Antoniewo: Open-Air Museum, Folk Festivals and Culture in Kłóbka

To put Antoniewo in context, it is worth looking at two places in the associated municipality: Kłóbka and Lubień Kujawski. They represent different themes, from rural architecture and regional traditions to a path along a lakeshore. This gives you specific cultural and natural sites to explore without confusing the two main attractions.

Kłóbka: Landscape and Open-Air Museum

Kłóbka lies among hills, forests and lakes and is called the “Pearl of Kujawy.” This description of the landscape refers to the locality. The Kujawsko-Dobrzyński Ethnographic Park contains more than a dozen examples of rural architecture; the oldest date from the 18th century. The collection includes authentic rural buildings from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, including thatched wooden houses, farm buildings and granaries. The buildings included in the visitor presentation may change. If a particular house is important to you, check before your visit whether it is currently on display.

At the center of the reconstructed village are an old inn, a school building, a fire station and a church. Other reconstructed structures in the open-air museum village include a smithy, an oil mill, a pottery workshop and a post mill. The different buildings and workshops give the museum village a perspective beyond a mere collection of houses: agriculture, crafts and communal facilities are also part of the picture of rural life.

The open-air museum also includes a manor house dating from the mid-19th century. Maria z Wodzińskich Orpiszewska lived there; her life and artistic work are presented in the manor house. Kłóbka’s cultural offer thus encompasses both the reconstructed village and a place focused on the life and art of a particular person.

Folk Festivals and Ways to Visit

The open-air museum hosts the annual folk festival series “Z życia dawnej wsi.” The festivals showcase traditional crafts, activities from the past and customs. Regional dances accompany folk music, while themed performances illustrate customs and rituals from earlier times. The three listed dates are the last Sunday in June, the first Sunday in August and the second Sunday in September. Check the dates before your trip so you can plan your visit to coincide with the festival you want to attend.

Several ways of visiting the open-air museum are available: you can explore the village and park independently, without entering the buildings; choose separate guided tours of the village or the manor house; or take a combined guided tour of all the buildings. Check the current booking details in advance. For directions to Kłóbka: the Kujawsko-Dobrzyński Ethnographic Park is 6 km from the “Kowal” interchange on the A1 and close to National Road 91.

At Lake Lubień in Lubień Kujawski

Another point of interest in the associated municipality is Lubień Kujawski. Municipal visitor information dated 15 May 2024 describes a path there along Lake Lubień: it begins at the car park by the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, follows the lakeshore and leads to the amphitheater. The path passes through an area of special natural value. While Kłóbka is associated with culture and traditions through its open-air museum, buildings and folk festivals, here the focus is on the lake and its shoreline landscape.

Discover more destinations: Mieczysławowo, Skoki Duże, Mikolajki, Baruchowo, Smólnik, Markowo, Kowal, Lubień Kujawski.

For the main travel overview: Włocławek.