Soldau (Działdowo): Old Town, Culture and Cycling Routes

Town History in the Museum and Old Town

The Muzeum Pogranicza is a municipal cultural institution housed in the rebuilt Dom Duży, which has been adapted for cultural purposes. Its chronologically arranged permanent exhibition is entitled “Działdowo – miasto i ludzie dawnego pogranicza” and covers the history of the Działdowszczyzna from antiquity to the mid-20th century. It offers a broad chronological perspective for anyone wishing to explore the eventful history of the border region. The Interactive Museum of the State of the Teutonic Order opened on 13 August 2013 in Działdowo’s town hall. The exhibition spans two levels; the first consists of five chronologically arranged rooms. This gives you two distinct starting points for planning cultural activities: a permanent historical exhibition and an interactive presentation on the State of the Teutonic Order.

The Old Town also tells the story of the town’s development. It retains its original medieval street layout, with a square market square at its centre. The town hall in the middle of the market square dates from 1796. The Teutonic Castle is part of the “Szlak Zamków Gotyckich,” the Route of Gothic Castles. These historic places give your trip a clear cultural focus without limiting your itinerary to a single period.

Memorial Sites and a Variety of Excursions

The Sanctuary of the Blessed Martyrs of Działdowo is located in the Church of St Catherine of Alexandria. It commemorates Archbishop Antoni Julian Nowowiejski and Bishop Leon Wetmański, who were martyrs at the camp in Działdowo. The former barracks building is also historically significant and is considered a testament to the martyrdom of the Polish nation. These places add a solemn dimension of remembrance to the town’s history.

For outdoor activities in town, Park Honorowych Dawców Krwi offers walking paths, a climbing park, outdoor trampolines and a stage. If you would rather explore on two wheels, there are four signposted cycling routes around Działdowo, marked with different colours and connected to one another. Roughly halfway along, there are rest areas with shelters, sports fields and stone barbecue grills. One cycling loop also passes through the protected ecological sites of Ptasie Bagno and Torfianki Działdowskie. A 2.421-kilometre shared pedestrian and cycle path runs along the district road between Działdowo and Księży Dwór.

The Wel and the Wkra flow through the wider Powiat Działdowski: the Wel is a left-bank tributary of the Drwęca, while the Wkra is a tributary of the Narew. The Welski Landscape Park and Górznieńsko-Lidzbarski Landscape Park are located in the western part of the district; the Ostrów Tarczyński Nature Reserve also lies partly or entirely within the district. On the Wel, the Piekiełko kayaking section passes through a deep gorge. Due to strong currents and fallen trees, this section is recommended for experienced kayakers. These differences can help you choose between town history, cycling trips and a more demanding nature experience.

Getting There and Nearby Places

Działdowo lies on the Warsaw–Gdańsk national railway line, with connections to Olsztyn. For road traffic, the town is a junction for regional roads 544, 545 and 542: road 544 runs between Mława and Lidzbark, road 545 leads to Nidzica and road 542 to Ostróda. The recurring Działdowski Jarmark, featuring antiques, crafts and healthy food, brings together culture, craftsmanship and local creativity. For further orientation, you can also find Kopaniarze, Murawki, Naguszewo, Nowa Wies, Działdowo, Grądy, Lidzbark, Uzdowo and Rybno.

For the wider travel overview: Warmia-Masuria.