Rychwald combines a distinctive landscape with a layered local history: wooded slopes, the Rychwałdzianka stream and several precisely identified memorial sites give a trip a range of different focuses. Those who want to explore nature and history will find concrete points of reference here to help plan their visit.
Landscape between the stream and wooded hills
Rychwald lies on the edge of the Ciężkowice Foothills, is surrounded by wooded slopes and stretches along the Rychwałdzianka stream. The stream flows into the Biała Tarnowska. The village landscape thus brings together a clearly named watercourse and the wider scenery of the foothills.
The mixed-forest-covered hills around Rychwald offer panoramic views of the northern part of the Ciężkowice Foothills. The village lies within the Ciężkowice Foothills Protected Landscape Area and serves as a buffer zone within the network of protected areas for the Ciężkowice-Rożnów Landscape Park and the Brzanka Range Landscape Park. For nature-focused plans, this offers several distinct aspects to explore: the stream, the wooded hills, the panorama and the network of protected areas.
Cycling and hiking trails
The 14 km “LEGIONISTÓW” cycling route runs from the Legionnaires’ Cemetery in Łowczówek through Rychwałd Klepków, Lichwin Pustki and Lubinka Piekarzówka to Lichwin Nowy Świat. The sequence of named places describes the route; when planning, you can consider the starting point, intermediate stops and destination together.
An older municipal plan also lists the blue-marked Piotrkowice–Rychwałd hiking trail as passing through Rychwald. Before setting out, check whether the trail markings are up to date.
Memorial sites and local history
A municipal report, updated on 7 October 2024, noted that three memorial sites in Rychwald had been renovated in the preceding months. Permanent information on burials and size is available for Military Cemetery No. 188: 29 Austro-Hungarian and 25 Russian soldiers are buried there, and the cemetery covers 0.05 hectares.
In Olszówki, a monument with two graves marks the place where 13 political prisoners were shot on 31 March 1944. They had been brought from Limanowa or Nowy Sącz. Another monument there commemorates the combat operations of the Barbara Home Army battalion, referred to as “Operation Butter.”
Also in Olszówki is the site where four prisoners brought from Tarnów were shot on 30 March 1944. Another execution site is located in Las Koszycki: 18 Poles were shot there by Germans in 1940. They had probably been brought from Tarnów; the date is given as probably 8 September.
Chapel and regional themed trails
A service at St. Joseph’s Chapel is listed for Sundays and holidays at 10:15 a.m. If you would like to plan your visit around it, check with the parish beforehand to see whether the time is current.
An older municipal development plan lists the Eko@sklep “Na Trasie” ecological nature tourism trail among Rychwald’s leisure activities. It describes the trail as linking 17 farms within the municipality, one of which is in Rychwald. The plan lists fruit, milk, quark, eggs, honey and flowers as products of the participating farms. If you plan to visit a farm, check in advance whether it is currently participating and welcoming visitors.
An older municipal plan also includes the Małopolska Fruit Trail among Rychwald’s tourism and leisure activities. For the wider regional area, the plan describes the trail as linking agritourism and commercial farms; it is intended to promote the “Owoce Małopolski” brand.
Discover more destinations: Siedliska, Wojnicz, Zbylitowska Góra, Wola Rzędzińska, Komorów, Rzuchowa, Ciezkowice, Meszna Opacka.
For the broader travel overview: Tarnów.
