English version

THE COMMUNITY OF SKALA
We heartily welcome to the community of Skala situated in the south of Poland in the province of Malopolska. Farming and tourist character of the community encourages to invest into farming and food industry as well as into tourism and recreation. Because of convenient location of the community at the cross-roads of 778 Cracow-Wolbrom road and 773 Olkusz-Slomniki road, at is also attractive as a place of running an economic activity. Well developed infrastructure of the community, that is very good telephone communication, almost complete gasification of the villages and available investment territories, are our advantage. High landscape and natural advantages, especially those of Ojcowski National Park, and the convenience of communication links make our community touristically attractive.

Location and characteristics of the community:
The community of Skala is situated in the southern part of Krakowsko-Częstochowska Upland in the district of Cracow – the province of Malopolska.

The area of the community – 74,3 km2, including the town of Skala which covers the area of 3 km2. The community is inhabited by 9418 people in 17 village administrator’s districts. Density of population – 124 people per km2. The town has got a sewage treatment plant of biological and mechanical type. In the community there are about 800 economic entities registered.

The beginning of the town Skala come from the 13th century. In prince village of Stakow or Stawkow Bolesław Wstydliwy, a prince of Cracow, allowed the convent of St Clair`s Convent to establish a town.

Skala as a convent town was located at a quite important commercial route from Cracow through Silesia to Wielkopolska. Already in 1257 a customs unit existed there. There were fires in the town several times, among the others in 1611, 1737, 1763, 1810, and then twice in 1914. For rebuilding the town after its decline king Stanisław August Poniatowski confirmed in 1786 fairs for Skala, which had been taking place so far, and gave the privilege for five new ones. During the time between the wars the town was still a farming, crafts and commercial place. The town of Skala has preserved a spatial scheme from the Middle Ages, which clearly indicates its town character with a readily preserved division in the area of the centre and a big market in the middle, where there is a stone statue of St Florian, which dates from 1800. Among monumental objects special attention should be paid to a church under the invocation of St Nicholas.

Skala is at present the abode of the community and decanate.

Little service and commercial plants are located here. In the town their objects have: District Milk Co-operative, Spółdzielczy Bank, Branch of National Bank PKO, Mortgage Court, Emergency Unit, regional Clinic, Notary`s Office, Communal Co-operative “SCH”, Police Station, Post Office, Energetic Station, Vet, Voluntary Fire Brigade. There exist Culture House, Communal Inquiry Office, Library, Sports Club “SKALA 2004″, and also educational units: Primary School, Secondary School, and Self-Government Kindergarten.

High landscape and natural advantages, especially those of Ojcowski National Park, proximity of Cracow and Silesia, and convenience of communications links make tourists eagerly and numerously come to our community (over 500 thousand tourists a year).

Ojcowski National Park takes a special part in the community and distinguished with unusually rich plant cover, world of animals, variation of surface, picturesque landscape, and many monuments of history and material culture of a man.

In the area of Ojcowski National Park is located – a picturesque place situated in a deep valley of the Prądnik, which is the aim of numerous trips. The uniqueness of Ojcow is proved by rich and differentiated nature of the Prądnik Valley and Sąspowska Valley entering it.

In the lime ground there is the biggest in Poland gathering of caves, among which the most famous are the Cave of Łokietek and Ciemna Cave. In the Prądnik Valley there are many rocks with picturesque and interesting forms, for example Krakowska gate, needle of Deotyma.

Here were found ones of the oldest traces of human presence on our lands, and Ciemna Cave is the main archaeological object in Poland.

In 19th century Ojcow was frequently visited by artists, poets and scientists finding the inspiration for their creation here. For almost 100 years it functioned as a spa, which found its expression in local architecture.

All the interested tourists andyoung people groups can stay for the night in the Youth Hostel PTSM, which is situated in the Team of Schools in Skala, tel./fax (012) 38 91 024.

The Youth Hostel is situated near The Ojcowski National Park, 20 kilometers from the Main Market in Cracow