The Bochnia Salt Mine is one of two World Heritage properties in Bochnia County. In the larger destination of Lesser Poland, it is also Poland’s oldest rock salt mine and one of Europe’s oldest industrial sites. The mine also offers an underground boat ride in a chamber filled with brine. Check the current operating conditions before your visit.
Routes and buildings in Bochnia County
The Via Regia Antiqua route runs from Bochnia, the county seat, to the village of Chełm, passing through Bochnia County. Among the sights along the route is the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Łapczyca, dating from 1340. The route thus brings together a historic thoroughfare and a building with its own distinct date.
Gothic wooden art and its details
The Church of St Leonard in Lipnica Murowana is one of the oldest and best-preserved Gothic wooden churches. Its paintings range from Gothic stencil motifs to Baroque pictorial cycles dating from 1711. The main altar also has its own art-historical date: it was created in a Kraków workshop in the early 16th century. The architecture, paintings and altar offer different facets that come together as you explore the building.
The wooden churches and other wooden buildings of Bochnia County are part of the Wooden Architecture Route of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. In Lesser Poland, the Małopolska Wooden Architecture Route is over 1,500 kilometres long and includes 255 buildings and building complexes. The county’s wooden buildings are therefore part of a much larger regional cultural heritage network.
The Castle of the Kmita and Lubomirski families in Stary Wiśnicz offers a different architectural accent. It is one of Poland’s most significant examples of representative early Baroque defensive architecture. The Koryznówka manor house dates from the 1850s and now houses the Jan Matejko Biographical Museum. Check current opening hours before your visit.
The Sanctuary of St Simon of Lipnica and the Ledóchowski Sisters in Lipnica Murowana is another special destination: it is the only sanctuary of St Simon of Lipnica in Poland. Visitors are guided; organised groups must book an appointment in advance.
Landscapes between forest and rock
Nowy Wiśnicz lies entirely within Wiśnicko-Lipnicki Landscape Park. There, the Bukowiec forest complex forms a 92-hectare nature reserve with sandstone rock formations. The Niepołomice Heath presents a different landscape: its southern fringes form the largest forest area in Bochnia County. The heath’s flat terrain is suitable for walks and outings on inline skates or by bicycle. Those wishing to compare forest and rock will find two distinct natural highlights: the Bukowiec reserve and the flat expanses of the heath.
Traditions and regional flavours
The Palm Sunday Competition in Lipnica Murowana has been held without interruption since 1958. Another recurring event is the Biesiada Agroturystyczna in Siedlec, which has been held since 1998 and is described as a local product in the category of cultural and educational projects. Check the dates for the relevant edition before your trip.
Lipnicka lipina, a drink made from linden blossoms that has long been consumed in the Lipnica Murowana area, is also part of local tradition. Together with the buildings and landscapes, it offers another perspective on what makes Bochnia County distinctive: alongside architecture and nature, the area is also shaped by customs handed down through generations and regional food traditions.
Discover more places
Zawada, Kamionna, Bochnia, Kamionna K Bochni, Jodłówka, Rajbrot, Wolica, Rozdziele, Nowy Wiśnicz, Winnica, Rzezawa, Grobla, Lipnica Murowana, Gierczyce, Lipnica Górna
For the broader travel overview: Lesser Poland.
