Łeba can be explored through a variety of traces: the Church of the Assumption of Mary combines a building dating from 1683 with materials from an older church; a granite boulder on its outer wall commemorates people from Łeba and the surrounding villages. A house with a named builder, an extensive insect exhibition and the story of a voyage from Łeba to Sweden add to this cultural and historical perspective. A 15.10-kilometre circular trail also runs through the surrounding area.
Church, building history and remembrance
The Church of the Assumption of Mary was built in 1683. Some of the materials used came from St Nicholas’s Church, which was destroyed by storms in 1558. The building history therefore has two points of reference: the year the Church of the Assumption of Mary was built and the origin of some of the materials used.
A 2-metre-high and 1-metre-wide granite boulder stands against the outer wall of the same church as a reconciliation obelisk. It commemorates residents of Łeba and the surrounding villages who lost their lives in the First World War. Alongside the building history, it represents a distinct act of remembrance: the tribute explicitly includes people from the surrounding villages.
A house with a known builder
Łeba’s oldest house stands at 86 Kościuszki Street. It was built by the merchant and consul Johann G. Mampe at what was then 18 Main Street. While the church’s history is told through its construction date and reused materials, the house has a specific named builder. Local history is thus reflected not only in buildings and dates, but also in the connection between a house and a person known by name.
A natural history collection
The Butterfly Museum in Łeba displays more than 4,000 butterflies and other insects from almost all over the world in a permanent exhibition featuring 102 entomological display cases. The exhibition is therefore not limited to butterflies; it also includes other groups of insects. Unlike the church and the house, its focus is on a natural history collection rather than on building or local history.
A maritime story at the marina
A replica of the so-called spruce raft (Świerkowa Tratwa) stands in Łeba’s marina. The raft is associated with the voyage of three sailors from Łeba to Sweden on 28 August 1957. One of them was Andrzej Urbańczyk, who later became known as a sailor. The date, number of sailors, point of departure and destination identify a specific maritime episode.
The time periods involved also differ: 1558 and 1683 mark the destruction of St Nicholas’s Church and the construction of the Church of the Assumption of Mary; 28 August 1957, by contrast, is the date of a single voyage from Łeba to Sweden. A building history involving the reuse of older materials thus sits alongside a dated maritime episode.
Circular trail along the coast and Łącka Dune
A circular trail in the Łeba area, subject to a seasonal fee, runs from Stara Łeba along the seashore and across Łącka Dune, returning to Stara Łeba. The route is 15.10 km long. Both the start and finish are in Stara Łeba; its course differs from the individual cultural sites and the exhibition in Łeba. Its length and seasonal fee are key details to consider when planning. Check when the fee applies during your travel dates.
These offer a range of travel interests: building and remembrance history, a permanent natural history exhibition, a dated voyage and a circular route of a set length. The historical topics differ in their focus on a building, a person or a maritime connection; for the trail, its route and seasonal fee are the key considerations. These distinctions can help you decide what to focus on during your trip to Łeba.
Discover more destinations: Nowecin, Wicko, Lebork, Roszczyce, Żarnowska, Dymnica, Łebień, Lędziechowo
Go to the broader travel overview: Lauenburg.
