Podhale

Podhale (literally "under the mountains ") is Poland's southernmost region, sometimes referred to as the "Highlands". The Podhale is located in the foothills of the Tatra range of the Carpathian mountains.It is the main region in the Goral Lands often confused for all of the Goral Lands which are an ethnic area consisting of a network of historical regions including Podhale,inhabited by Gorals.[1]

For a description of the dialect of Podhale, see Podhale dialect. For a history of the inhabitants, see Gorals.
Podhale. View from Tarasówka, with Tatra Mountains at the horizon line
Bird's-eye view of Nowy Targ, the capital of the region
Inhabitants of Podhale in regional costume
Podhale on the map of the Lands (regions inhabited by Gorals)

Local folklore

The region is characterized by a rich tradition of folklore. Its folklore was brought there mainly by Polish settlers from the Lesser Poland region further north and partly by Transylvanian settlers in the 14th–17th centuries during their migrations. The name Podhale literally translates as "below the mountains" in English.[2]Podhale as well as speaking Polish speaks the Podhale dialect of Goral. Podhale is a part of the province of Lesser Poland (Polish: Małopolska) with its capital in the royal city of Kraków.

Regional attractions

Among the region's attractions are the popular mountain resort of Zakopane and the lake known as Morskie Oko ("The Eye of the Sea"), which local legend claims, is connected to the Adriatic by subterranean passageways. Nowy Targ along the Dunajec River, located in the valley beneath the Gorce Mountains, is the capital of the region. Ludzmierz is home to the area's oldest shrine, Our Lady of Ludźmierz also known as the Hostess of Podhale or in Goral Gaździna Podholańska.

The people in this region are particularly famous for their oscypek, a cheese made from a mix of cow's and sheep's milk, their music, and their ski slopes. In the winter, it is the number one tourist site in Poland.

See also

References
  1. "Skarby Górali". Fundacja Mapa Pasji (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-12-05.
  2. "Home -Geography - Podhale and Tatry". Archived from the original on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2008-03-14.

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