 |  |  |
About the Trail
In the heart of MAIOR POLONIA (Great Poland) there is a unique trail known as The Piast Trail. Among hundreds of other trails, the one is exceptional. Its uniqueness is reflected by monuments (of material culture) accumulated along the trail from the beginning of the Polish state up till now. The Trail leads through two historic Polish areas such as Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) and Kujawy. The origins of Szlak Piast date back to the time before the beginning of the Polish state. Its name was taken from the ancestor of the first Polish dynasty of Piast Kołodziej known as Piastun- the teacher. He lived near Kruszwica and after the evil king’s Popiel dethronement (called Chwascisko), Piastun was chosen the king. His successors formed the foundations of Polish state. The areas around the Piast Trail became the cradle of a new country. It is Ostrów Lednicki where Mieszko I was probably baptised. Therefore Poland commenced to be influenced by Christian culture.
The Piast Trail starts in Poznań and leads to the North through Pobiedziska, Moraczewo, Ostrów Lednicki, Gniezno, Trzemeszno, Mogilno, Strzelno, Kruszwica, Inowrocław, Kościelec Kujawski, Pakość, Barcin, Lubostroń, Żnin, Wenecja, Biskupin, Gąsawa, Marcinkowo Górne, Rogowo to Gniezno. Along the main trail there are a lot of historically interesting places with their picturesque landscape such as Uzarzewo, Wierzenica, Tuczno, Wronczyn, Pomarzanowice, Imielenko, Imielno, Imiołki, Łubowo, Czerniejewo, Giecz, Miłosław, Września, Grzybowo, Witkowo, Skorzęcin, Powidz, Małachowo, Kołaczkowo, Arcugowo, Niechanowo, Jankowo Dolne, Duszno with its highest hill (called Wał Wydartowski), Wylatowo, Kwieciszewo, Sławsk Wielki, Kobylniki, Szarlej, Łojewo, Szymborze, Tupadły, Markowice, Waplewo, Piechcin, Żnin Góra, Ryszewo, Gościeszyn, Kruchowo, Przyjma I and Przyjma II, Niestronno, Bełki, Wieniec, Rzym, Łopienno, Mielno, Kłecko, Kiszkowo and Dąbrówka Kościelna.
On the trail there are located three monuments recognized as historic monuments. They are ruins on Ostrów Lednicki island, the Cathedral in Gniezno ( known as the mother of Polish cathedrals) and defensive settlements of peoples of Lusatian culture (marshy type) in Biskupin, which is 2744 years old. The monuments dating back to the Romanesque period such as the bronze door dating back to the 12th century which depicts eighteen scenes from St. Adalbert’s life, Basilica in Trzemeszno, monastery church with its underground vaults in Mogilno, famous Strzelno columns with a figural sculpture, a well preserved Basilica in Kruszwica, church of Virgin Mary on Biała Góra in Inowrocław as well as the oldest rural stone church in Kościelec Kujawski. All the monuments provide the area with unique historic dimension.
Apart from its great historic dimension the area contains a variety of rare natural attractions. The trail goes through two lake regions which are Poznań and Gniezno regions with over a thousand lakes mainly post-glacial ones. The biggest lake of Pojezierze Gnieźnieńskie (lake region of Gniezno) is Gopło lake in Kruszwica which was referred to as the Sea of Poles in Medieval times. A great deal of lakes enables to take up water sports, recreation and leisure.
It is also possible to have a rest after the whole day of sightseeing historical places and monuments at the developed lake banks. It is worth recommending such holiday resorts as Powidz, Skorzecin, Przyjezierze, Kruszwica etc. Another attraction which encourages people to visit the area is a variety of natural landscape parks rich in unique wildlife. Natural landscape parks are Puszcza Zielonka, (Zielonka Forest) and Nadgoplański Park Krajobrazowy (Gopło Landscape Park).
The Piast Trail can be visited by different age groups in many ways. Students from primary school should begin visiting the Piast trail in the Miniature Heritage Park near Pobiedziska town where they can familiarise themselves with its attractions such as ecclesiastical, secular architecture as well as other attractions of the unique Piast trail. The things which will undeniably interest lovers of history, architecture, archaeology, ethnography as well as those who are fond of fresh air and comforting silence are extra attractions made by nature and a man. These are pictograms which appear on fields in Wylatowo every year (until today there has been no explanation of how they are made), there is also the only wooden church with a nave and two aisles in Wielkopolska (such churches are common in Tomaszów Lubelski), a viewpoint in Duszno from which the panorama of Gniezno, Mogilno, Inowrocław, Kruszwica and the cupola of Basilica in Trzemeszno can be admired. Last but not least there is also the longest funicular railway which transports limestone from Pakość to Strzelno. Heading to Wągrowiec and travelling through the Cistercian trail a visitor will see two rivers cross which is a unique phenomenon (known as bifurcation) in Poland. Countless tourist walking and bicycle trails will bring richness of the land closer as well as will encourage to visit this charming place more frequently.
