Rabka-Zdrój

Rabka ( German Bad Rabka ) is a spa town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in Poland. It lies about 50 kilometers south of Krakow and has around 13,000 inhabitants.

Rabka is mainly known as the largest children's spa in Poland, because it has a very healthy microclimate ( half the area of Rabka is forested ) and lots of sunshine ( 2,100 hours per year).

Geography

Rabka is located on the northern slopes of the Gorce mountain range, at the mouth of the rivers Poniczanka and Sionka in the Raba River. Formerly known by the salt-works Rabka was in 1864 known as a health resort. The first children's hospital has emerged a few years later. In the mental hospitals and health clinics, the local brine is used. Rabka - the capital of the Polish Pediatrics - earned due to its specific climate and curative mineral waters in the 19th century international recognition.

Sanatoriums: sanatoriums, clinics and preventoriums with 2,000 beds. Applications: balneotherapy, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, inhalations, rehabilitation swimming pool.

History

In this village in the valley of the Raba is obtained salt since the 13th century, from the sources of Rabka. However, the healing effect of the water was initially known only to the local population, a water analysis was conducted only in 1858 (strong iodine and bromhaltig ), which is also a health resort development began. The sanatorium is specialized in the treatment of cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic diseases and allergies. In 1952 Rabka the municipal law, since 1962, here is also a center for pediatrics. It is also known the State Puppet Theatre Rabka, which enjoys high reputation not only in Poland but also in the German language area.

Culture and sights

The puppet theater Rabcio, the cinema Sniezka, the Wl. Hurricane Museum in a historical larch wood church from the 17th century (with a large collection of Folk Art and interesting stained glass ), the only museum of the Order of Smile - an unusual distinction that earned adults get awarded by the children. The railway open-air museum in Chabowka at Rabka. The Winter Carnival. The Carpathian Festival of the regional children's ensembles, the International Festival of mountain children. In summer, many entertainment and folklore events are organized.

Sport and Tourism: a modern sports stadium, numerous ski lifts ( Polczakowka, Maciejowa -ski ), many tennis courts, an amusement park, a road town for children with bike rentals, an ice rink, a toboggan run.

Rabka is a good starting point for sporting activities in the mountains ( hiking, cross-country skiing ) and trips to the nearby National Park Gorczański Park Narodowy. From the spa park stretches spans an extensive network of hiking trails: the Luboń Wielki ( 1022 m npm ) and the mountains Turbacz (1310 m), Stare Wierchy, Krzywoń and Bania.

The attractions of Rabka addition to several villas from the 19th century include (Villa Kazimierz, Villa Angel ), the wooden church of St. Mary Magdalene. In 1608, built in the highland style building is designed in the interior in baroque style, the oldest exhibits date from the 16th century. The church is no longer used as a church since 1908, since 1936 it serves as an ethnographic museum.

The final stage of the Tour de Pologne / Poland - tour starts every year in Rabka.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Janusz Stokłosa (born 1954 ), pianist and composer
• Wieslaw Ziemianin (* 1970), biathlete
• January Ziobro (* 1991), ski jumpers