While visiting the Świętokrzyskie province, take time to visit Szydłów, which has a very rich history. The town's greatest development occurred in the 14th century during the reign of Casimir the Great, when a castle was built and the town was surrounded by defensive walls built of local limestone. The walls built made Szydłów a defensive city of almost 7 hectares, defending the borders of Małopolska. Because of its perfectly preserved medieval urban layout and walls, Szydłów became known as the Polish "Carcassonne" years ago. Four sections of about 700 meters in length have been preserved to this day. Perfectly preserved medieval walls make the town a real tourist gem. They are definitely one of the biggest attractions of Szydłów. Tourists who want to see what a medieval town might have looked like come here. One of the interesting facts is that Szydłów is also called the plum capital of Poland (there are about a thousand plum orchards in its area). The defensive walls and the Cracow Gate are the main attractions in Szydłów that are worth seeing.