An excellent place to see the beautiful and abundant flora of the Podkarpackie Region, the Arboretum in Bolestraszyce is one of the most valuable monuments to Poland’s natural and cultural heritage.
The name arboretum is derived from the Latin word arbor meaning tree, and denotes an area where trees and shrubs are cultivated for research related purposes. The arboretum near Przemyśl was established in 1975. It was created at the site of a historic manorial estate which comprised a large garden with a magnificent collection of plants.
The Arboretum in Bolestraszyce
History of the Arboretum
The history of Bolestraszyce dates back to the Middle Ages. Around the 15th century, the village was acquired by the knightly family of Świętopełk. Over time, the settlement was fortified. First, a moat and a palisade were built and later a robust wall and a castle were added. In 1652, Bolestraszyce was incorporated into the estate of the prominent Drohojowski family, who owned it until the 19th century. In the 18th century, the site ceased to have a defensive function. In the 19th century the owners of Bolestraszyce changed a number of times, and finally, from 1910, it became the property of the Zajączkowski family, who lived there until 1944.
The estate flourished in the years 1840-1855, when it was administered by Piotr Michałowski, the most prominent Polish painter of the Romantic era. He is best known for his paintings of horses and battles, as well portraits and genre scenes. His works were admired by Pablo Picasso himself when he visited Poland in 1948.
The garden in Bolestraszyce was established in the 1700s. Originally, it occupied the area around an outbuilding and the relics of the old defensive castle, which later were dismantled. Over the years, the garden was expanded to comprise the area formerly occupied by the earthen fortifications which were partially levelled for this purpose. In the 1800s, the garden was redesigned in line with the natural terrain.
Today, the Arboretum in Bolestraszyce comprises an area of about 25 hectares, and thousands of various plant species. There are over 2,200 trees and shrubs, 1,200 herbaceous plants and 180 greenhouse plants. These constitute collections of dendrological, pomological, wetland, greenhouse and heather family plants.
Description of the film for visually impaired viewers: The film consists of slow-moving images showing the arboretum, that is a garden with flowering plants, shrubs and trees. Soft and quiet music plays in the background. The collection displayed in the greenhouse includes around 180 plant species from different climate zones in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America and Australia. The largest collection of plants represents the flora of the Mediterranean basin.
Bolestraszyce – attractions for visitors of all ages
The youngest visitors and those with disabilities can enjoy a tour of the sensory garden. It contains plants that stimulate the human cognitive senses of touch and smell. The garden has been designed so that individuals with impaired mobility can explore it without difficulty. Information about exhibits on display is provided on identification labels with large print and Braille signs.
The Arboretum in Bolestraszyce each year is visited by 100,000 people. The Cultural and Natural Heritage Education Centre, which operates here, organises various activities. Numerous conferences, workshops, symposia and open-air events, such as the Garden Festival and the Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Festival, are also held here.
An additional attraction, two forts of the Przemyśl Fortress are located nearby: XIII ‘San Rideau’ and XIIIb ‘Bolestraszyce’. Fort Xlllb has been administered by the Arboretum since 1996. Owing to that, historical elements of the fortification have been restored, such as earthen ramparts, the moat, the walls, the entrance road and artillery positions. The fort is currently being restored so that it can open to visitors. An interesting fact is that the black locust trees growing in the vicinity of the bastions used to provide a natural barrier against an advancing enemy because of their thorns and robust wood structure.
The Arboretum is one of the 34 landmarks in the Podkarpackie, which are located along the Carpathian Route of Historical Houses and Gardens. Before arriving, you can get a free audio guide to assist you during the visit.
The arboretum is located eight kilometres northeast of Przemyśl. Since there are so many options on offer, it is a good idea to read the information on the Bolestraszyce Arboretum website. You can also get the real-time view of the Arboretum from the online cameras.