Discover Gniezno: Old Town, Piast Trail and Lake Jelonek

Gniezno combines a well-defined Old Town with sites connected to Piast history and an educational trail through areas of natural interest. You can therefore choose different focuses for your stay: explore historic buildings and streets, discover the Royal Trail with its hare sculptures, or learn about Lake Jelonek from the information boards. The experiences that matter to you on your trip may also influence where you choose to stay in Gniezno.

Old Town and traces of the city’s history

Gniezno’s Old Town includes Tumska Street, which leads to the cathedral, the Market Square and its adjoining streets, and part of Bolesław Chrobry Street. These names help you find your way around the city: instead of visiting just one building, you can explore several streets and the central square. Gniezno Cathedral is also a central point on the Piast Trail, which intersects in Gniezno.

The Gniezno Doors are located in the archcathedral. The bronze doors were cast in the 1170s or 1180s and depict scenes from the life of Saint Adalbert. Another stop for those interested in cultural history is the single-nave Church of St John the Baptist. It was built in the mid-14th century at the same time as the Gothic cathedral. Its presbytery retains original al secco polychrome painting from the time of its construction. These two sites offer different ways to explore Gniezno’s religious art and architectural history.

More recent history is also present in the cityscape: Dom Powstańca Wielkopolskiego in the Old Town Hall is a memorial room with an exhibition about the Greater Poland Uprising of 1918/19. Stroma Street also offers a view of the only surviving section of Gniezno’s city walls, located next to the Church of the Holy Trinity. If you are interested in the city’s history, you can include a surviving part of its former fortifications alongside churches and Old Town streets.

Royal Trail and finding your own way

On the Royal Trail, 17 hare sculptures point the way between stops. The direct connection between the figures and the stops makes the trail an engaging way for families to explore the city. A free guidebook and the free “Królika Goń” app are available. The app is available for Android and iOS. You can choose whether you prefer to find your way with a printed guide or digitally.

If you are looking for more ideas while planning your visit, you can contact the tourist information office in Gniezno. It helps visitors find tourist sites, monuments and attractions, and provides regional maps and guidebooks. It is a convenient place to start, especially if you want to choose additional destinations for your stay beyond the best-known stops.

Educational trail and green spaces at Lake Jelonek

The Eko Trakt is an approximately six-kilometre educational trail through Gniezno’s most interesting natural areas. Four information boards for the trail stand by Lake Jelonek. They describe beaver habitats, the lake, reed beds and a wet meadow. Along the way, you can learn not only about the body of water but also about different habitats and landscape features.

Lake Jelonek borders Gniezno’s Old Town to the west. Piastowski Park is located by the lake, with walking paths and an outdoor street-workout area. This means that, in addition to churches and the historic city centre, Gniezno also offers a place to enjoy paths and outdoor exercise. The information boards by the lake, the educational trail and the park’s facilities each offer something different; choose the stops that suit your interests.

Getting to Gniezno and finding accommodation

Two standard-gauge railway lines run through Gniezno: line 353 from Poznań Wschód to Korsze and line 281 from Oleśnica to Chojnice. If you are considering travelling by train, these lines can be a starting point for checking suitable connections. You can compare the choice of hotel, apartment or holiday home with your expectations for services, independence, space and meal planning; check these features for each specific listing.

More places to consider when planning your trip: Witkowo, Gniezno, Węgorzewo, Łubowo, Żydowo, Kiszkowo, Skrzetuszewo, Skorzęcin, Dębnica, Trzemeszno, Cielimowo, Niechanowo.

For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.