Jurassic’s Gate is how to catch a balance in Częstochowa

The location of Częstochowa is attractive not only because of the natural resources that shaped the industry in this area for centuries, or thanks to the city bypass as part of the TEN-T Baltic–Adriatic network. The city naturally opens the way to the exceptionally beautiful world of caves, Jurassic monadnocks, springs emanating from the rocks, beech forests and picturesque Eagles' Nests.

Kraków-Częstochowa Jurassic, as well as Częstochowa itself, have still undiscovered tourist potential. The location encourages sports, recreation, and active forms of tourism, but also to get acquainted with the turbulent history of Jurassic ruins.

App for outdoor activities fans

To facilitate the use of the benefits of the region, the city has created a mobile map application: The gate to the Jurassic (PL Brama na Jurę) – for cycling fans (Android and iOS). The application allows you to use ready-made, proposed bicycle routes, but also to designate your own, with a defined level of difficulty. Thanks to navigation, we can set a bicycle route in three available modes: tourist, urban and road. In addition, it will show us the altitude profile, enable saving and sharing the route with other users and downloading the gpx track directly to the phone. On the map, we will find the best suggestions for trips around Częstochowa – inscribed in the landscape of Jura. The journey will be facilitated by the described landmarks along with photos.

From the application, we will also learn how many calories we will burn by choosing a specific route, how much we will save on fuel or how much less CO2 we will emit into the atmosphere by choosing this ecological means of transport. In addition to the application there is a dedicated website that has the same functionalities as the application and also allows you to create a route, save it and send it to the application.

Kraków-Częstochowa Jurassic

The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland is a part of the Silesian-Kraków Upland, formed by a vast slab of Upper Jurassic limestone, rising on average from 300 m above sea level in the area of Częstochowa, up to 400-500 m above sea level near Kraków. From the north, the Jurassic views are shaped by the gorge of the Warta Valley. Certainly, one of the greatest phenomena in the Jura is caves, over 1,700 of which have been inventoried here, karst valleys, hollows without surface outflows, numerous springs (including the springs of the Warta and Pilica rivers), as well as picturesque white monadnocks, i.e. hills created as a result of weathering processes and erosion, which are the remnants of a larger rock mass.

The interesting relief and the associated variability of the ground and microclimate, in the process lasting since the ice age, have conditioned the emergence of extremely rich and diverse vegetation – over 1,500 species of flowers grow here, which is almost half of the Polish flora. Endemic plant species also grow here. Jura is also a paradise for fauna lovers – 70% of species living in Poland can be found here, from elk to beavers, kingfishers and bats, of which there are as many as nineteen species.

In addition to the richness of nature and landscapes shaped on the bottom of the Jurassic seas, there is also a historical heritage, relics of old settlements, monuments of architecture and art, and historic green complexes.

Trail of the eagle's nests

It is one of the longest and most beautiful tourist trails in Poland. The trail is 164 km long and runs through two provinces: Lesser Poland and Silesia. Kraków and Częstochowa are "connected" by this route, so it is very easy to get from one point to another. The trail owes its mysterious name to the location of defensive castles, located high and difficult to access. We can find monuments of defensive architecture here, which we will not see in such an intensity anywhere else in the world. Most of them are royal strongholds founded in the 14th century by Casimir the Great; others are fortified noble residences, but we can also find archaeological settlements dating back to the period of shaping Polish statehood.

However, it is not only the military architecture that determines the cultural heritage of the Upland. It also has a huge number of significant historic buildings, representing all stylish epochs.

The Trail of the Eagles' Nests is a place that history fans must visit at least once in their lives, but it's certainly not enough. Fortunately, living in Częstochowa, you have all this at your fingertips.  It is possible to ride a bike along the trail, climb, explore caves, practice Nordic walking, or go skiing. Horseback riding trips are also very popular, and the extensive network of stud farms does not allow you to get lost in the uniquely beautiful landscape. There is a well-developed accommodation and agritourism base here. The trail is wellmarked, and any additional information can be obtained from the network of tourist information points. The Trail of the Eagles' Nests, managed by the Association of Jurassic Communes, received the Golden Certificate of the Polish Tourist Organization, becoming the best tourist product in Poland.

Author: Anna Tymoshenko, Head of the Investor Assistance Center in Częstochowa.

Translation: Magdalena Wytrzymała

This article comes from magazine:
FOCUS ON Business #12 September-October (5/2023)