Chelm

About

Sitting near Poland's border with Belarus and Ukraine, the small city of Chelm hides an interesting history. Founded in the 9th century, Chelm's development has seen its fair share of twists and turns, most recently during World War II when its Polish residents were massacred as part of a Ukrainian ethnic cleansing campaign. The suffering of the city's Jewish population during this time is remembered by the Small and Old Synagogues, as well as the Jewish cemetery. Not all of its monuments are so bleak however. Visitors can also admire the gorgeous 13th-century Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, and the lavish 18th-century Palace of Uniates. Visitors can even head into the town's unique chalk mines, which date back to the 13th century.