Briesen (Wąbrzeźno): Lakes, history and active days

Briesen (Wąbrzeźno) combines a setting between three lakes with historic buildings and activities for active days. The area of present-day Wąbrzeźno is partly surrounded by Lakes Zamkowe, Frydek and Sitno. If you are planning a stay, you can choose from a range of activities: explore the churches and the town’s history, follow the trails on foot or by bike, or spend time by the water.

Lakes, trails and town history

A town beach is located in Podzamcze on Lake Zamkowe. For activities on the water, the Przystań Sportów Wodnych im. Jana Bosmana-Lewandowskiego offers opportunities for kayaking, sailing and stand-up paddleboarding. A rental station on Lake Zamkowe offers kayaks, pedal boats and SUP boards free of charge. Several types of water sports are available, making for a different kind of stay from one focused mainly on the town’s historic sites.

Wąbrzeźno can also be explored on foot and by bike. Walking and cycling trails pass viewpoints and outdoor fitness equipment. Cycling routes follow kilometres of modernised, safe and well-signposted cycle paths. The former route of the Wąbrzeska kolejka is a separate feature: a walking and cycling trail now runs along the old railway line. Those interested in transport and technology history will find another aspect of the town’s past here: Poland’s first electrified railway line was built in Wąbrzeźno.

Churches, the market square and historic sites

Among the oldest buildings is the Church of the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude Thaddeus, built between 1323 and 1349. The parish church in Wąbrzeźno has served as the Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Brzemiennej since the 16th century. The name “Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Brzemiennej” was first officially used in 1993 for the long-standing Marian cult in Wąbrzeźno. Both the long religious tradition and the history of the name are among the town’s distinctive features.

The town hall represents a different architectural period: it was built in 1892 in the Neo-Gothic style from unrendered red brick. The Church of Matki Bożej Królowej Polski dates from 1836 and houses religious artworks from the 16th to the 19th century. If you would like to add more historic destinations to your visit, you can also include the ruins of the castle of the Bishops of Chełmno. The tourist route through Wąbrzeźno includes eight historic sites. Art Nouveau houses shape the streetscape of the restored market square.

More activities and practical information

For a range of leisure interests, the Centrum Aktywności „Przyjazne Wzgórze” offers adventure ropes courses, ground-level trampolines, mini golf, a zip line, slides, a skatepark and a basketball court. The Stadion Miejski im. Jana Wesołowskiego also caters to sports enthusiasts. It has a certified blue athletics track, facilities for long jump, high jump and pole vault, as well as throwing areas. The Pływalnia Miejska im. Pawła Bączyńskiego has sports lanes and a sauna area. These facilities complement the trails, sights and waterside activities with more ways to plan your day.

The open-air amphitheatre hosts seasonal concerts by the water. For a meal, the Stary Młyn restaurant at ul. 1 Maja 40 is a specific address in Wąbrzeźno. If you are travelling by car, you can factor the road connections into your plans: the town has a bypass and access to the motorway. Whether historic buildings, exercise or water sports are the main focus of your stay will determine which aspects of Briesen are most interesting for your trip.

Discover more destinations

More places and regions: Radziejów, Aleksandrowski, Mogilno, Powiat Radziejowski, Nakielski, Inowrocław, Graudenz and Tuchel.

Back to the main travel guide: Kujawsko-Pomorskie.