Lublin is the city located in the South East of Poland. Cultures of the East and West meet here. Through ages Lublin has been inhabited by Polish, Jews, Rusins, Catholics, Orthodox and the others. It was often called Polish Jerusalem as it was a home to a large Jewish community with flourishing Yiddish culture. Lublin is the town where the action of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s best work takes place (The Magician of Lublin). He was a famous Yiddish writer born in Poland. Although he spoke Polish, Yiddish and English he wrote Yiddish only. In 1930 Yeshiva of the Wise Men in Lublin was established. It was probably the biggest and best-equipped Talmudic school in the world. In Lublin you will also find the oldest in Poland Jewish cemetery that still exists.
Before the Second World War Jewish people made up about one third of the city’s population but they were practically wiped out during the German invasion. In 1942 the Nazis established a concentration camp in Majdanek (a suburb of Lublin). Until 1944 over 60 000 Jews died there in consequence of cruel treatment.
Once you are in Lublin you shouldn’t miss the Holy Trinity Chapel with its valuable Russian-Byzantine wall paintings dating back to the 15th century. In June 2008 the Graffiti Festival took place in Lublin and main theme were frescoes from above chapel. You can still see artists’ work on the wall nearby the Cultural Center.
In 2006 Underground Route was opened and it became one of interesting attractions of Lublin. It’s 300 meters long and it runs under the streets of the old town. Another place worth seeing is the Open Air Village Museum where the cultural landscape of Lublin is presented. Lublin is still undiscovered and not overrun by tourists. It’s rich in monuments and events such as Theatre Confrontations International Festival or Film Festival Crossroads of Europe. Lublin is definitely a place to visit!