Wincenty Pol i koleje żelazne – ujęcie geograficzno-historyczne

Abstract

Wincenty Pol and railways – geographical and historical approach The aim of the article is to show, in geographic and historical terms, the links between the life of Wincenty Pol (1807–1872) and the railways. As a witness of their development in Central Europe, and at the same time a geographer – professor at the Jagiellonian University, he saw the advantages of the new mode of transport for the economy, society and sightseeing. The paper analyses episodes from W. Pol’s biography with a reference to the stages of the process of spatial diffusion of railways in the world. An attempt was made to indicate the places and circumstances of his direct contact with railways, especially during his travels. Elements of his scientific output related to the geography of rail transport were also indicated. The research was based on his writings, including the mail, and other literature, iconographic and cartographic sources. The most important result of the analyses is a spatial reconstruction of the routes that W. Pol could have travelled by train between 1845 and 1872.