Białystok, Poland

Białystok (Poland) — all about the city, Białystok landmarks with photos and descriptions, the most interesting tourist routes on the map.

The City of Białystok (Poland)

Białystok (Polish: Białystok, Lithuanian: Balstogė) is a city in northeastern Poland, situated on the banks of the Supraśl River. It is the largest city in this part of the country, with a population of nearly 300,000 inhabitants.

Białystok is often called the green lungs of Poland, thanks to its location amidst picturesque forests and lakes. Indeed, due to its setting in an ecologically clean and beautiful natural area, the city is perfect for nature lovers and hikers.

History

The first mentions of the city date back to the first half of the 15th century. The lands where Białystok is located then belonged to the Masovian dukes and the Teutonic Order.

A century later, the city came into the possession of the Wiesiołowski family, who built a castle and the first church here. Yet another century later (after the death of the last representative of the Wiesiołowski family), the city and lands passed under the rule of the King of Poland, until they eventually went to the Branicki family. The subsequent flourishing and development of Białystok is associated with the name of this family. The Branickis built a magnificent palace here, inviting artists, sculptors, and scientists.

At the end of the 18th century, after the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the city was annexed by Prussia. But just a few decades later, under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit, the Białystok region was transferred to the Russian Empire. The city became a center of the textile industry, rapidly growing and developing.

In 1920, Białystok was returned to Poland, where it remained for a short time. In September 1939, according to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, German troops left the city, handing it over to the control of the USSR, after which Białystok was annexed to the Byelorussian SSR. In 1941, German troops occupied the city again. Białystok was liberated by the Red Army in 1944. That same year, the city was finally returned to Poland.

Currently, Białystok is the administrative center of the Podlaskie Voivodeship and the largest city in the region. A large Belarusian community lives here, as well as Ukrainians, Russians, and Roma. Białystok is also one of the centers of the Polish Orthodox Church.

Hotels in the city on the map

Shopping and purchases in Białystok

For shopping enthusiasts, Białystok offers extensive opportunities. Large shopping centers and outlets operate in the city and its surroundings. Here are some of them:

• Galeria Alfa, Świętojańska 15, 15-277 Białystok

• Galeria Zielone Wzgórza, Wrocławska 20, 15-644 Białystok

• Galeria M, 1000-lecia Państwa Polskiego 8B, 15-111 Białystok

• Outlet Białystok, Władysława Wysockiego 67, 15-168 Białystok

• Atrium Biała, Czesława Miłosza 2, 15-265 Białystok

• CH Panorama, Legionowa 9, 15-281 Białystok

Maps of Białystok with interesting routes

The most interesting tourist routes in Białystok on the map

The Branicki Route

Stroll along the route of the legendary noblemen who owned Białystok for several centuries and largely defined the city’s architecture and its development.

Main landmarks of the route:

• Branicki Palace (Jana Kilińskiego 1, 15-087 Białystok)

• Parish Church (Kościelna 2, 15-087 Białystok)

• Kościuszko Market Square (there you can see the monastery and the town hall; Rynek Kościuszki 5, 15-091 Białystok)

• Guest Palace (Pałacyk Gościnny, Jana Kilińskiego 6, 15-087 Białystok)

Wooden Houses Route

Remnants of wooden architecture in Białystok from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The wooden houses were mostly single-story, with an attic covered by a gable roof and ceramic tiles.

• Młynowa, Białystok

• Koszykowa, Białystok

• Wiktorii, Białystok

• Słonimska, Białystok

• Stary Rynek, 15-001 Białystok

• Świętojańska 17, 15-277 Białystok

Historic Center Route

The route through the historic center of Białystok will take 30-40 minutes and includes almost all of its most important landmarks: the amazing parish church, the city’s main cathedral dedicated to St. Nicholas, and others.

• Piękna 3, 15-282 Białystok

• Jana Kilińskiego

• Rynek Sienny, 15-288 Białystok

• Warszawska

• Rynek Kościuszki

Religious Buildings Route

Along this route, you will see interesting religious buildings of the city.

• Trawiasta 5, 15-161 Białystok

• Michała Sopoćki 1, 15-114 Białystok

• Władysława Sikorskiego 9, 15-667 Białystok

• Księdza Arcybiskupa Romualda Jałbrzykowskiego 5, 15-753 Białystok

• Antoniuk Fabryczny 13, 15-762 Białystok

• Warszawska 46A, 15-077 Białystok

Main Attractions of Białystok

Now let’s go over the most important landmarks of Białystok.

Kościuszko Market Square is an ancient market square in the historic center of Białystok with beautiful architecture. Particularly notable in the architecture of the square is the city town hall, built in the mid-18th century in the late Baroque style. Interestingly, the town hall was never the residence of the city authorities. The building served commercial functions — shops were located here. And the town hall tower was used by firefighters to observe the city. Now it houses a museum.

In the eastern part of the market square is one of the main landmarks of Białystok — the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is one of the oldest buildings in the city, erected at the very beginning of the 17th century. The church building consists of two interconnected church structures: the old one (early 17th century) and the new one (early 20th century). The cathedral is the main temple of Białystok. The church is now a massive neo-Gothic building. The last major restoration was carried out according to the design of Józef Pius Dziekoński at the beginning of the 20th century.

One of the most famous landmarks of the city is the Branicki Palace, called the “Versailles of Podlasie”, the “Versailles of the North”, and also the “Polish Versailles”. This is an ancient palace, one of the best-preserved magnate courts of the 17th-century era on the lands of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in the late Baroque style, with a beautiful park and lovely landscape design. The origins of the palace date back to the 16th century. The brick castle in Gothic and Renaissance style was built according to the design of royal architect Bretfus, the author of the Lower Castle in Vilnius and the expansion of the Old Castle in Kamianets-Podilskyi.

St. Nicholas Cathedral is the cathedral of the Białystok-Gdańsk Diocese of the Polish Orthodox Church. It is the largest of the Orthodox churches in the city. The cathedral building dates back to the mid-19th century. The building was erected in the classical style in the shape of a Greek cross, typical for the church architecture of the Russian Empire. The cathedral is located in the city center and is a monument of history and culture.

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