Nowe Miasto Lubawskie: A History of the Town in the Drwęca Valley
Accommodation in Nowe Miasto Lubawskie
Nowe Miasto Lubawskie lies in the valley of the meandering Drwęca River. Here, a protected landscape and routes through the valley meet a history of the town made visible in medieval walls, gate towers and church buildings. This gives you several options when planning your trip: you can explore cycling and walking routes or learn about the town’s buildings and collections.
Ruins of the Reformed monastery in Łąki Miejskie, Nowe Miasto Lubawskie
Photo: GringoPL via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Drwęca Valley and routes through the landscape
The eastern part of Nowe Miasto Lubawskie lies within the Obszar Chronionego Krajobrazu Doliny Dolnej Drwęcy Landscape Protection Area. The Camino de Santiago also passes through the town. Its route continues through the Drwęca Valley and forests, and along the shores of the lakes of Warmia and Masuria. This means you can experience two distinct landscape settings around the town: the river valley and the wider route landscape shaped by forests and lakes.
For cyclists, a 12.8-kilometre route runs between Kurzętnik and Nowe Miasto Lubawskie through the Drwęca Valley, which is part of the Natura 2000 network. A family cycling route starts at the Market Square, by the tourist information centre there. For those who prefer walking, the 13-kilometre TO-2215 trail connects Nowe Miasto Lubawskie with the yellow hiking trail in the Drwęca Valley. These details about the routes’ length and course give you concrete points of reference for weighing up cycling and walking as a focus for your trip.
Town walls, gate towers and the basilica
Construction of the town walls began in the 1330s. Surviving sections, including the Gothic Brodnicka and Lubawska gate towers, are examples of medieval defensive architecture. At the Lubawska Gate Tower, original loopholes and characteristic bay windows have survived despite later alterations. The urban ensemble of Nowe Miasto Lubawskie was entered in the register of monuments in 1957.
Another focal point in the town’s history is the parish church, the Basilica of St Thomas the Apostle. Its construction began around 1300. Inside, a late Renaissance chancel and an organ dating from the early 17th century are among the surviving architectural and decorative features. Together with the wall fragments and gate towers, these buildings offer different insights into the town’s development, from its medieval fortifications to later phases of church furnishing.
Museum, Market Square and more to discover
The Muzeum Ziemi Lubawskiej has been housed in Baszta Brodnicka since 1959. Its collections illustrate the history and everyday life of the region’s inhabitants over several centuries. The historic Market Square preserves the character of times past. At the parish cemetery, historic tombstones, a neoclassical mortuary chapel with adjoining burial chapels, and a cemetery gate are among the features that have been preserved as part of the cultural landscape.
The Kinoteatr Harmonia also offers a glimpse into the town’s cultural life: it has 197 seats and can accommodate up to 300 people for cultural events and concerts. The tourist information centre is at Rynek 23. When choosing your destination, you can weigh up different interests: routes in the Drwęca Valley, medieval architecture, church art and regional collections. You can plan your stay around these specific themes, whether you want to focus mainly on the landscape or the town’s history.
Discover more places
Also explore Pacółtowo.
More destinations: Iławski, Lyck, Szczycieński, Piski, Soldau, Olecki, Nidzicki.
Back to the main travel guide: Warmia and Masuria.
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