Discover Kempen: Culture and Nature

Kępno County offers a variety of options for a holiday: exhibitions and historic churches, a dendrological garden, protected landscapes and hiking trails. Geomorphologically, the county lies in the Wysoczyzna Wieruszowska upland, whose landscape is only mildly varied. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can start by considering which themes you want to shape your stay: culture in Kępno and Bralin, nature destinations or longer hikes.

Exhibitions and Architectural History

At the Muzeum Ziemi Kępińskiej, the permanent exhibition “Z historii Kępna” combines a visit with the history of the town. The first floor also features “Dziedzictwo Żydowskie w Kępnie” and “Kolory Potworowskiego”. Admission to the museum is free. This makes it a well-defined cultural destination, distinct from the county’s historic churches and nature attractions.

The Church of St. Martin, dating from 1685, is also located in Kępno. It is one of the oldest brick churches in Kępno County. In Bralin, the former Evangelical Church of St. John the Evangelist recalls another chapter in the town’s history: it was built in 1866–1867 on the site of an earlier Evangelical school.

Near Bralin is the wooden church “Na Pólku”, built in 1711. It is associated with the pilgrimage of Saint Hedwig of Silesia to Kraków in 1229. In recognition of the outstanding restoration of its 18th-century wooden architecture, the church received a Europa Nostra medal on 25 February 1993. Another historical landmark is the Enzle bralińskie: the remains of a fortified manor in the form of a conical earthwork, with traces of a moat still visible.

Woodlands, Wet Meadows and Ancient Trees

The Laski Arboretum is a dendrological garden that dates back to 1981. Covering just under seven hectares, it is home to more than 220 species, cultivars and forms of ornamental and forest trees and shrubs. Its focus on woody plants makes the garden a different kind of nature experience from the county’s protected areas and ancient trees.

The 12.27-hectare Baranów Natura 2000 site is a special area of conservation for habitats, with wet meadows near the southern edge of the town of Kępno. The Dęby Bralińskie offer another, much older highlight: this natural monument consists of twelve oak trees estimated to be 600 to 800 years old. In the Studnica Nature Reserve in Rychtal Municipality, spruce trees reach heights of up to 40 metres and diameters of more than 100 centimetres.

Hiking and Time by the Water

If you’re planning a longer hike, Kępno County has the yellow-marked WK–193y hiking trail. It runs for 40.7 kilometres within the county. Another trail passes the Studnica Nature Reserve and Laski Arboretum. These two routes offer different options for exploring the area on foot.

The recreation centre in Mikorzyn has a bathing area and a playground; fishing is also one of the activities on offer. Check the latest operating details before your visit. This gives you a choice of hiking destinations and nature-watching as well as time by the water, without limiting your day trip to just one type of activity.

Choosing the Right Base

Kępno is the only town in Kępno County. The important Wrocław–Warsaw and Katowice–Poznań transport routes run through the town. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, it’s best to choose a location based on the places and themes that interest you most: Kępno, with its museum and Church of St. Martin; the churches and architectural history around Bralin; or the county’s nature and hiking destinations. This way, you can begin your search with a specific itinerary rather than a general idea of what makes a suitable holiday destination.

Discover More Destinations

Kępno, Bralin, Baranów, Szamotuły, Krotoszyn, Wolsztyn, Kalisz, Ostrów Wielkopolski

For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.