Saska Kępa and Dzika Wisła: nature in the city
A literary walk through Warsaw with Michał Książek - August 8, 11:00 AM
SPACER ZAKOŃCZONY
DZIĘKUJEMY ZA UCZESTNICTWO!
The Universal Reading Foundation invites Warsaw residents to a unique literary walk in the series "Close to Words, Close to Each Other." This free cultural event, funded by the City of Warsaw, is an ideal opportunity to actively spend time outdoors. Our guide through the city's biodiversity will be Michał Książek – an award-winning writer, forestry engineer, and ornithologist.
ATTENTION! Due to limited space, reservations are required.
Discover the wild nature of Saska Kępa
The walk is left:
We'll set off on a walk with Michał Książek on Saturday, August 8th. We'll depart from the Georgian Embassy for an educational journey during which we'll learn to look mindfully at urban spaces. The main inspiration for our meeting is the author's latest book, "Atlas of Holes and Cracks." We'll show you that wildlife teems with life in the most unobvious places – in wall cracks, on old facades, and on Warsaw sidewalks.
What will we see?
- Ryszard Kapuściński Square (so-called "Zieleniec")
Before heading towards the Vistula River, it's worth stopping at this intimate spot. The ancient trees and mosses hidden in the grass provide a perfect starting point for Michał Książka to weave stories about urban biodiversity and insects. The square's literary patron also provides an opportunity to draw on the art of reportage, in which the presenter specializes. - Modernist villas (street of Obrońców and Berezyńska)
Walking through Saska Kępa, it would be a sin not to notice the local architecture. Classic building shapes and mid-century modern details, as well as weathered brick fences with a stark vintage feel, provide a fascinating field of observation. It's in the cracks in the old plaster and on the moss-covered walls that one can clearly see how wild nature is slowly but surely encroaching on the urban, organized space. - Old willows on the Vistula River and the wild bank of the Vistula River
Moving from the urbanized area to the riverside, it's worth juxtaposing the concrete fabric with the wildness of the Vistula's right bank. Hollows in the ancient willows are veritable "apartment blocks" for birds and insects. It's the perfect place to pull out your binoculars (we encourage you to bring them) and listen to an expert ornithological commentary. - Agnieszka Osiecka Monument (corner of Francuska and Obrońców Streets)
It can serve as a brief literary landmark. Although it's a sculpture, the cracks between the paving stones around the poet's table often teem with a microscopic life of their own.
Relaxing with a book, or Quiet Reading on the Vistula River
The culmination of our Vistula River journey will be Silent Reading, a session of shared, quiet reading in the bosom of nature. Away from the digital noise and daily rush, we'll create a space for relaxation. We encourage you to bring comfortable blankets and your favorite books. It's a perfect opportunity to slow down and fully immerse yourself in reading, while listening to the soothing sounds of the river and birds.
Organizational information:
- Venue: near the Embassy of Georgia
- For whom: An intergenerational event – we invite families, youth, adults and seniors
- What to take with you: your own blanket, a book for the final outdoor reading, binoculars
The walk will be led by Michał Książek
Michał Książek is an award-winning writer, forestry engineer, and ornithologist. He received the Wrocław Silesius Poetry Award for his volume of poems, "Bird Science" (2014), and the Gdynia Literary Award for his essay, "Road 816" (2015). He shares his knowledge during Warsaw "biojourneys," where he and his participants observe birds, insects, trees, herbs, and fungi living in surprising places right in the city center. In his latest book, "Atlas of Holes and Cracks," he encourages this kind of attentive observation—not just at your feet. The perspectives of naturalist, poet, and reporter intertwine in his work in a unique way.
Literary inspiration: "Atlas of Holes and Cracks""
Nature has squeezed into the smallest crevices of the city and found gaps in built-up metropolises. It has greened the sidewalk holes we stumble over while rushing to work. Michał Książek takes us on a walk through familiar streets and encourages us to look more closely. He traces the secret lives hidden among the concrete and hidden behind the neon signs of big cities. With a sly sense of humor, he tells the story of unconventional urban spaces where nature has made its home. "Atlas of Holes and Crevices" is a hymn to urban nature.
SIGN UP FOR A WALK
Download materials:
Can't make it on time? Don't worry! We've got you covered! free walking route map, which will allow you to explore literary Warsaw independently, as a family or as a school.
Culture without barriers
Our walks and digital materials take into account the needs of people with visual, hearing, and mobility impairments. The project aims to provide everyone with comfortable and equal access to cultural events.
Other literary walks
Rules for walks
Get to know Regulations for free guided walks
Contact
If you have any additional questions, please contact us.
Email: [email protected]
The project is financed by:
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