Białowieża Forest

The Białowieża Forest is a large forest complex on the border between Poland and Belarus. It is one of the last and the largest remaining part of the immense primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain. The forest is home to more than 800 European bisons, Europe's heaviest land animal. The forest has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an EU Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation. The Białowieża National Park, which covers the central part of the forest, protects the best preserved fragment of the forest and is characterized by its biological diversity, with many species of plants, birds, and mammals, including the European bison. The park also has a complex of historical buildings, including the Park Palace and the oldest building in Białowieża, a wooden manor-house from 1845