Bielski County: Discover History and Nature

In Bielski County, historical traces, sacred culture and a designated horse-riding trail come together. In Bielsk Podlaski, you’ll find a park, a hillfort and a church with a eventful history; Brańsk preserves an early medieval hillfort site.

Bielsk Podlaski: Park, Hillfort and Sacred History

The 6.16-hectare Aleksander Jagiellończyk, King of Poland Park lies around Góra Zamkowa. In its northeastern part are the medieval Góra Zamkowa hillfort and a pond. This means that a named historic site and another striking feature sit side by side within the park. In Queen Helena Park, the monumental sculpture “Wielki Walny Sejm Bielski AD 1564” also commemorates the year named in its title.

A particularly long historical arc connects Góra Zamkowa with the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God. It is considered Bielsk Podlaski’s oldest sacred monument and was moved in 1562 from Góra Zamkowa to its present location on Jagiellońska Street. The church houses a miraculous icon of the Mother of God, donated by Princess Helena, wife of the Polish king Aleksander Jagiellończyk. The park and the church thus appeal to different interests: the history of the area can be explored here through both a medieval site and a sacred building.

Planning Your Visit and Finding Your Way

Since August 2025, tourists have been able to visit the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday to Friday; guided tours can be arranged. Confirm visiting hours locally before your trip. The Bielsk Podlaski Tourist Information Centre is located in the town hall, which also houses the Museum of the Two Nations. The address is 45 A. Mickiewicza Street.

This gives you two different places to plan around: the church’s precise visiting hours and the address of the Tourist Information Centre in the town hall. If you want to plan your trip around a particular visit, take the limited time window into account and ask about guided tours in advance.

Brańsk and the Horse-Riding Trail Through the Upper Narew Valley

Brańsk also offers a historic landmark: the early medieval hillfort site was established in the 10th or 11th century at the confluence of the Nurzec and Bronka rivers; today it is known as “Zamczysko”.

Another way to experience Bielski County is the Dolina Górnej Narwi horse-riding trail. It runs for about 35 kilometres along the southern edge of the Upper Narew Valley within the county. The horse-riding trail is all about its roughly 35-kilometre route, while the historic destinations in Bielsk Podlaski and Brańsk focus on the history of individual places.

Podlachia as the Wider Destination

If you also include the wider destination of Podlachia in your travel plans, you’ll find other, distinctly different nature-focused experiences there. Białowieża National Park is in Podlachian Voivodeship and covers the central part of the Białowieża Forest. One of the park’s major attractions is the Museum of Nature and Forest. Wigry National Park has a total of 190 kilometres of designated and developed trails for walking and cycling. On waters open to visitors, you can travel by kayak, rowing or sailing boat, as well as other non-motorised watercraft.

Other landscapes also define Podlachia: Biebrza National Park encompasses a vast wetland area with marshes and peat bogs. In Narew National Park, the Waniewo–Śliwno footbridge can be accessed for walks from either village; however, adverse weather conditions may lead to temporary closures. If you’re planning a visit, check access in advance. Forests, trails, waters open to visitors and wetlands thus offer options for different kinds of excursions in the wider destination of Podlachia.

More Places to Discover

Bielski County also includes Bielsk Podlaski, Topczewo and Ploski. Discover more destinations: Wysokie Mazowieckie, Zambrów, Kolneński, Grajewski, Białostocki.

Back to the wider travel overview: Podlachia.