Sokołowsko, Mountain health resort village in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Sokołowsko sits in a forested mountain area at about 540 meters in elevation and is crossed by several streams. The village is reached by hiking trails that give access to the surrounding heights and porphyry rock formations in the region.
The world's first tuberculosis sanatorium opened here in 1854, dedicated solely to treating the disease. Its innovative water therapies soon spread across Europe and influenced how hospitals approached patient care.
The village appears in the novel by Nobel Prize laureate Olga Tokarczuk, who wrote about sanatorium life in the early 1900s. The literary connection has shaped how locals and visitors understand the place's identity today.
The village is best explored on foot, with multiple hiking trails running through the area. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and prepare for hilly terrain and changing weather conditions.
The 19th-century sanatorium buildings still stand in the village, showing the original architectural layout of a healing resort. Walking through them allows visitors to experience how medical care was organized and delivered over a century ago.
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