Reszel can be explored from different perspectives: the bishop’s castle, churches, city walls, bridges and granaries represent different periods of construction, while the city park offers a different focus. When looking for accommodation in Reszel, it helps to consider whether you mainly want to include historic buildings, panoramic views, the park or an event date in your plans.
Towers and churches
Reszel’s bishop’s castle was built between 1350 and 1401. Its tower offers a panorama of the Old Town. The tower of the parish church of St Peter and Paul offers a different vantage point: it is over 50 metres high and can be climbed. Along the way, visitors can see the clock mechanism and the bells hanging 32 metres above the ground; from the top, the panorama extends across the town and its surroundings. The two views differ in what they overlook: the castle view looks over the Old Town, while the view from the church tower takes in the town and its surroundings. Check the latest visitor information before climbing the church tower.
The churches also offer contrasting features. St Peter and Paul has a three-aisled interior with furnishings dating from the mid-19th century. The parish church organ was built in 1829 by Jan Roth of Orneta. St John the Baptist is late Baroque: the church was built in 1799–1800 to replace a Gothic church and is now Greek Catholic, under the patronage of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The former Jesuit college complex adjoins the north side of the castle and includes this church.
City walls, bridge and granaries
The city walls were built between 1360 and 1370 and are partly preserved in the east and north of Reszel. In the north-east of the town, one of the two Gothic bridges crosses the Sajna. Together with the bishop’s castle, these structures illustrate different elements of the town’s history: castle building, fortifications and a river crossing.
The Old Rectory, the residence of the Warmian prebendaries, is the oldest residential building in the town; it was probably built in 1444. The historic granaries date from around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Their half-timbered construction with plastered brick infill highlights two aspects of the building method: the timber framework and the plastered brick panels. Chronologically, this selection ranges from 14th-century buildings through the Old Rectory, probably built in 1444, to the granaries from around 1800.
City park and cultural programme
The city park offers a different focus from the historic buildings. It includes walking paths, a pond and an amphitheatre. At the park exit onto Ulica Podmiejska, there is a playground and an outdoor fitness area. The park therefore offers paths and water as well as clearly designated recreational areas. If you would like to include outdoor activities in your stay, you can take these different facilities into account when planning.
The Municipal Cultural Centre stages an annual production about the trial and execution of a woman. If you would like to attend this event, check the latest dates before travelling. Alongside the buildings that have been preserved over time, recurring cultural events are another possible reason to plan a trip.
Discover more destinations: Leśny Rów, Nakomiady, Kętrzyn, Karolewo, Grabno, Czerniki, Barciany, Aptynty.
Back to the regional travel overview: Kętrzyński.
