These are the words used to describe Polanica-Zdrój in the 1940s, but it had already gained the status of one of the most famous spas in Europe in the 19th century. And if we want to find the first mentions of the local settlement and the discovery of mineral springs, we have to go back to the 14th and 16th centuries respectively. Walking through the alleys, we find traces of the past at every turn, while during our stays in local hotels and sanatoriums, we can take advantage of the latest advances in medicine and wellness. Who has been and continues to make their mark on the history of this place?

Georg Haase and the development of Polanica
The beginnings of the settlement date back to 1347. The village called Polanica appears in documents from the mid-16th century, and in the Georgius Aelurius chronicles from that time we also find information about the local mineral springs. The biggest breakthrough in the history of Polanica-Zdrój happened in the 19th century, when Joseph Grolms built the first spa house surrounded by a garden, and in 1873, the Wroclaw industrialist Hoffmann bought the area. On his initiative, a park, a new pump room, a spa house and a theatre were built. The development of the spa was supported by new investments: the opening of a railway line from Kłodzko in 1890 and the endeavours of the next owner of the local estate, Georg Haase. He built the spa house, which still stands today and was considered the most modern in Silesia at the time, a cardiological sanatorium and a pavilion with a pump room, a hall for walks and concerts and a café for the use of spa guests. This building, which is over 100 years old and known as the Łazienki Heleny, is the most important place in Polanica-Zdrój. It has retained its style – classicist with elements of Art Nouveau, and the water extracted from a depth of over 30 m from the Wielka Pieniawa spring, rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium and silicon, improves immunity. It is also recommended for people struggling with digestive system problems. In addition, there is a second spring, formerly called Józef Pieniawa’s spring, today Staropolanka, as well as bathing cabins, a walking hall, shops, restaurants and a reading room.

Józef Matuszewski, doctor and pioneer of apitherapy
One of the streets in Polanica-Zdrój was named after him, and rightly so! He was the first Polish specialist in the treatment of cardiovascular and digestive diseases at the local health resort, and was later appointed chief physician of the health resort. He conducted scientific research and was a member of many institutions and the editorial board of magazines such as “Balneologia Polska” and “Wiadomości Uzdrowiskowe”. He also became famous as a beekeeper and was one of the first doctors to use royal jelly in natural medicine. And it was this passion, or rather the sight of beautiful lime tree avenues, which, despite being small-leaved, proved to be poor nectar producers, that made Józef Matuszewski decide to live in Polanica-Zdrój. While you are here, you must take a walk in the Spa Park. It is a 13-hectare area divided into several parts: the Rhododendron, Joseph, Chess, and Forest parks. However, the most representative part is the oldest one, the Central Park. The main promenade leads from the pump room to the gazebo with a summer water intake. In addition to the aforementioned lime trees, sycamores, chestnut, maples, hornbeams, ash, black poplars and more exotic species such as American tulip trees, Japanese pagoda trees and white mulberry grow in the parks. In summer, the flowerbeds full of beautiful rhododendrons, magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons are a delight to the eye. There are also several fountains, the largest of which has over 700 jets of water reaching a height of 12 metres. In the evening, the fountain is illuminated and shimmers in different colours.

From left:
Monument to Józef Matuszewski in the form of a sculpture cast in metal. Photo: Mirosław Duer.
Statue of Akiba Rubinstein.

City chronicler
This is what Alojzy Milka can be called. Although he was born in Upper Silesia, he dedicated his entire professional life to the Kłodzko region and settled permanently in Polanica-Zdrój. He is the author of many commemorative photos and has also photographed historic buildings. His photographs have often appeared on postcards; he was the first in the town to produce them in colour from the mid-1970s.

Chess Park and Akiba Rubinstein
A leading Polish chess player in the first decades of the 20th century. In 1912, he won tournaments in San Sebastián, Pieszczany, Warsaw, Vilnius and Wrocław. Fifteen years later, he became Polish champion, and in 1930, he took part in the world team competition in Hamburg. His result – 13 wins and 4 draws – meant that our country won the tournament. Since 1963, one of the oldest international chess festivals in Europe and Poland, the Akiba Rubinstein International Chess Festival, has been organised in the spa town. When walking through the Chess Park, you can sit on a bench next to the champion, but the 140 cm high outdoor chess pieces are probably a bigger attraction.

What is the polar bear doing here?
Its stone sculpture on a base made of local sandstone and volcanic tuff was placed in the town in 1910 and indicates the extent of the Scandinavian ice sheet, which reached the Kłodzko region 730-430 thousand years ago. And it is not the only bear figure in the city. While walking, it is worth looking for, among others, Teddy the Patient, Teddy the Chess Player or Teddy the Artist.

Mieczysława Ćwiklińska Zdrojowy Theatre
The theatre has been operating under this name since 1952, although its history began in the mid-1920s. It was established to promote high musical and theatrical culture among the residents, guests and spa visitors. Mieczysława Ćwiklińska herself visited Polanica-Zdrój many times, helped the theatre company develop its repertoire, and appeared on its stage to play in, among others, “Moralność pani Dulskiej”, “Ożenek”, and to play the role of Podstolina in “Zemsta”, while the actors accompanying her were spa employees. The theatreʼs activities came to a standstill in the 1990s. It took 10 years for it to be revived when the Municipal Cultural Centre was established. In 2010-2011, the building underwent a thorough modernisation, and two years later the institution was named the Spa Theatre – Centre for Culture and Promotion. The centre organises many events, including concerts and festivals, e.g. Poets without Borders, Film Summer in Kłodzko County, and also runs the Polanica Art Gallery Aquarium.

Dr Irena Eris and a new dimension of luxury
The perfect place for relaxation and wellness. The five-star Hotel SPA Dr Irena Eris Polanica Zdrój, picturesquely situated near forest areas, has 85 exclusive rooms and suites designed with attention to every detail, a Cosmetic Institute that provides the highest quality treatments and products, a SPA Centre with swimming pools, a jacuzzi, a sauna complex, and a cooling pool with a well. This unique place is complemented by the elegant Art Déco restaurant, combining local products with modern cuisine, the Décompresja restaurant, with a tasting menu where you can savour dishes inspired by the interwar period, Café Tomik offering delicious coffee and desserts, and the old-fashioned cinema-style Fotoplastykon Club – perfect for an evening get-together.

Family in summer 2026!
This new building is being built with families with more than one child in mind. On the hotel plot, on the south-eastern side, there will be a pavilion with 10 rooms ranging in size from 40 to 77 square metres, and the two largest suites will have two bedrooms and a dressing room. The pavilion will be connected to the hotel by a glass corridor and will have an elevator and a multifunctional room for even more comfort.