Gardens

Park Gródek in Jaworzno

Park Gródek, officially the Gródek Arboretum, covers 58.54 hectares of former dolomite excavations, worked from around 1880 until 1990 for the needs of the old Szczakowa Cement Plant. After reclamation the quarry turned into one of the most recognizable parks of Silesia — the nicknames Polish Maldives and Silesian Croatia stuck to it thanks to the turquoise water and white walls.

The two main reservoirs are Wydra and Orka. Across Wydra runs a winding footbridge with shelters — the most frequently photographed spot of the park, often seen from a drone as well. Orka reaches as much as 18.5 metres in depth, and two submerged excavators and a ship lie on its bottom; a private diving base operates by the reservoir. Swimming in the reservoirs is forbidden, diving in Orka is allowed, which gives the place a strange, industrial charm — at least in the pictures from the depths.

Nature and practice

The mosaic of habitats includes warm-loving grasslands, meadows, rock habitats, wetlands and oak-hornbeam forests, and the park offers numerous viewpoints. Entry is free and the area is open around the clock, all year; dogs pass on a leash. The entrance is at Jana III Sobieskiego street, and from the free car parks an approximately one-kilometre path leads inside. Care over the arboretum is held by the GEOsfera Ecological and Geological Education Centre. Weekends get crowded — peace is easier to find on a weekday.