Discover Gniezno: Old Town, Piast Trail and nature

Old Town and Piast Trail

Gniezno’s Old Town includes Tumska Street, which leads to the cathedral, the Market Square and its side streets, and part of Bolesław Chrobry Street. Thus, both the streets and the square are part of the Old Town area described here, as is the route to the cathedral. There you’ll find the Gniezno Doors: the bronze doors were cast in the 1170s or 1180s and have been in Gniezno Archcathedral ever since they were made. Their images depict the life of Saint Adalbert. Those interested in medieval art and history will find specific details here that can be combined with a walk through the Old Town.

The single-nave Church of St John the Baptist also tells the story of Gniezno’s architectural history. It was built in the mid-14th century at the same time as the Gothic cathedral. The presbytery retains an original al secco polychrome decoration dating from the church’s construction. Another historic remnant lies beside the Church of the Holy Trinity: the only surviving section of Gniezno’s city walls, visible from Stroma Street.

The Piast Trail crosses Gniezno, with the cathedral as a central point on the route. At the Old Town Hall, the Dom Powstańca Wielkopolskiego adds to the historic experience with an exhibition on the Greater Poland Uprising of 1918/19. The memorial room is dedicated to a specific chapter in the history of the city and region.

A trail marked by hares and a nature path by the lake

The Royal Trail marks its stops with 17 hare sculptures that guide visitors from one point to the next. Visitors can explore it with a free guidebook or the free “Królika Goń” app, available for Android and iOS. The hares make the route easy to recognise, while the guidebook and app offer different ways to find your way. Families can decide whether they’d prefer to be accompanied on their exploration by a printed guide or a digital one.

The approximately six-kilometre-long Eko Trakt offers a different perspective: it is a nature trail through the most interesting natural areas of Gniezno. Four Eko Trakt information boards are located by Lake Jelonek. They describe beaver habitats, the lake, reed beds and a wet meadow. Visitors wishing to include nature in their stay will find several different topics along the trail.

Lake Jelonek borders the Old Town to the west. Piastowski Park is also by the lake, with walking paths and an outdoor street-workout area. This part of Gniezno therefore offers quiet paths and the opportunity to exercise outdoors alongside the city’s historic sights. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether your trip will focus mainly on the Old Town and culture, the Eko Trakt, or walks and outdoor exercise.

Getting around and more to discover

The tourist information office in Gniezno helps visitors find tourist sites, monuments and attractions, and provides regional maps and guidebooks. This can be especially useful if you’re choosing between different stops or would like to plan your explorations with a guidebook. Railways are another part of getting around: two standard-gauge lines pass through Gniezno, line 353 from Poznań Wschód to Korsze and line 281 from Oleśnica to Chojnice.

Events in Gniezno have included Dni Pary, held at Parowozownia Gniezno since 2010. Since 2012, the Royal Artistic Festival has been organised as a series of cultural events held every weekend. These examples add events from different fields to the city’s history; the details given describe the format of each event.

For more places to explore: Witkowo, Gniezno, Węgorzewo, Łubowo, Żydowo, Kiszkowo, Skrzetuszewo, Dębnica, Trzemeszno, Cielimowo, Niechanowo and Skorzęcin.

For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.