Białowieża is a village in the heart of the last natural forest in Europe. It is the seat of the Białowieża National Park, and the area is perfect for active and nature tourism.
The beginnings of the village are related to the existence of a hunting manor of Lithuanian princes in this place. From the 16th century, there was a royal court in Białowieża, which served as a starting point for hunting in the surrounding forest. The first permanent houses appeared in the area in the first half of the 17th century.
The court of Polish kings was destroyed during the January Uprising, and in its place a tsarist palace was built, surrounded by an English-style Palace Park. It was in the second half of the 19th century that the preserved wooden buildings of Białowieża, including the building which now houses the Tsar's Restaurant and the railway station, were built. A brick church was also erected here, in which you can see a unique ceramic iconostasis. All buildings had a character known from Russian villages.
The palace in Białowieża has not survived to this day. In its place is the building of the Nature and Forest Museum of the Białowieża National Park. In the surrounding park you can see, among others wooden governor's mansion and the former entrance gate. The old architecture of Białowieża and its vicinity can be explored in the Open-Air Museum of Wooden Architecture of the Rus' population of Podlasie.
The most important attractions of Białowieża are of a natural nature. The Białowieża National Park covers the last fragments of a natural forest in Europe and therefore has been entered on the UNESCO list. Popular routes include in the Strict Reserve of the Białowieża Primeval Forest. Due to the unique nature of this area, it can only be visited with a guide. You can visit the Bison Show Reserve on your own.
Among the attractions of Białowieża there are also nature tours in various areas of the park, rides in Białowieża Trolleys and a trip on foot or trolleys to the so-called Place of Power, which attracts hundreds of tourists every year.
