Green Velo

Białystok is the capital and the biggest city of the Podlaskie Voivodeship with almost 300,000 residents. The first historical mentions of its existence date back to the 16th century.

In 1660, the city became the property of the Branicki family, its most meritorious residents. The Branicki Palace was built upon their order, with garden complexes, which became an architectural showcase of the city. Jan Klemens Branicki ordered the construction of the Guest Palace, perhaps for his wife - Countess Izabella Poniatowska - which nowadays houses the Registry Office and is thus known as the Palace of Weddings.The achievements of the family can be seen by walking along the Branicki Family Trail.

Białystok always was and to this day remains a city of many cultures and many denominations. Poles, Jews, Russians and Germans lived here side by side. Ludwik Zamenhof, a doctor of medicine of Jewish descent, creator of the Esperanto language, was born here - he decided to create a simple and universal language that would connect all nations, inspired by the coexistence of the nationalities in his home city. The city’s architecture reflects this mosaic of religions. The magnificent cathedral stands watch over the city. The neighbouring Baroque parish church, known as the White Church could not accommodate all the believers in the middle of the 19th century, and the Tsar was asked to build a new church. After 40 years, permission to build an annex was finally obtained; the “annex”, or the cathedral, outgrew the old church by several orders of magnitude. After exiting the cathedral, the old City Hall (currently housing the Podlaskie Museum) and the entire revitalised Kosciusko’s Market can be seen. On ul. Lipowa, the name of which comes from the linden trees growing along its sides, there is the Orthodox Church of St Nicholas, erected in 1846. The church houses the relics of St Gabriel.

An impressive building which houses the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic and the European Centre for Music and Art can be seen on ul. Odeska. It is the biggest artistic institution in north-eastern Poland and the most modern cultural centre in this part of Europe. The building also houses the Regional Tourist Information Centre.

It is best to use the marked thematic trails to navigate around the city. One can choose from: The trail of churches in Białystok, Wooden Architecture, Manufacturers of Białystok, Architecture of the Polish People’s Republic, Esperanto and many cultures, Boyar and the Trail of Jewish Heritage.

Many popular events take place in the city, among others the Original Source Up to Date Festival, Fashionable East, Halfway Festival and the Modern Art Days.