Mużakowa Arch Geopark
Unesco World Geopark
The Mużakowa Arch Geopark, existing near the town of Łęknica, on the Polish-German border, is so wonderful that it is appreciated by UNESCO, because it gained the status of the UNESCO World Geopark in 2015. At that time, it was the only Polish geopark on this List, now it has also been joined by the Świętokrzyski Geopark. The Mużakowa Arch Geopark protects the frontal moraine formed during the Central Polish glaciation, supposedly the only frontal moraine on Earth visible from space. It stretches from Tuplice, Trzebiel and Łęknica on the Polish side to Weißwasser and Dobern on the German side.
Mużakowa Arch
This moraine was beautifully shaped here in the form of an arch stretching on the border between Poland and Germany, over a length of about 40 km. The border river - Nysa Łużycka - breaks almost perfectly through the middle of the moraine, which creates a wonderful landscape, with mountain ranges and a ribbon of the river. This unique geological formation on a global scale was created here about 450,000 years ago and it is hard to believe that it was only recently noticed and appreciated by the creation of a geopark here, and later its recognition in the global community.
Geopark - a pearl of the Lubuskie Voivodeship
The Mużakowa Arch Landscape Park was created only in 2001, in 2009 this area received the certificate of the National Geopark, and in 2015 it was appreciated by the world, entering it on the UNESCO List as a World Geopark. Finally, because it is a pearl of the region, which is worth popularizing so that as many tourists as possible can admire and enjoy the charms of this place, as well as the developed tourist infrastructure. You can also take advantage of a luxury hotel and bike rental (also with child seats or trailers) or Tourist Information. There are also free car parks, which are so hard to find with cool attractions in other parts of Poland.
Colorful lakes on the Mużakowa Arch
Quite significant differences in the height of the terrain make the area of the Mużakowa Arch Geopark very interesting. Once these areas were heavily exploited by man, shallow mineral deposits enabled the development of underground and open-pit mining of lignite and associated minerals. The remnant of this human activity is today a unique anthropogenic lake with wonderful, colorful lakes, shimmering in the sun emeralds, azure and red. The last mine in this area was closed in 1974, so quite recently, the local waters in the no longer operational excavations are still acidic, full of iron compounds, which is why they have an unusual, ochre color, and life dies in them. Here and there you can find lakes with protruding, dead tree stumps, this view is quite poignant.
The largest lake here is Africa, so named because its shape refers to the African continent. The entire panorama of the reservoir can be seen from the high observation tower standing at its banks. A beautiful picture, but I recommend not only the tower, not only the path, but also the descent to the water itself, where an unusual landscape awaits us, looking like volcanic tuffs, and a rusty shade, even a strong red beating from the blue surface of the water. On the lake, there is also a peninsula called the "elephant's back".
It is
Geoźka Former Babina Mine
For several years, among these lakes, there is a five-kilometre-long, comfortable path called the Former Babina Mine, with a high observation tower and fairy-tale landscapes on the route. It is available free of charge. Be sure to visit this place and get off the path to the shores of the lakes, because they are really mega. Their colors and general views are breathtaking. I wish this attraction was closer to my home so I could visit more often, because I was really captivated by this place!
The creators of the blog ZbierajSie.pl, i.e. Magda and Jacek Zbieraj with two daughters, wandered around the Mużakowa Arch Geopark at a similar time. They collected material for the Bloggers' Championship of the Polish Tourist Organization, in which they won the second place! You can read their text about the Mužakov Arch here.
Mużakowski Park
An element of the Mużaków Arch is also the magnificent Mużakowski Park, also inscribed on the UNESCO List, in 2004, located on both sides of the border. It is a vast space that can be explored on foot, but even better by bike. Over the bridge you go to the German side, where there is an extremely magnificent castle Bad Muskau, actually a palace, the interiors of which can be visited, even in Polish you can get along here a little🙂
See our list: Where to go for a May Day in Poland? Ideas for May day and weekend trips
Accommodation
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Practical information
All year round 24/7
Tickets: free entrance Parking: free
of charge at the Mużakowski Park and at the gates to the path Former Babina Mine
You can look for colorful lakes on the Mużaków Arch on foot or by bike, you can enter the path through the gates at the parking lots in Nowe Czaply or Łęknica The path is accessible to prams, at least on
dry days
Geopark Łuk Mużakowa
Łęknica, exit from ul. Leśna
Nowe Czaple, exit from road No. 350
tel. 530-365-800
Headquarters of the Landscape Park "Łuk Mużakowa"
Trzebiel, ul. Żarska 52
tel. 68/ 362-41-35
http://geopark.muzakowski.pl
Rent a car
Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.
What's worth seeing in the area?
If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.
- Mużakowski Unesco Park, distance: 3.2 km
- Bad Muskau Castle, distance: 3.6 km
- Bolesławiec, distance: 62.9 km
- Czocha Castle, distance: 67.7 km
- Świeradów Zdrój, distance: 80.2 km
- Sky Walk Tower in Świeradów Zdrój, distance: 81.4 km
- Land of Extinct Volcanoes, distance: 94.7 km
- Łagów, distance: 95.1 km
- Jelenia Góra, distance: 97.5 km
- Chojnik Castle, distance: 99.3 km