The Piast Trail starts in Poznań and leads to the North through Pobiedziska, Moraczewo, Ostrów Lednicki, Gniezno, Trzemeszno, Mogilno, Strzelno, Kruszwica, Inowrocław, Kościelec Kujawski, Pakość, Barcin, Lubostroń, Żnin, Wenecja, Biskupin, Gąsawa, Marcinkowo Górne, Rogowo to Gniezno. Along the main trail there are a lot of historically interesting places with their picturesque landscape such as Uzarzewo, Wierzenica, Tuczno, Wronczyn, Pomarzanowice, Imielenko, Imielno, Imiołki, Łubowo, Czerniejewo, Giecz, Miłosław, Września, Grzybowo, Witkowo, Skorzęcin, Powidz, Małachowo, Kołaczkowo, Arcugowo, Niechanowo, Jankowo Dolne, Duszno with its highest hill (called Wał Wydartowski), Wylatowo, Kwieciszewo, Sławsk Wielki, Kobylniki, Szarlej, Łojewo, Szymborze, Tupadły, Markowice, Waplewo, Piechcin, Żnin Góra, Ryszewo, Gościeszyn, Kruchowo, Przyjma I and Przyjma II, Niestronno, Bełki, Wieniec, Rzym, Łopienno, Mielno, Kłecko, Kiszkowo and Dąbrówka Kościelna.
On the trail there are located three monuments recognized as historic monuments. They are ruins on Ostrów Lednicki island, the Cathedral in Gniezno ( known as the mother of Polish cathedrals) and defensive settlements of peoples of Lusatian culture (marshy type) in Biskupin, which is 2744 years old. The monuments dating back to the Romanesque period such as the bronze door dating back to the 12th century which depicts eighteen scenes from St. Adalbert’s life, Basilica in Trzemeszno, monastery church with its underground vaults in Mogilno, famous Strzelno columns with a figural sculpture, a well preserved Basilica in Kruszwica, church of Virgin Mary on Biała Góra in Inowrocław as well as the oldest rural stone church in Kościelec Kujawski. All the monuments provide the area with unique historic dimension.
Apart from its great historic dimension the area contains a variety of rare natural attractions. The trail goes through two lake regions which are Poznań and Gniezno regions with over a thousand lakes mainly post-glacial ones. The biggest lake of Pojezierze Gnieźnieńskie (lake region of Gniezno) is Gopło lake in Kruszwica which was referred to as the Sea of Poles in Medieval times. A great deal of lakes enables to take up water sports, recreation and leisure.
It is also possible to have a rest after the whole day of sightseeing historical places and monuments at the developed lake banks. It is worth recommending such holiday resorts as Powidz, Skorzecin, Przyjezierze, Kruszwica etc. Another attraction which encourages people to visit the area is a variety of natural landscape parks rich in unique wildlife. Natural landscape parks are Puszcza Zielonka, (Zielonka Forest) and Nadgoplański Park Krajobrazowy (Gopło Landscape Park).
The Piast Trail can be visited by different age groups in many ways. Students from primary school should begin visiting the Piast trail in the Miniature Heritage Park near Pobiedziska town where they can familiarise themselves with its attractions such as ecclesiastical, secular architecture as well as other attractions of the unique Piast trail. The things which will undeniably interest lovers of history, architecture, archaeology, ethnography as well as those who are fond of fresh air and comforting silence are extra attractions made by nature and a man. These are pictograms which appear on fields in Wylatowo every year (until today there has been no explanation of how they are made), there is also the only wooden church with a nave and two aisles in Wielkopolska (such churches are common in Tomaszów Lubelski), a viewpoint in Duszno from which the panorama of Gniezno, Mogilno, Inowrocław, Kruszwica and the cupola of Basilica in Trzemeszno can be admired. Last but not least there is also the longest funicular railway which transports limestone from Pakość to Strzelno. Heading to Wągrowiec and travelling through the Cistercian trail a visitor will see two rivers cross which is a unique phenomenon (known as bifurcation) in Poland. Countless tourist walking and bicycle trails will bring richness of the land closer as well as will encourage to visit this charming place more frequently.
