In Wartbrücken, protected landscapes meet a cultural heritage that spans medieval church architecture and Baroque and Rococo interiors. Koło brings together several discoveries: churches, museums and themed trails. Other places in Powiat kolski add pilgrimage traditions, castles and natural areas to the picture. You can shape your stay around your interests – for example, focusing on landscapes, architecture or ceramic history.
Landscapes and protected areas in Powiat kolski
Powiat kolski includes the Natura 2000 sites Pradolina Bzury-Neru and Dolina Środkowej Warty. Other protected areas are Goplańsko-Kujawskie Landscape Park, Kawęczyńskie Brzęki Forest Nature Reserve and Rogóźno Nature Reserve. Dąbskie Błota is an ecological land-use area in the county; the Bielce nature complex is near Kościelec. The different designations make clear that this is not just one protected area, but several forms of nature and landscape protection.
Exploring the region through these place names lets you consider its natural areas as destinations in their own right, alongside cultural attractions. Hiking trails are among Koło’s tourist attractions. Cycling routes also offer a way to look beyond individual towns and explore different routes across the county.
Churches, ceramics and historic places
In Koło, you can compare architecture from different periods. The parish church is Gothic and dates from around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. The Bernardine church and Bernardine monastery date from a later period: both are late Baroque, and their interiors feature Rococo furnishings. The comparison takes you from medieval church architecture to a later, differently styled form of interior art.
Another way to explore the city’s history is the Museum of Ceramic Techniques in Koło. Most of its collection consists of objects from the Koło stoneware factory. The museum also holds events where visitors can get hands-on with ceramic products. If you are interested in a specific event, check the current program in advance.
There are also notable landmarks from different periods beyond Koło. The Shrine of Our Lady of Victory in Brdów houses a historic image painted in the 15th century at the request of Władysław Jagiełło. In Kościelec, the church represents Romanesque art; the restored palace of Count Kreutz was built after 1836. The castle ruins in Borysławice are associated with the 14th and 15th centuries, while the castle in Przedecz was built in the mid-14th century.
The Gothic Trail of Powiat kolski leads to churches, cathedrals, monasteries, town halls, fortified castles, ruins and town walls built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Its scope therefore extends beyond churches to include civic and defensive structures. The Bunker and Fortification Trail in Koło offers another historical perspective: it leads to Polish and former German bunkers and fortifications from the Second World War.
Visit to the Kulmhof Museum and routes from Koło
According to the visitor information page dated April 12, 2022, the grounds of the Kulmhof Museum in Chełmno are open to visitors Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Mondays. Before your trip, check whether there are exceptions on public holidays. The visitor information page dated April 12, 2022, also listed an English-language guiding service for visitors from abroad, including organized groups of young people from Israel. The page also stated that guided tours had to be arranged at least three days in advance.
Cycling routes Nos. 1, 2 and 3 begin and end in Koło, but follow different routes. No. 1 goes via Dobrów, Police Mostowe, Police Ruszkowskie, Police Średnie, Białków Kościelny, Leszcze II, Dąbrowice, Trzęśniew Mały, Trzęśniew, Waki and Ochle to Dzierawy, then returns to Koło. No. 2 runs via Zawadka, Rzuchów, Majdany, Ladorudzek, Tarnówka, Grzegorzew, Stellutyszki and Powiercie, then returns to Koło via Zawadka. No. 3 goes via Borki, Młynek, Budzisław Stary, Drzewce, Smólniki, Plebanki, Kolonia Lipiny, Lipiny, Lichenek, Babiak, Zakrzewa, Brzezie, Lubotyń, Góraj, Mchowo, Wiercin, Radoszewice, Polonisz, Brdów, Nowiny Brdowskie, Osówie, Kiełczew, Kiełczewek, Boguszyniec and Mikołajówek before returning to Koło. The sequences of places show how different the three described circular routes are.
Discover more destinations: Grabiny, Dąbie, Brdów, Lubiny, Wreschen, Posen, Gostyn, Ostrowo.
For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.
