Discover Mlawa: Art, History and Landscape

Art and history at the Muzeum Ziemi Zawkrzeńskiej

The heart of the art department is a gallery of paintings by Wojciech Piechowski and his contemporaries. It also features objects from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the history department, a permanent exhibition traces the history of Mława and the region from the 16th century to the end of the German occupation after the Second World War. Its key themes include national uprisings—especially the Kościuszko Uprising and the January Uprising—as well as the Battle of Mława.

The permanent exhibition in the archaeology department spans a broad period, showcasing finds from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. One focus is burial grounds around 2,000 years old, belonging to the Przeworsk and Wielbark cultures. They were discovered in Modła near Mława, Stupsk, Dąbek and Zgliczyn Pobodzy. If you are interested in how history is brought to life, the education department offers museum lessons and workshops.

The museum thus offers several ways to explore the past: art can be viewed alongside material evidence and historical events. This variety can help you tailor your museum visit to your interests. In the broader destination of Mława, the Muzeum Ziemi Zawkrzeńskiej was officially opened on 8 December 1929; its five departments include archaeology, history, art and nature.

Town Hall, Church and Market Square

A privilege granted by King Zygmunt I Stary on 28 February 1545 gave the residents of Mława permission to build a town hall. It was built on the main square later in the 16th century; the exact date of the first building is unknown. The history of the Church of the Holy Trinity (kościół pw. Świętej Trójcy) is also tied to a fire: it was destroyed in 1692, as was the town hall. The church’s reconstruction was completed in 1719, when its gables were given Baroque forms.

The townhouses on the east side of the market square date from the first decade of the 20th century. Another architectural landmark is the Mławska Hala Targowa (Mława Market Hall): it was designed by Stefan Usakiewicz, architect of Mława County, and began operating in 1912. It continues to serve a commercial function. The historic city park was established at the end of the 19th century on the initiative of Russian troops stationed in the city at the time. It was formerly known as the “City Garden” and “Mława’s Salon.”

Landscape and other themes in the broader destination of Mława

In the broader destination of Mława, the city lies in the Wzniesienia Mławskie hills on the Seracz River. Key routes for getting around Mława include the E 65 railway line, National Road 7 and Voivodeship Roads 544 and 563. The Las Mławski offers a different focus: it lies within the Zieluńsko-Rzęgnowski Protected Landscape Area, and nature trails have been marked out there.

Individual landscape and history themes also broaden the picture of Mława. A lake in Krajewo, in Las Mławski, has an island that is a habitat for pine bog woodland. On the northern edge of the forest are the “Krajewo” fortification group, with two bunkers; “Piekiełko,” with four; and “Dźwierznia Łysa Góra,” with four bunkers. Along its route, the Mławski Tourist Trail includes original fortifications from the Second World War, including combat bunkers and trenches. Mława’s architectural history also includes the former prison, built in 1889 on what is now Narutowicza Street, and the Bank Polski building, built in 1938 and one of the most interesting examples of interwar modernist architecture in northern Mazovia.

Mlawa offers cultural and historical points of interest, while the broader destination of Mława also encompasses landscapes, nature trails and the history of fortifications. When choosing where to stay, consider which of these themes you want to focus on as you plan your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Dalnia, Marianowo, Strzegowo, Zabiele.

Go to the broader travel overview: Mława.