Milicz: Heritage, Park and Cycling Routes

Architectural History and Getting Around Milicz

Pałac Maltzanów was built between 1790 and 1798 in the neoclassical style, based on a design by architect Karol G. Geissler. The palace has a park with 80 species of shrubs and trees, through which the Młynówka Milicka flows. The building and the park’s varied planting create distinct focal points: architecture and garden landscapes are directly connected here.

The Church of St. Andrew Bobola in Milicz represents a different era. It was built between 1709 and 1714. Together with Pałac Maltzanów, it creates a contrast between the early 18th century and the late 18th century. If you are interested in architectural history, these two buildings provide a concrete introduction to the town’s historic sights.

Stara Rzeźnia houses a tourist information office, a conference and event hall, and workshop rooms. The building thus brings together several different uses under one roof. The castle ruins in Milicz are currently not open to visitors; as access conditions may change, check locally for the latest information before your trip.

Nature and Routes in the Gmina Milicz

The “Dolina Baryczy” Landscape Park is a defining part of the landscape of the Gmina Milicz: it covers about 90 percent of the municipality’s area. A total of 277 bird species have been recorded in the park, including 169 breeding species. These figures give an impression of the importance of birdlife in this landscape. More than 100 great egrets regularly gather at Grabownica Pond. An observation tower also stands on the pond’s southern shore; the pond is the largest body of water in the Stawno complex. The 13-meter-high tower offers views of birds and the surrounding landscape.

Several nature trails lead through different parts of this pond landscape. The 5-kilometer “Ruda Sułowska” nature trail runs between ponds over dikes lined with old oaks and through the southern part of the Ruda Sułowska pond complex, which belongs to the “Stawy Milickie” nature reserve. The 8-kilometer “Milicz – Ostoja Konika Polskiego – Barycz” trail passes through a mosaic of ponds, meadows and forests typical of the Barycz Valley. Both route descriptions draw attention to the connection between bodies of water and different landscape features.

Other routes differ in length and course: The 7-kilometer “Wokół Stawu Grabownica” trail starts in the village of Grabownica and ends near the pond’s observation tower. It runs entirely through the “Stawy Milickie” nature reserve. The 9-kilometer “W krainie ptaków” nature trail passes through the Stawno complex. The stated distances offer a concrete comparison of route lengths, while their described courses lead through different parts of the pond landscape.

Cycling Routes with Local and Railway History

A 23-kilometer cycling route follows the former narrow-gauge railway line from Gruszeczka via Sułów and Milicz to Grabownica. The railway began operating in 1894; its last train ran on September 14, 1991. This route brings a present-day cycle path together with the history of the former railway line. Another cycling route, the blue “Szlak Stawów Milickich,” is 28.7 kilometers long and runs from Grabówka via Milicz and Grabownica to Czatkowice.

A section of the black “W Dolinę Baryczy” cycling route is also described for the Gmina Milicz: it is 10.1 kilometers long and runs from south of Niesułowice to east of Nowy Zamek. In total, there are more than 100 kilometers of marked cycling routes within the Gmina Milicz. This provides a choice of routes with different lengths and sequences of places, while the former railway corridor also offers a historical connection to Milicz.

Other Places

For further orientation: Milicz, Łazy Wielkie.

More destinations: Powiat Lubiński, Polkowice, Głogowski, Złotoryjski, Świdnicki, Wałbrzyski.

For the regional travel overview: Lower Silesia.