The world's largest brick building, the world's largest wooden structure, the world's largest statue of Jesus Christ, the world's oldest oil mine, the world's longest plank and the world's largest radiator - what do they have in common? All this is located in Poland.
A combination quite remarkable in a very banal ranking of "the most".
1. Wooden tower of the radio station in Gliwice
In Gliwice you will find 111 m high radio station tower, which is also the world's largest construction entirely made of wood. It was built between 1935 and 1938 for the purpose of retransmission of radio programs from the Wroclaw radio station. In the 1930s Breslau was part of the Third Reich and the radio station played a role in the outbreak of World War II. Nazis disguised as Poles attacked the radio station on the evening of August 31, 1939, this provocation was to serve as justification for the invasion of Poland. Today, the tower houses the Museum of Radio and Media Arts History, which is open to the public.
2. The statue of Jesus Christ in Swiebodzin
The largest statue of Jesus Christ in the world - most people think of Rio de Janerio, but that's a mistake. The biggest one is located in Swiebodzin, Poland. The statue itself is 33 meters high, which are supposed to symbolize 33 years of Jesus' life. The monument stands on a mound 16 meters high. In addition, the head of Świebodzin Christ is crowned with a three-meter crown. In total, the whole construction is over 52 m, and its weight is about 440 tons. The monument in Rio is 3 meters lower.
3. Radio mast in Konstantinov
One of the most surprising items in the list. Until 1991, the world's tallest structure was located in Poland. 646 meters high, built in 1974, radio transmitter mast of long-range Polish Radio Program I in Konstantynow (also known as Mast in Gabin, Warsaw Central Radio Station in Gabin, Radio Broadcasting Center in Konstantynow and Radio Broadcasting Center in Konstantynow) collapsed in 1991. The height record was broken in 2008 by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
4. Oil mine in Bóbrka
There is an oil mine in Bóbrka in Podkarpacie region, which is the oldest in Poland and also in the world. The still operating mine was opened in 1854. One of the founders was Ignacy Lukasiewicz. The Museum of Oil and Gas Industry is named after him. In the mine in Bóbrka you can admire manually drilled around 1860 shafts (kopanki) Franek 50 m deep and Janina with a depth of 132 m, which is still in operation. Both pits were later deepened (by a hand drill) to a depth of 150 and 250 meters.
5. The Stąporków Calorifier
A forge has operated in Stąporków since the 15th century and a smelter since the 18th century. In the mid-19th century Stąporków was the seat of the largest foundry in the Kingdom of Poland and was famous as a manufacturer of cast-iron radiators. In front of the local house of culture to commemorate the glory of the local specialty stands a two-meter radiator composed of four cast-iron ribs. Thus, it is the largest radiator in the world.
6. Board in Szymbark
In the Centre for Education and Regional Promotion in Szymbark you can see the longest plank in the world. The Kashubian attraction had its origins in the thought "why not?", but it also has a symbolic meaning, because wood is a characteristic building material for the region as well as the whole of Poland. The Polish wooden house, derived from the characteristic form of the nobleman's manor, is known not only in Poland, but also around the world. The idea of setting such a record in 2002 was given by Daniel Czapiewski, and the wood for the longest plank was obtained from Douglas fir tree with a length of 51.2 m, from which a plank 36.83 m long was created. Later the record was taken away from Kashubians by the Germans, and then in 2012 again the Poles reached for the gold by creating a board 46.5 m long, which to this day is the longest in the world.
7. St. Mary's Church in Gdansk
On 25 March 1343 the foundation stone of today's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gdansk (St. Mary's Basilica) was buried. In the middle of the 16th century the church was gradually taken over by Protestants, to return to Catholics after 100 years, and so only in 1955 (after repairs necessitated by the numerous damages caused by World War II), after a break of nearly 400 years, was a Catholic service held. The temple is an example of the brick Gothic style. St. Mary's Basilica is the largest brick church in the world. The total height of the tower is 82 meters (to the ridge -77 m), length 105 meters, and the volume of about 155 000 m3.
8. Muskauer Arc
In the Lubuskie voivodeship in 2001 was established Muskauer Arc Landscape Park. The task of the Park is to protect the world's largest terminal moraine formed by the Scandinavian ice sheet. The moraine has the shape of an arc with a length of 40 km and width of 3 to 4 km. The distance between the arms of the moraine is 25 km. Muskauer Arch is the only such geological form, which is preserved in its entirety and can be seen from space.
9. The Cistercian Abbey in Lubiaz
In Lubiaz there is a Cistercian monastery complex. Erected in Baroque style, the Cistercian Abbey is the largest in the world. Just after the Spanish Escurial it is the second largest sacral object in the world. Construction began in 1150 and lasted nearly 700 years. Under the Gothic basilica there are tombs of Silesian Piasts and preserved in good condition 98 mummies of abbots and Cistercian monks. The surface of the object is over 17 000m2, only the roofs take up 2,5 ha. The abbey facade is the longest baroque facade in Europe and is 223m long. The complex includes a 14th century basilica, a palace and a monastery. In 1945, the Soviets plundered and destroyed the abbey looking for treasures. Later they established there a psychiatric hospital for soldiers. In the 80s the famous Wroclaw gold was searched for here from the safes of Festung Breslau. Today, in addition to its sacred functions, the abbey also serves as a venue for various cultural events.
10. Gold mine in Złoty Stok in Lower Silesia
The first mention of mining in Zloty Stok dates back to 1273, but there are rumors of mining in this area before 2000 BC.
The mine has had its ups and downs with the involvement of many famous names. Of particular note is the fact that the gold mined here played a significant part in funding Christopher Columbus' expedition (the mine's main shareholders at the time were financially backing Queen Isabella of Spain), which ended with the discovery of America. However, Zloty Stok became most famous for the work of alchemist Has Scharffeberg, becoming the world's largest arsenic factory. For over 100 years Golden Slope was the world's main supplier of this deadly poison. During the 700 years of the gold mine's operation 16 tons of the valuable ore was mined. Since 1996, the defunct mine has been a tourist attraction with underground tours.
11. Lighthouse in Swinoujscie
The tallest lighthouse in Poland, the 12th largest active lighthouse in the world, the 10th tallest lighthouse in Europe and the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, the Świnoujście lighthouse was built in 1857. The height of the tower is 67.7 m and the elevation of the light is 64.78 m above sea level. In the years 1958-1999, a radio beacon operated in it. There are 308 steps leading to the top of the lighthouse and the way to the port is shown to sailors by two 1000 Watt bulbs
12. Piano in Szymbark
6.04 m long, 2.52 m wide, 1.87 m high and 1.8 tons in weight - that is the impressive size of the largest concert grand piano in the world in the Kashubian town of Szymbark. It was made in 2010 using a traditional method, based on a wooden organ from Kamień Pomorski. The piano's 6 legs feature portraits of renowned Polish musicians - Frederic Chopin, Ignacy Paderewski, Stanisław Moniuszko, Mieczysław Karłowicz, Henryk Górecki and Karol Szymanowski. Several seasonal wood species were used in the production of the piano: birch, pine, alpine spruce, mahogany and hornbeam. Two unique pipes come from the organ located in the crypt of the Church on the Rock in Poznań, where the ashes of Józef Wybicki are buried.
(Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)