tourpoland

The first mention of Włodawa comes from the 12th century, from 1475 it was the Sanguszko estate. Thanks to the efforts of Andrzej Sanguszka, king Zygmunt I granted Włodawa around 1534 city rights. The city has a number of valuable monuments. For centuries, Włodawa was a city in which Poles, Ruthenians (Ukrainians) and Jews lived together in harmony, who, until World War II, constituted over 60% of its population. The tradition of multiculturalism is commemorated and cultivated by the annual Festival of Three Cultures Before World War II, there were already two synagogues in Włodawa, Beth Midrash, house of prayer, Talmud-Torah school, mikvah and Jewish cemetery; there were two klezmer bands and a Makabi sports club. The Holocaust radically changed the face of the town, which was already a typical shtetl for a long time. Most of the Jewish residents of Włodawa were killed in the death camp in Sobibór. After the war, Jewish buildings were used, including as warehouses, and matzevot from the cemetery were often used to pave streets. In 1981, the Museum of the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District was created, which took over the former synagogues, transforming them into museum buildings. Walking and cycling routes, kayaking and protected areas are just some of the attractions of the city and the surrounding area.