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Kolodno is located in the province of Podlasie. The capitol of Podlasie is Bialystok. For centuries Bialystok as well entirely region has been a place of different religions and nationalities, creating the specific character of the city, its openness, friendliness and hospitality. It was the multicultural nature of Bialystok that was the main reason why Ludwik Zamenhof invented the Esperanto language. Till the Second World War Poles, Jews, German, Russians, Byelorussians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians and Moslems lived in Bialystok.
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I lose my landmarks here
no blue no turquoise green
instead a sort of peace,
the dark forest circling
the sky with its stillness
sets limits on my world...
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Bialystok is the capital of the north-eastern region of Poland called "The Green Lungs of Poland". The city's location in the unspoiled and attractive region but with rich infrastructure, makes it an appealing place to live, relax and develop tourism. Bialystok has several hundred relics of architecture, about 150 of which have been enlisted in the official register. The most important buildings are: Branicki's Palace, Equerry's House from 1771, historical town palaces of factory-owners, the City Hall and sacral buildings, such as the cathedral complex of The Holy Virgin Mary, or the 19th century Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas The Wonderworker.
The city has become the base from which visitors set of to other parts of the region: - the forests of Bialowieza Wilderness, the swamps of the Biebrza River, the charming old towns and villages and other sites of the Podlasie region. Several dozen kilometers from Bialystok one can find many wonderful forest complexes, unique in Europe. The most popular of them are: Bialowieski Park Narodowy (Bialowieski National Park) - it is the oldest Polish National Park, located in Bialowieza Wilderness, is the habitat of the European bison. The Park has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Bio-sphere Reserve and had been include in the World Heritage List.
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Narwianski Park Narodowy (Narwianski National Park) - a refuge of the unique in Europe species of water-uliginose fowls. Biebrzanski Park Narodowy (Biebrzanski National Park) - the biggest complex of peat bogs in Eastern Europe; it is also the biggest National Park in Poland. Wigierski Park Narodowy (Wigierski National Park) - a lake complex which has maintained its ecological zones; it is the youngest Park in Poland, set up in 1997. Park Krajobrazowy Puszczy Knyszynskiej (Landscape Park of Puszcza Knyszynska) - a charming complex of forests, a remnant of the forests which used to spread on the border of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It is a place of many forest species, such as the famous mast pine of Suprasl ("Supraska Pine"). In these park live also bison. Here is located  , a small village where my house is situated.
This area, forgotten by modern civilisation, is a paradise for European bison, wolves, lynxes, eagles, elks and other fascinating creatures. This is a country of big original ecosystems, where the Nature works in its ancient, unchanged way.
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It is here, where you can walk endlessly for many days far away from civilisation facing your thoughts amidst the wilderness. It is a country of small family farms and friendly people. You can still meet people living like their forefathers - without running water, electricity and money. They still plough their fields using horses and simple, self-made machines. Here you can get a taste of really pure food, made following ancient recipes. In
you could taste local bread baked wrapped in horseradish leafs, real milk, and famous local dishes such as bigos, pierogi, barszcza, babka, kiszka and kielbasa.
Links to some selected websites on the region where Kolodno is situated are provided below:
- Narwianski National Park - The Polish Amazonia:
- Bialowieza Forest - Bialowieski National Park - the oldest natural forest in
Europe:
- The Biebrza river wetlands - Biebrza National Park:
- The Great Wigry Lake:
- Polish Bison:
- "The Green Lungs of Poland":
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