Historic city of Olsztyn

1. Castle with the Museum of Warmia and Masuria

There is a legend that a visit to the castle in Olsztyn should begin by saying a wish while holding the stone “Prussian woman” in the courtyard by the nose. This is supposed to help the wishes come true. Built in the 14th century, the castle was the most powerful stronghold built by the Chapter in Warmia, the seat of canons. The castle also had an armory, a bathhouse, a laundry room, a coach house and a stable. Currently, the buildings house the Museum of Warmia and Masuria.

2. Planetarium

The Olsztyn Planetarium has been one of the main tourist attractions of the city for nearly forty years. In its offer, the Planetarium maintains a balance between education and entertainment. Popular sessions are offered, where the main emphasis is put on the visual attractiveness of the message, as well as educational activities conducted under the artificial sky that present the astronomical knowledge in an accessible way to schoolchildren.

Since 2012, a modern digital projection system is available in the Olsztyn Planetarium. Two video projectors are equipped with the appropriate technic and cover the entire dome of the projection room with total of 16 million pixels. The image surrounding the viewer is controlled live by the software, which allows the presentation of starry skies and phenomena occurring on it, seen at any time and from anywhere on Earth or in space. The projection system also works as a projector for films made in the fulldome technique, which are in the Planetarium offer.

3. Basilica of Saint James

St. James church was erected in the 14th century. It is a powerful Gothic church that is associated with the legend of a candlestick with deer horns (XVI century). One time during hunting in a forest near Olsztyn, a stag deer ran to the center of Olsztyn, to the interior of the cathedral and fell dead. To commemorate this extraordinary event, a wooden candle holder with a deer’s head was decorated with a real antler.