Sights in Zwierzyniec
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Roztocze National Park
Decreed in 1974, Roztocze National Park covers an area of 79 sq km to the south and east of Zwierzyniec. The site was a nature reserve for more than 350 years as part of the Zamoyski family estate. Following the purchase of a vast stretch of land (complete with six towns, 149 villages and about 1600 sq km of forest) in 1589, Jan Zamoyski created an enclosed game reserve named Zwierzyniec (zoological garden). This was a remarkable achievement at that time, given that this was not a hunting ground but a protected area for various animal species to roam in relative freedom.
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Chapel upon the Water
The only significant and authentic structure remaining from the Zamoyski's residential complex is the Chapel upon the Water. The appeal of this chapel is not its interior, but its setting. The small Baroque church sits on one of four tiny islets on the small lake of Staw Kościelny (Church Pond), which was allegedly dug by Turkish and Tartar prisoners in the 1740s. The church is linked to the mainland by a bridge (which would be more fitting if it were rickety and wooden rather than solid concrete). The lake is halfway between the bus station and the museum.
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Plenipotentiary's Villa
On your way to the Education and Museum Centre, you may see a striking wooden building that looks something like a Swiss chalet. This Plenipotentiary's Villa was built in the late 19th century as a rendition of the 17th-century gates that once led to the Zamoyski's menagerie. It now houses Roztocze National Park Management.
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Zwierzyniec Brewery
Near the church is the Zwierzyniec Brewery, established in 1806 and still producing excellent beer today, predictably named 'Zwierzyniec'. The brewery itself is not open to visitors, but the small bar at the entrance sure is. It should be mandatory for breweries to be situated in such close proximity to walking trails.
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