Discover Chojna

Chojna brings together striking churches and medieval fortifications with an unusual natural monument. This gives you several distinct starting points for planning your trip: architectural history, the cultural use of historic buildings, and the plane tree “Olbrzym,” with its impressive dimensions.

Churches with a history of construction and cultural use

The Church of St. Mary was built between 1389 and 1459 in several stages, based on a design from the workshop of Szczecin architect Heinrich Brunsberg. Its long construction period and phased building give the church a distinct historical dimension. Today, it is used as a concert and exhibition hall—a place where the building’s history and cultural events come together.

Observation terraces are another distinctive feature of Chojna’s churches and gates: there is a terrace on the tower of the Church of St. Mary, and the Barnkowska Gate has an open observation terrace. The Church of the Holy Trinity offers a different architectural detail: ceramic masks serve as corbels there. These details give you different perspectives on the buildings, without reducing Chojna’s history to a single structure.

Gates and towers of the medieval fortifications

The Old Town is surrounded by medieval fortifications. The surviving structures include the Barnkowska Gate and the Świecka Gate, both dating from the 15th century. The Barnkowska Gate combines its historic function as a town gate with an open observation terrace. The Świecka Gate stands out for its octagonal tower with four turrets. Their different forms make the two gates distinct landmarks within the town’s architectural heritage.

The fortification complex also included the Piekarska, Więzienna and Bociania towers. Together with the gates, they show that the town’s defences consisted of several named structures. The Old Town’s historic buildings are located along the European Route of Brick Gothic. Those who choose Chojna for its architecture will find not only individual architectural forms, but also a broader cultural and historical context.

“Olbrzym”: a natural monument with remarkable dimensions

The plane tree “Olbrzym” is a different kind of landmark. It stands in Chojna, is protected as a natural monument, and is considered a tourist and natural-history attraction of the town. Its trunk circumference is 1,078 cm, measured at a height of 1.3 metres above the ground. The plane tree is 33 metres tall, and its age is estimated at 300 years. In this case, precise measurements are given alongside an explicitly estimated age—the tree’s age is not stated as an exact figure.

The contrast with the historic buildings offers a helpful way to approach the town: alongside churches, gates and towers, the natural monument “Olbrzym” takes centre stage. This makes it possible to view Chojna through different interests without equating nature with architectural history.

Include cultural events in your trip planning

A recurring event is the three-day Dni Integracji, Przyjaźni i Ekumenizmu festival. It takes place every year on the last weekend of August, with most of the programme held in the Church of St. Mary. If you would like to combine your trip with the festival, check the event dates before making plans. Its regular timing and focus on the church make the festival a concrete point of reference for a culture-focused stay.

Chojna offers a range of reasons to visit: the architectural history of the Church of St. Mary, the surviving gates and fortification towers, a distinctive architectural detail in the Church of the Holy Trinity, or the dimensions of the plane tree “Olbrzym.” Consider which of these themes you would like to shape your trip; the town offers several clearly distinct starting points for getting to know its sights.

More destinations

Weltyn, Moryń, Kolbatz, Nowe Czarnowo, Gryfino, Stare Czarnowo, Steklno, Cedynia

For the main travel overview: Greifenhagen.