Why Łuków
Łuków is a town located in eastern Poland within the Lublin Voivodeship, serving as the capital of Łuków County. Positioned on the Southern Krzna River at an elevation of roughly 160 meters above sea level, the town spans an area of 35.75 square kilometers, with forests covering approximately 13 percent of its territory. Its name originates from an Old Slavic term meaning a place situated in a wetland. Historically part of Lesser Poland for five centuries alongside nearby Siedlce and Radzyń Podlaski, Łuków later became associated with the Podlasie region during the 19th century.
First documented in 1233, Łuków was established as a fortified settlement guarding the eastern border of the Sandomierz Land. Throughout its early history, it held strategic importance as a castellany, briefly hosted the Knights Templar and a short-lived Roman Catholic diocese in the 1250s, and endured repeated raids by neighboring tribes. The town was officially granted a municipal charter in 1403, followed by the establishment of weekly markets in 1445. Over the centuries, Łuków suffered destruction from several fires and foreign incursions, including being ransacked during the 17th-century Swedish Deluge. By the 18th century, it emerged as a notable educational center following the establishment of a Piarist college in 1701.
In the late 18th century, Łuków was annexed by Austria before passing to the Duchy of Warsaw and later Russian-controlled Congress Poland. Local residents participated in major 19th-century Polish uprisings. During World War II, the town endured German bombing and occupation, anti-German resistance activity by the Home Army, and the creation of a Jewish ghetto from which thousands were deported to the Treblinka extermination camp or executed locally. Following the war, anti-communist resistance remained active in the area, and industrial development brought major facilities such as a shoe factory and a meat processing plant to the town.
Visitors to Łuków can explore several historical and cultural landmarks. Architectural sites include a 18th-century Bernardine monastery complex with the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church, alongside the late Baroque Collegiate Church of Transfiguration built between 1733 and 1762. Cultural and natural attractions feature the Regional Museum, the Municipal Park, and the Zimna Woda Reservoir. Additional points of interest include monuments dedicated to the January Uprising and Henryk Sienkiewicz, as well as cemeteries and memorials commemorating World Wars I and II and the Polish-Soviet War.
In terms of transport infrastructure, Łuków serves as a major railway junction. Its central train station sits on the strategic east-west rail line linking Brest to Warsaw and Berlin, with additional railway branches connecting the town to Dęblin and Skierniewice.
01 Weather
70°
50°
☔ 23%
71°
52°
69°
54°
☔ 100% 
61°
49°
☔ 34%
56°
46°
☔ 100%