Rawa Mazowiecka

Rawa Mazowiecka is a historic town. We’ll find many picturesque places and unique monuments here. Worthy a visit are above all Baroque churches, an English garden and a castle of Masovian Princes, which is probably haunted. You really should come to Rawa since it is one of the most interesting and attractive places in Poland.

Rawa Mazowiecka TOURISM

Rawa Mazowiecka is a listed town that may boast of many worthy a visit historic places. One of such places is a 14th-century-old castle of Masovian Princes. It is a mysterious monument, connected with a legend of princess Ludmila who was detained here by her husband, prince Siemowit III. It is claimed that her ghost has been wandering in the ruins by now. There are speculations that the castle history inspired William Shakespeare to write The Winter’s Tale.
It is worth to see also a dreamlike 19th-century-old English garden situated by the Rawka river. A beautiful rose garden, a Jordan’s garden for children and newly created parkways encourage us to take a walk even on very cold and cloudy days.
One of Rawa’s biggest attractions is “Tatar” Reservoir. This surrounded by forests stretch together with Sport and Recreation Centre is a perfect destination for both active and passive travellers. Water biking, canoeing or boat riding are only a drop in a bucket of spare time spending possibilities. More active tourists will surely enjoy tennis courts, a handball field and a sport hall with a steam bath and gym located in the area of Sport and Recreation Centre. “Tatar” Reservoir is also appreciated by anglers. If you are lucky enough you may catch a large fish here.
Another attraction may be a narrow-gauge railway. Built during the First World War by German troops, now it is used almost exclusively for sightseeing tours. The railway track is 48 km long and leads through the most picturesque places of Lodz Voivodeship.
Talking about Rawa, we shouldn’t omit The Blues Night. This festival has been organised here since the 1980s and from then on it has been the town’s unquestionable attraction. The Blues Night is held annually in the castle ruins and presents amateur and professional blues musicians from many European countries and the US. The festival’s audience has already had an opportunity to listen to such groups as: Slawek Wierzcholski and Nocna Zmiana Bluesa, Shaki’n Dudi, Ten Years After, Nina van Horn, LivinBluesXperience and many others. Except for music bands, the festival hosts also large groups of motor-cyclists from Nyirbator (Hungary) and Boskovic (the Czech Republic).

GEOGRAPHY

Rawa Mazowiecka is quite small with its total area of 13.67 km2 and population of about 20 thousand inhabitants. The town lies in the heart of Poland, in between Lodz and Warsaw. Due to Rawa’s perfect location by a trunk road S8, you may quickly and traffic-less get here by car.

HISTORY

First records about Rawa Mazowiecka come from 1228. In 1321 Rawa obtained town rights and in between 1355 and 1370, during the rulings of Siemowit III, a castle of Masovian Princes was built there.
In the late 15th century Rawa became a capital of Voivodeship and at the same time one of the largest towns in Masovia. The 14th and 15th centuries were very important in Rawa’s history for it was the period of the town’s great development and the time of Jesuits’ settlement there. In 1613 Jesuits built their church in Rawa and 9 years later – a college where great Jan Chryzostom Pasek studied.
In the second half of the 17th century, during the Deluge, Swedes conquered the town and destroyed the castle and other buildings in Rawa. In 1795 Rawa was joined into the territory of Prussia and in 1807 it became a county capital. The town was developing the fastest in Congress Poland times. It was the period of erecting a town hall, numerous tenements and an English garden.
The 20th century again brought havoc and desolation. The First World War almost completely destroyed the town and what was rebuilt during the interwar period was again devastated by WW2.
After the war’s end the town was rebuilt and numerous production and manufacturing plants were erected. Nowadays Rawa Mazowiecka is an important industrial, recreational and cultural centre that annually attracts thousands of tourists.