Lesser Poland Way

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File:Symbol Małopolskie Drogi i symbol Europy.PNG

The Lesser Poland Way is one of the Polish routes of the Way of St. James, a medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It runs from Sandomierz to Kraków through the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship. It is an alternative path of the main Via Regia that in the Middle Ages ran from Estonia through Vilnius, Grodno and Lublin. The Lesser Poland Way was partially reopened on 25 October 2008. The whole route was reopened on 25 October 2009.{{Cite book|last = Wyrwa|first = Andrzej Marek|title = Święty Jakub Apostoł. Malakologiczne i historyczne ślady peregrynacji z ziem polskich do Santiago de Compostela,|date = 2009|publisher = Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy|place = Lednica – Poznań|pages = passim}} (in Polish) Another feeder route ran from

Tarnobrzeg.

The route

The traditional starting point in Sandomierz was the Dominican Church of St. James in Sandomierz, Sanctuary of blessed Sadok and 48 Dominican martyrs. The aim was to pass towns or villages with churches dedicated to the Apostle James, stopping at Kraków, where there is no St. James' church, before joining other international routes.

= Places with St. James church =

Between Sandomierz and Kraków there are four places with a St. James' church:

Santiago de Compostela

From Kraków it is possible to go to Santiago by two initial routes. Either using the Via Regia through Opole and Wrocław onto Germany. The alternative is through Oświęcim, Żory and Racibórz then onto the Czech Republic.

Gallery

File:Muszla Jakuba.svg| The modern symbol of the way

File:Sandomierz św. Jakub.JPG| Sandomierz

File:Muszla Jakubowa w Sandomierzu.JPG| at St. James Church in Sandomierz

File:Klimontow kosciol.jpg| Klimontów

File:JRKRUK 20070513 PL SZCZAWORYZ KOSCIOL S.jpg| Szczaworyż

File:Św jakub.jpg| Skalbmierz

File:POL gmina Pałecznica COA.jpg|Pałecznica

File:Niegardow X 2008.jpg|Niegardów

File:JKRUK 20070920 WIECLAWICE STARE KOSCIOL SEside.jpg| Więcławice

File:Tyniec.jpg|Kraków - Tyniec

File:Opatowiec church 20060624 0912.jpg|Opatowiec

File:Koprzywnica church.jpg|Koprzywnica

References

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