Białowieża Forest, Forest on the border between Poland and Belarus
The Białowieża Forest is an old-growth woodland that straddles the border between Poland and Belarus, one of the last of its kind in Europe. The forest floor is covered with moss, ferns, and fallen wood that decomposes naturally, while tall oaks, lindens, and ashes form a dense canopy overhead.
For centuries, the forest served as a royal hunting ground reserved for the kings of Poland and the princes of Lithuania. In the 20th century, the last wild European bison were lost here before conservation programs successfully brought the species back.
Visitors to the Białowieża Forest can watch European bison roaming freely, an experience that is hard to find anywhere else on the continent. Local communities living near the forest have long gathered mushrooms and berries there, a practice that continues today.
The Polish side of the forest has marked trails and visitor centers, and some areas of the national park require a guided tour to enter. The forest can be visited year-round, though summer and autumn tend to offer the most comfortable walking conditions.
The name Białowieża means 'white tower' in Polish, a reference to an old watchtower that once stood at the edge of the forest. Nothing of that structure remains today, yet the name has stayed and now refers to the entire woodland.
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