ERASMUS

The Department of History is not only actively involved in the international exchange of students and staff as part of the LPP Erasmus program, but is also regularly visited by historians from Europe and the United States of America.

One reflection of the dynamic development of the Department of History is the number of interesting research projects carried out by the staff of the Department in areas such as cultural and religious history, political and economic history and minority and ethnic activity. The positive results of this research is also made evident by the variety of subjects on offer, from which students arriving from abroad can choose to take during their stay of one or two semesters. Furthermore, students who decide to study history at the Department are allocated a room in a modern dormitory.

It is also worth mentioning, that the Department is located in a city with a history going back several hundred years. Another advantage of Kielce is that it is located in the centre of the three largest cities in Poland: Cracow (100km), Lodz (150km), and the capital – Warsaw (180 km).

Surrounded by Europe’s oldest mountains, this city of over 200,000 is scenically located and host to various geological places of interest. For example, dinosaur prints which may be the oldest in the world were found not far from Kielce. In the same area, there are nature reserves of international renown . For many years, the Kielce region was the oldest manufacturing centre in Poland. This was partially due to the fact that for centuries iron, copper, and lead ore were mined and melted here. Many old factories are now landmarks.

Kielce is also home to a wide variety of historical buildings such as the unique 17th century Cracow bishops’ palace and a baroque basilica, next to which one of the most up to date sport and shopping complexes has been built . The sixteenth century old-town in Sandomierz, as an excellent example of an early modern city, also provides ample historical insight and aesthetic inspiration. Equally interesting sights include the Benedictine monastery at Holy Cross, which is the oldest in this area of Europe the Oak „Bartek”, which is at least 1,000 years old and probably the oldest in tree in Poland; and Krzyztopor palace, built in the 17th century and the first modern residence of nobility in Europe.

Researchers and students interested in cooperating with the Department of History are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the recruiting procedures associated with LPP-Erasmus.