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2 September 2010

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Polish Culture in the World Polish Cultural Institutes
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Adam Mickiewicz Institute
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Museum of the Narrow Gauge Railway
Division of the Znin Museum of Paluck Region
languages: Polski  / English 
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Muzeum Kolei Wąskotorowej w Wenecji
Oddział Muzeum Ziemi Pałuckiej w Żninie
Wenecja
88-400 Żnin
Małgorzata Ratajczak
tel. (+48 52) 302 51 50
www.muzeumznin.pl
Wenecja, a village first mentioned in 1894, is situated along the Paluck section of the Piast route, between Znin and Biskupin, amidst the picturesque Weneckie, Skrzynka and Biskupiskie Lakes.

More than a hundred years ago, in 1894, the opening of the Znin County Railway facilitated the local transport of people, mail and goods. It had a gauge of 600 mm, the narrowest in Poland. The railway was gradually expanded to link Znin with a number of other towns and villages. In 1962, the Polish National Railways decided to close down this rail link to passenger traffic.

In 1972, a Museum of the Narrow Gauge Railway was founded in Wenecja, right next to the ruins of the "Devil's Castle" there, by a group of Paluck Region devotees based in Znin. During the tourist season, the Museum began running a special passenger rail link from Znin to Gasawa via Wenecja and Biskupin. Racing through the picturesque fields and by the lakes at the breath-taking speed of up to 20 km per hour, its trains carry from ninety to one hundred thousand Polish and foreign tourists every year.

The railway station has a stylish, late nineteenth century waiting room. It is the train engines, however, that are the Museum's key attraction. Especially interesting is the oldest, an Orenstein-Koppel engine from 1899, as well as a tiny engine made by the Charles company of Belgium in 1935, one of ten such produced. There is also a complete train pulled by a Tx26-422 locomotive built in Poland's first Locomotive Factory in Chrzanow in 1926. The train's passenger carriage contains an exhibition of railway uniforms, railway lamps, objects used by station staff and ticket inspectors, and of the interiors of passenger and mail carriages. The cargo carriage displays railway tools and items related to narrow gauge train technology. There is also an interesting late nineteenth century carriage for the transport of mail and dogs.

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RECENTLY ADDED
Martha Argerich and Maria João Pires at the "Chopin and His Europe" Festival
August 30, 2010
Promotion of the Podlaskie Voivodship
July 30 - July 31, 2010
Andrzej Sosnowski
On Monday, September 20, the first Polish arena for the Euro 2012 Cup will open in Poznań. The official ceremony will be honoured with a concert featuring Sting performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Steven Mercurio.
Until September 25 (except for Sundays and holidays), the John the Baptist Archcathedral in Warsaw will host daily organ recitals as part of the 7th edition of the "Grand Organ of the Archicathedral" Festival.
"Dotyk człowieka/Beruehrungen" is the title of the exhibition presenting works of six Polish contemporary artists displayed at the German Embassy in Warsaw (Jazdów street): on view until September 27.
On October 17, the National Museum in Poznań will host the first public presentation of Claude Monet's "Beach in Pourville". The painting was stolen ten years ago. The painting returned to the museum in January 2010 after the folice found the thief.
Jazz pianist Chick Corea will give his only Polish solo concert on November 8 in Zabrze.
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