurant in Europe is found in Poland
Piwnica Swidnicka, located in Wrocław, is the oldest restaurant in Europe. It has been serving customers since 1275.
Fact 6: Poland has the highest number of Nobel laureates
Poland holds the record for having the highest number of Nobel laureates, including four Peace Prizes and five in Literature. Poles have won a total of 17 Nobel Prizes.
Fact 7: It has an annual pierogi festival
Poland hosts an annual Pierogi (Polish dumplings) Festival in Krakow. This popular food event celebrates the country’s love for pierogis, with a variety of fillings that go way beyond the traditional mushrooms or meat.
Fact 8: Polish is deemed one of the hardest languages for English speakers
Those attempting to master the Polish language may find it quite a challenge. Linguists have claimed that Polish is one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn due to its complex polish grammar and pronunciation.
Fact 9: World's first oil refinery was built in Poland
In 1856, the world's first oil refinery was constructed in the Polish town of Ulaszowice by Ignacy Łukasiewicz, an influential Polish pharmacist and inventor.
Fact 10: A forest with crooked trees
Poland has a forest known as the Crooked Forest where about 400 pine trees grow with a strange, identical bend at their base. There are various theories regarding why the trees grow this way, but the genuine reason remains a mystery.
Fact 11: It’s home to Europe's last ancient forest
Poland is home to the Bialowieza Forest which is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the primeval forest that once covered much of Europe. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Fact 12: Poland has an official day for notable personalities
Poland celebrates some of its notable personalities with official days. For example, May 3rd is Constitution Day, and November 24th is Fibonacci Day, celebrating the Italian mathematician Leonardo Bonacci, known as Fibonacci, who has Polish roots.
Fact 13: Poland is a country of popular festivals
Poland holds some of the world's biggest festivals, including Open'er Festival, Woodstock Festival Poland, and Krakow Film Festival. This reflects the country's love for music, film, and the arts.
Fact 14: Poland boasts the second oldest constitution in the world
After the United States, Poland is the country with the second oldest constitution in the world, ratified in 1791.
Fact 15: Poland has Europe's highest number of storks
Around one-third of Europe's storks live in Poland during the summer. It's considered good luck if a stork nests near your home, making it a welcome sight for many Polish residents.
Fact 16: Poland has a highly diverse landscape
Poland is known for its diverse landscape, including sandy beaches along the Baltic Sea, lake districts with over 2,000 lakes, the Carpathian and Sudeten Mountains, and vast forests, including the previously mentioned Bialowieza Forest.
Fact 17: Famous tradition of “Wigilia” Christmas Eve dinner
Poles have a tradition called Wigilia, a meat-free 12-course Christmas Eve dinner. The meal begins when the first star appears in the sky and consists of meals like beetroot soup (barszcz), carp, pierogi, and poppyseed cake (makowiec).
Fact 18: Poland has a Bear Cave
No, not a cave full of living bears, but one that contains the bones of cave bears who lived during the Pleistocene. The Bear Cave, or Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia, is the longest cave in the Sudetes mountains and is filled with gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites.
Fact 19: A country of inventors
Poles have invented several items we use daily. The bulletproof vest was invented by Jan Szczepanik, while Jerzy Hoffman invented the kerosene lamp.
Fact 20: Poland has the highest mountain between the Alps and the Ural Mountains
Poland’s Rysy mountain, standing at over 2500 meters high, holds this record. Despite not being as high as some in the old continent, the view from the top is breathtaking.