The history of the city goes back to 1354, when Casimir III the Great granted Rzeszow city rights. The history of Rzeszow can be revisited through its attractions, such as the Market Square with the City Hall and historic well, and the unconventional Rzeszow Cellars Underground Tourist Route. This unique complex of underground cellars and corridors was used by citizens in the past as shops and storage spaces, or as shelter during times of crisis such as war.
At 3 Maja Street, the oldest and most representative street in Rzeszow, visitors can marvel at the Fara Church, the former Piarist convent, the statue of Tadeusz Nalepa, a famous Polish singer born in Rzeszow, and a ‘window of time’, installed during the last renovation, showing how the street surface has changed over the centuries.
In the nearest vicinity of this street, there is the Lubomirski Family Castle and Palace. At the foot of the castle, people can stare in awe at the Rzeszow Multimedia Fountain, with its complex water jets and foggy water screens, put together into films, laser and 3D presentations. Modernity steps into the city with another attraction, its circular footbridge, a one-of-a kind structure in Europe.
As the city is well connected, Rzeszow is a favourite place for festivals and cultural events: The World Festival of Polonia Folkloristic Ensembles, where dancers from all over the world come to Rzeszow, the Rzeszow Carpathia Festival, where young singers and music bands show off their skills, The East of Culture Festival – European Stadium of Culture, which attracts large audiences interested in the joint performances of Polish bands with guests from Eastern countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia. The Paniaga Festival, taking place on Constitution Day, which brings 3 Maja Street and the whole city centre to life with outdoor exhibitions, handicraft and regional products fairs, dance shows, movies, food tastings, and concerts. The culminating moment of the Paniaga Festival is the opera concert held on the Rzeszow Market Square.
