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Wielkopolska

If you want to experience the essence of Poland’s eventful history, head for Wielkopolska. The region’s name means Greater Poland, and this is where the Polish state was founded in the Middle Ages. Centuries later, the local population has an understandable pride in its long history.

Poznań is a lively and attractive city with plenty of interesting sights and good restaurants. Beyond, the Wielkopolska countryside offers a selection of charming towns and rural scenery. Among the region’s attractions are castles, steam trains, palaces, churches, nature reserves and a memorable Iron Age settlement in Biskupin. And at the heart of it all is the great cathedral of Gniezno, the birthplace of Catholic Poland.

It’s an impressive menu, but Wielkopolska is also a great place to strike out on your own. Wherever you end up, you’ll be sure to find something of historic interest; it’s that kind of place.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Wielkopolska.

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Gniezno Cathedral
Gniezno’s history and character are inextricably intertwined with its cathedral, an imposing, double-towered brick Gothic structure. The present church was constructed after the Teutonic Knights destroyed the previous Romanesque cathedral in 1331. Chapels sprouted up around it, and the interior was redecorated in successive styles. After considerable damage in WWII, it was rebuilt according to the original Gothic structure. You can climb the tower for city views. The audio guide takes in the cathedral, tower, crypt and Romanesque bronze doors.
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Castle Museum
Gołuchów’s castle began life around 1560 as a small fortified mansion with octagonal towers at its corners, built by the Leszczyński family. Some 50 years later it was enlarged and reshaped into a palatial residence in the late Renaissance style. Abandoned at the end of the 17th century, it gradually fell into ruins until the Działyński family, the owners of Kórnik castle, bought it in 1856. It was completely rebuilt between 1872 and 1885, when it acquired its French appearance.
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Museum of the Origins of the Polish State
On the western side of Lake Jelonek, this museum illustrates Gniezno's pivotal role in Polish history. The permanent collection contains archaeological finds and works of art related to the development of the Polish nation, from pre-Slavic times to the end of the Piast dynasty. Admission includes a multilingual 3D film about Poland under the Piasts. An interesting feature of the museum is how it tells a narrative over time through clever use of its exhibits.
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Śródka Mural
Just east of Ostrów Tumski in the centre of the Śródka district you will find a sensational trompe-l'œil mural by artist Arleta Kolasińska. It covers the entire side of a building to make the wall appear three-dimensional and depicts Śródka in the 1920s, with amusing details like the trumpeter on the roof, the cat even higher up, a woman at the window, and a fat-bellied butcher posing at the doorway. Its true beauty though is its overall visual effect.
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Porta Posnania Interactive Heritage Centre
This cutting-edge multimedia museum provides an entertaining and insightful history of the birth of the Polish nation. It tells the tale through Ostrów Tumski's eventful history using imaginatively arranged interactive displays, as well as maps, movies and models. It’s located opposite the island’s eastern shore and is linked to the cathedral area by footbridge. The multilingual audio guide brings it all together from the time of first settlement on the island to the present day.
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Biskupin Archaeological Reserve
Biskupin’s re-created Iron Age town site, with its wooden palisades, thatched roofs and costumed historical re-enactors, is a stimulating way to learn about the distant past. The fortified lake town was built about 2700 years ago by a tribe of the Lusatian culture, then rediscovered in 1933 by a school teacher who noticed wooden stakes poking out of the lake. You can either wander through the grounds on your own or organise an English-speaking guide in advance for 150zł.
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Castle Museum
Kórnik Castle's present-day appearance dates from the mid-19th century, when its owner, Tytus Działyński, gave the castle an outlandish mock-Gothic character, partly based on a design by German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The building now looks as though two halves of completely different castles were spliced together, perhaps by force, and provides interesting photos from varying angles. Part of the castle is open as a museum. You can wander through its 19th-century interiors, dotted with items collected by the family.
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Ostrów Tumski
To the east of the Old Town, over the Warta River, is the island of Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island). You’re walking through deep history here, the place where Poznań was founded, and with it the Polish state. The original 9th-century settlement was gradually transformed into an oval stronghold surrounded by wood-and-earth ramparts, with an early stone palace. Mieszko I added a cathedral and further fortifications, and by the end of the 10th century Poznań was the most powerful stronghold in the country.
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Wielkopolska National Park
Just a few kilometres southwest of Poznań’s administrative boundaries is the 76-sq-km Wielkopolska National Park. About 80% of the park is forest – pine and oak being the dominant species – and its postglacial lakes give it a certain charm. Hiking is the main attraction here, and a good point to start your stroll is the town of Mosina (21km from Poznań), which is served regularly by both train and bus from Poznań.