Thematic village

Thematic villages (Polish: wioski tematyczne) are small tourist villages formed from a need to generate an alternative source of income and foster a feeling of community and pride in declining rural areas.[1]

Austria

The idea of thematic villages began in 1984 using four municipalities as test communities. With the success of those communities the non-profit Lower Austrian Village and Urban Renewal Project was founded in 1990 to motivate the population to participate actively in their villages, towns, and cities. By 2010 village redevelopment activities were implemented from 1341 locations.[2][3]

Examples of thematic villages:

• Krummnußbaum - Nut Village
• Purgstall an der Erlauf - Book Village [4]
• Armschlag - Poppy Village[5]
• Herrnbaumgarten - Nonsense Village [6]

Poland

Seeing the success of the Austrian villages, Poland followed with their first thematic villages 15 years later.[7]

West Pomeranian Voivodeship

The first Polish thematic villages, mostly geared towards children of school age, were established in this voivodeship.[7] They include: Dąbrowa, the Village of Healthy Living; Iwiecino, the Village of the End of the World; Paproty, the Village of Labyrinths and Sources; the Fairytale and Fun Fair in Podgórke; and the Tolkien-inspired Hobbit Village, Sierakowo Sławieńskie.[8]

Podlaskie Voivodeship

The District Office in Bialystok and the County Office in Suwałki promoted the idea of thematic villages in this voivodship starting November 2008. This endeavor is co-financed by the EU.[9][10]

• Ruda - Adventure Bread Village[7][10]
• Krypno - Pacowa Cottage Hamlet[7][9][10][11]
• Góra - Rybia Mountain[7][10]
• Czarna Wieś Kościelna - Forest Spirit Village[9]
• Obrubniki - Slav's Land[9]
• Janowszczyzna - A Village with Traditions[7]
• Dzięciołówka - Strawberry Village[7]

Lesser Poland Voivodeship

• Dulowa - Lost Village[12]
• Głogoczów - Sport and Family Village[13]
• Ruda Kameralna - Positively Twisted Village[14]

Opolskie Voivodeship

• Kuniów - Agritourism Village
• Kujakowice Górne - Crumb Cake Village
• Maciejów - Village of Flowing Honey
• Pawłowice - Village of Paradise

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

• Adamkowo - Avian Village[15]
• Gzin - Rituals Village[16]
• Jabłonka - Apple Village
• Jania Góra - Bread Village
• Krzywogoniec - Mushroom Village
• Macikowo - Herbal Village
• Nowy Sumin - Borovian Village
• Piła-Młyn - Coal Mining Village[17]
• Podzamek Golubski - Village of Nuts
• Węgiersk - Fruit Village
• Wielki Mędromierz - Honey Village
• Wylatowo - Village of UFOs
• Wysoka - Cypress Village
• Żalno - Flower Village

Łódź Voivodeship

• Stara Wieś - Karate Village[18]
• Domaniew - Artistic Village

Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship

• Bałtów - Dinosaur Park[19]

Pomeranian Voivodeship

• Karwno - Fantasy Village[20]

Podkarpackie Voivodeship

• Kuńkowce - Living Fantasy Village[21]

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

• Suchacz - Kaperska Village[22]
• Pogrodzie - Children's Village
• Kadyny - Imperial Village
• Aniołowo - Angels Village

Germany

• Bröbberow - Mecklenburg Culture
• Nattenheim - Village of Witches
• Ingenried - Village of Renewable Energy
• Malzhausen - Country Village

See also

• Tourist village (Indonesia)
• Ethnographic village

References

1. Kłoczko-Gajewska, Anna (20 Dec 2013). "General characteristics of thematic villages in Poland". Retrieved 4 September 2017.
2. "NÖ Dorf & Stadterneuerung" [Lower Austrian Village & Urban Renewal Project] (in German). Retrieved 5 September 2017. See Vorstand & Organisation > Dorferneuerungsvereine for a list of villages.
3. (in German). 10 January 2013 https://archive.is/20130110085943/http://www.freiwilligenweb.at/index.php?id=CH0521&organisation=40. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. "Bücherdorf - Purgstall an der Erlauf" [Book Village - Purgstall an der Erlauf] (in German). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
5. "Mohndorf Armschlag" [Poppy Village Armschlag] (in German).
6. "Herrnbaumgarten - Das verruckte Dorf" [Herrnbaumgarten - The Crazy Village] (in German). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
7. Biziuk, Dorota (29 January 2009). "Wioski tematyczne: Inny świat" [Theme Villages: Different World] (in Polish). Gazeta Współczesna.
8. "Pomorze Zachodnie Wioski tematyczne" [Western Pomerania Theme Villages] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
9. "Wioski tematyczne na podlasiu" [Thematic Villages in Podlasie] (in Polish). Grajewo. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
10. "Pomysł na promocję: wsie tematyczne" [Idea of Promotion: Thematic Villages] (in Polish). 17 November 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
11. "Pacowa Chata – Przysiółek Szlachecki" [Pocowa Chata - Manor House] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
12. "Miejsca z charakterem. Dulowa" [Places with Character. Dulowa] (in Polish). Retrieved 6 May 2016.
13. "Wiejski Dom Kultury w Głogoczowie" [Rural Culture Center in Glogoczow] (in Polish). Retrieved 4 September 2017.
14. "Miejsca z charakterem. Ruda Kameralna" [Places with Character. Ruda Kameralna] (in Polish). Retrieved 6 May 2016.
15. "Strona Ptasiej Wioski" [Bird's Home Village] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
16. "Darcie pierza i inne rytuały w Gzinie" [Darwin feathers and other rituals in Gzin] (in Polish).
17. "Strona Wioski Górniczej" [Page of the Mining Village] (in Polish).
18. "Centrum Japońskich Sportów i Sztuk Walki "Dojo – Stara Wieś"" [Center of Japanese Sports and Martial ARts "Dojo - Old Village"] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
19. "Strona Jurapark w Bałtowie" [Jurapark site in Bałtów] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
20. "Karwno wioska fantazji" [Karwno Village of Fantasy] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
21. "Wioska Fantasy" (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
22. "Suchacz - Wioska Kaperska" [Suchacz - Kaperska Village] (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2017.