Uniejów combines a castle and a Gothic collegiate church with walking routes in the spa zone and hands-on science activities at SOWA.

Castle, Collegiate Church and Medieval Details

The Castle of the Archbishops of Gniezno in Uniejów is a well-preserved summer residence dating from the 14th century and is also one of Poland’s best-preserved medieval defensive structures. These two descriptions show different sides of the same building: its use as a summer residence and its role as a defensive structure.

The Collegiate Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Gothic church built in 1349; its chancel preserves a 14th-century rib vault. A rib vault is a vaulted ceiling whose ribs cross one another. Thus, a precise construction date and a specific structural detail complement each other when you look at the architecture. The church also houses the tomb of Saint Bogumił, commissioned in 1666. The black marble tomb chest bears a semi-reclining bronze figure of the saint in episcopal vestments. This tomb adds another precisely dated feature alongside the Gothic building history; its materials, figure and clothing make its design tangible.

The Landscape Park as a Later Layer of History

The English-style landscape park around the castle was created between 1860 and 1870 at the initiative of the owners at the time, the Toll family. It thus adds a distinctly later layer of history alongside the medieval residence. This contrast shifts the focus from the castle’s architectural history to 19th-century landscape design.

Walking Routes and Recreation in the Spa Zone

Uniejów’s spa zone includes a therapeutic footpath, a combined walking and cycling route, and a kayak launch. The combined route accommodates both pedestrians and cyclists; the kayak launch offers another form of recreation. Please check current local access conditions before your visit.

The “Bulwary Nadwarciańskie” promenade connects recreational facilities in the spa zone. Near the beach and castle, it has been extended with floating jetties. Unlike the combined walking and cycling route, the promenade is defined by its role in connecting recreational facilities; the jetties extend it near the beach and castle.

If you prefer to explore history through several buildings, the “Uniejowskie korzenie” (Uniejów Roots) historical trail passes Uniejów’s most important historic buildings. This offers a named route with a historical focus alongside individual architectural details.

Geothermal Energy and Discovery at SOWA

One natural feature of Uniejów is its geothermal water: it is almost 70°C and is extracted from a depth of 2 km. The temperature and extraction depth give this subject a tangible scale and set it apart from the historic buildings. At SOWA, research stations invite visitors to explore and experiment independently; they were all developed by the Copernicus Science Centre. Geothermal energy and SOWA thus offer different points of interest: here, specific temperature and depth figures take centre stage; there, visitors can experiment independently at research stations.

Discover more destinations: Dzierżawy, Felicjanów, Przywidz, Stary Gostków, Popów, Bąki, Antonina

For the overview of the wider area: Poddębice.