Naleczow

Due to its beneficial microclimate and the mineral water sources, Naleczow has long been a spa and health resort offering the ultimate conditions for recovery, relaxation and active forms of leisure. As well as the patients who come here to receive treatment for heart disease, this garden-like small town regularly attracts other visitors in search of beautiful scenery and an unspoiled environment. And there are many eye-catching examples of architecture for you to enjoy in Naleczow, all adding to the attractiveness of this town.

Naleczow TOURISM

The real centre of Naleczow is the extensive and charming spa park, with its great selection of tree types and distinguished by several monumental sanatorium buildings and the Malachowski Palace. The heart of the park is, of course, the lake. There are both historical and modern sanatoriums as well as places to stay located on the border of the park, enveloped by lush greenery. The town’s main avenues are flanked by numerous old trees and there are many painstakingly renovated wooden villas and other residences, many of which are of architectural interest. The parish church, on the edge of the town, has an interesting cemetery beside it.

Since the 19th century, Naleczow has been a favourite place to visit and to work in for several famous Polish writers: Zofia Nalkowska, Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanislaw Przybyszewski, Stanislaw Witkiewicz, Stefan Zeromski and Boleslaw Prus. The last two have museums in Naleczow devoted to their literary achievements.

While the climate continues to be an important factor in the treatment provided in Naleczow, today the full range of possibilities offered by modern balneotherapy is used in the care of patients with circulatory system diseases. The therapeutic properties of the natural mineral water, whose chemical composition can be compared to the spa waters, have been highly appreciated for the past two centuries. Naleczow mineral water is bottled and available as the well-known “Naleczowianka” and the lesser-known “Cisowianka” brands.

GEOGRAPHY

Naleczow is a small town of approximately 4000 inhabitants, located in the Lubelskie Voivodship, 25 km from Lublin and 24 km from Kazimierz Dolny. It is situated in the north-west area of the sandy Lublin Upland, within the Kazimierz Landscape Park and between 180 and 212 m above sea level.

Lying picturesquely at the fork of the Bystra and Bochotniczanka rivers, Naleczow is surrounded by a dense system of abundantly green loess valleys. The town and its surroundings are distinguished by a unique microclimate.

HISTORY

A settlement existed here as early as the 14th century, but at the time it was called Bochotnica from the name of the nearby Bochotniczanka River. In 1523 the ownership of the area passed into the hands of the Samborzecki family. From that point, the settlement’s history took a turbulent turn. First, the town went through the tumultuous period of the Church Reformation and then, at the turn of the 18th century, it found itself in an economic crisis caused by numerous wars in the area.

In 1751 Stanislaw Malachowski became the owner of the whole region. The name of the village derived from the name of Malachowski’s coat of arms – Nalecz. Sometime around 1770 Malachowski commenced the building of his palace, which is now regarded by some as the most beautiful work of architecture in Naleczow. In later years he sold the town to his relative, Antoni Malachowski, who is credited with discovering the springs in Naleczow (he suffered from an illness that required taking baths in springs with a high concentration of iron, so he needed the springs badly). A spa was established that soon found itself gaining more and more popularity; however, it was not until Malachowski’s passing that Naleczow became famous. Development of the spa was then hindered by the November uprising of 1830 when the Russian Army devastated much of the property. After this, the Malachowskis had to sell all of their lands.

Naleczow owes a great deal to the activities of three medical doctors – Konrad Chmielewski, Waclaw Lasocki and Fortunat Nowicki. These three were untiring in their efforts to revitalise the health resort. In 1877 Fortunat Nowicki rented the former Malachowski possessions and established a company with the principal aim of bringing the town back to its previous splendour. The activity of all the doctors marked the beginning of the golden period in Naleczow’s history. Before long, a large number of famous personalities began to visit or establish villas in the resort.

During World War I the area suffered many misfortunes. After the war, the renovation of the town was furthered by two significant facts: that Naleczow was given official spa status and that it was declared the capital of the area. Once again the town became a magnet for renowned guests, including Rydz-Smigly and General Beck.

Devastated during World War II, Naleczow once more had to rebuild itself in the 1950s, after having established a state company, Naleczow Spa. Consequently, the historical buildings were restored and the sanatoria were modernised.