In Toruński County, waterside and forest landscapes meet structures with very different histories. Lake Chełmżyńskie is the largest lake in the county; in Piwnice, by contrast, a technological landmark takes center stage: the RT-4, Poland’s largest radio telescope. In between, there are opportunities for walks and wildlife watching, the remains of a castle on the Drwęca, and a Gothic church whose construction spanned more than a century. These contrasts offer several ways to explore the region without limiting it to a single kind of excursion.
Lakes, Forests and Protected Landscapes
Lake Chełmżyńskie is the largest lake in Toruński County. The Stawy Przysieckie ponds are ideal for walks and wildlife watching. The Las Piwnicki Nature Reserve offers a different natural highlight: it is a mixed-forest reserve with fallen tree trunks. Nature here ranges from lakeshores to a wooded area whose distinctive character can also be seen in its fallen trunks.
The Drwęca River Fish Reserve lies partly within Toruński County. It protects the Drwęca and several tributaries; fish species found there include salmon, sea trout, asp, and trout. You can explore the county on foot or by bicycle, through forests, protected landscapes, and lakeshores. Toruński County’s well-developed road network also makes it possible to visit more remote areas.
Churches, Castle Ruins and Architectural History
In Chełmża, the Gothic Church of the Holy Trinity was built between 1251 and 1359. In 1982, Pope John Paul II granted it the title of Minor Basilica. The building thus brings together a long construction period and a later ecclesiastical distinction. Chełmża is also home to a mixed choir considered Poland’s oldest continuously active mixed choir.
Near Złotoria, a castle ruin tells a different story of construction and decay: it stands at the mouth of the Drwęca. Part of the tower and the foundations of other sections remain. In Turzno, the Romantic Palace was built in 1866 on the site of a former manor house; it was designed by the architect Henryk Marconi. The buildings differ in form and state of preservation, but each offers a tangible starting point for discovering the history of the place.
In Grębocin, too, a building is connected with a later use. The Museum of Writing and Printing is housed in a former Evangelical church dating from the 13th century. A visit to the museum also offers a glimpse into the history of its building: today’s museum was once a church.
Technology, a Pilgrimage Site and Leisure
The Astronomical Observatory in Piwnice is home to the RT-4, Poland’s largest radio telescope. Its parabolic dish has a diameter of 32 metres. The scale of this instrument provides a distinctive highlight alongside the county’s historic buildings and landscapes. The Shrine of Blessed Juta in Bielczyny is visited by pilgrims and adds a religious destination to the region’s cultural attractions.
For a different kind of leisure, the “Olender” Sports and Recreation Centre has the region’s largest complex of modern indoor swimming pools. Taken together, these destinations show how varied a trip through the county can be: focused on wildlife watching and routes on foot or by bicycle, on architecture and history, on pilgrimage traditions, or on indoor swimming. When choosing accommodation, it may therefore help to first consider which of these interests will shape your trip.
Discover more destinations: Torun, Mała Nieszawka, Cierpice, Stary Toruń, Steklin, Dobrzejewice, Gutowo, Chełmża, Zławieś Wielka, Złotoria, Różankowo, Papowo Toruńskie, Czernikowo, Przysiek, Zębowo, Ostaszewo, Lubicz Dolny, Turzno, Lulkowo, Rogówko, Łysomice, Wielka Nieszawka, Browina, Dzikowo, Czarne Błoto.
For the wider travel overview: Kuyavian-Pomeranian.
