LEGENDS THAT GROW UP WITH US Every country has its own stories that children grow up with, but in Poland legends are almost like an extra member of the family. They appear at bedtime, in school readers, at grandparents’ homes, on school trips and family holidays. They explain where cities came from, why certain places …
A folk hero born in the heart of Kraków Every old city keeps a few secrets, and Kraków guards one of my favorite ones. Locals still tell the story of Pan Twardowski, a bold alchemist who dreamed bigger than everyone else on the market square. He wanted gold from ordinary metal and youth that never …
A city tale that still tingles the spine If you walk the tighter streets of Warsaw’s Old Town and feel a tiny chill, don’t blame the wind off the Vistula. Locals will tell you it’s the whisper of the Basilisk, the city’s most goosebump-worthy legend. It’s not a horror story for gore’s sake. It’s about …
A friendly hello from the “Mermaid City” Warsaw is often called the Mermaid City for a reason. The Syrenka Warszawska sits on the city’s coat of arms, glows on street lanterns, and watches the Vistula from more than one pedestal. But beyond the postcards there’s a living story. The legend mixes a bit of sea-salt, …
A timeless origin story told in a fresh voice Every nation keeps a story in its pocket about where it came from. In Poland, that story often begins with three brothers who rode out of a deep Slavic forest to look for new homes and a better tomorrow. Their names were Lech, Czech and Rus, …
A story that still breathes fire If you stroll along the Vistula River in Kraków and look up at Wawel Hill, it’s easy to feel a little bit of magic in the air. Locals will tell you about a dragon that once nested under the castle. The tale sounds old-fashioned, but it’s strangely modern too. …