Wąwolnica: Madonna, Museum and Traces of a Castle

Museum: Art, Books and Local History

The exhibition of the Wąwolnica Museum is located on the lower floor of the castle church, built in the 14th century. The upper floor, which has been remodelled several times, houses the Chapel of Our Lady of Kębło. The building thus brings together church architecture and a museum exhibition, while its two floors focus on different aspects of history.

The Madonna of Kębło dates from around 1440 and is made of limewood. The figure is 85 centimetres tall and 27 centimetres wide at its widest point. It was made in an as-yet unidentified workshop in Silesia or Pomerania.

The museum’s collection includes liturgical vestments and vessels from the 18th century, well-preserved leather-bound books from the 17th century, and a 16th-century sculpture of Christ. The collection thus brings together objects used in worship, books and sculpture. The museum also displays some sculptural and drawing works by the brothers Józef and Stanisław Gosławski.

The museum’s holdings also include several drawings made by Józef Gosławski before restoration work on the House Under St. Nicholas in Kazimierz Dolny. They were donated by his family.

The museum was founded in 1995 on the initiative of the board of the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Wąwolnicy and the parish priest at the time, ks. infułat Jan Pęzioł. A model depicts the town in the 15th century. It was made in 1996 using rediscovered 15th-century court books. The museum therefore displays objects from several centuries alongside a depiction of the town as it appeared at the time.

Marian Sanctuary and Medieval Wall Remains

The chapel of the Marian Sanctuary in Wąwolnica is located near the parish church of St. Adalbert and is considered the town’s oldest architectural monument. The main surviving feature of the original building is a 17th-century Renaissance marble portal. It offers a tangible glimpse of what remains of the older architecture.

Low, small fragments of the medieval castle walls have survived on the church hill. They include the foundation of a cylindrical tower in the southern castle wall. The remains of the walls contrast clearly with the elaborately designed church interiors: here, surviving sections of a fortification shape the hill’s historic character.

Wąwolnica on Hiking and Cycling Routes

The 60-kilometre western Wyżynny hiking trail, marked red, runs from Kazimierz Dolny via Rąblów, Wąwolnica, Nałęczów, Wojciechów, Motycz and Dąbrowica to Lublin. Wąwolnica is therefore a named stop on a longer route between Kazimierz Dolny and Lublin. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

A red-marked cycling route between Lublin and Kazimierz Dolny also passes through Wąwolnica. It is 62 kilometres long and runs via Rąblów, Kębło, Wąwolnica, Nałęczów, Wojciechów, Miłocin and Dąbrowica. The differences are useful for planning: the hiking trail is 60 kilometres long and the cycling route is 62 kilometres; they also pass through some different intermediate locations. Check local trail conditions before a bike ride, too.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Wąwolnica, you can focus on local history or active routes. The museum, chapel and castle wall fragments offer different cultural and historical themes; the marked routes make Wąwolnica part of longer hiking and cycling connections. This lets you choose the kind of trip you want without confusing the two routes or their intermediate locations.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kazimierz Dolny, Janowiec, Rablów, Strzyżowice, Karmanowice, Sadurki, Lysa Gora, Parchatka.

To the main travel overview: Puławski.