Those interested in art, archaeology and city history in Mława will find several distinct themes. The Muzeum Ziemi Zawkrzeńskiej takes visitors through various periods; the history of the town hall, the church, the market hall and historic townhouses add to the picture of the city. The cultural focus thus ranges from early archaeological finds to buildings from the 20th century.

Exhibitions from the Stone Age to contemporary history

The art department centres on a picture gallery featuring works by Wojciech Piechowski and his contemporaries. It also includes objects from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The department therefore focuses on both painting and objects from a notable period of transition.

The history department presents a permanent exhibition on the history of Mława and the region, spanning from the 16th century to the end of the German occupation after the Second World War. Its key topics include national uprisings, particularly the Kościuszko Uprising and the January Uprising, as well as the Battle of Mława. The exhibition thus links a long regional timeline with specific named events.

The permanent archaeology exhibition reaches further back, from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. One focus is on burial grounds dating back around 2,000 years, associated with the Przeworsk and Wielbark cultures. They were discovered in Modła near Mława, Stupsk, Dąbek and Zgliczyn Pobodzy. The museum thus presents an archaeological timeline from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages alongside the more recent period covered by the history department. The education department of the Muzeum Ziemi Zawkrzeńskiej also runs museum lessons and workshops.

Town hall, church and later building phases

The history of the town hall began with a privilege dated 28 February 1545: King Zygmunt I Stary authorised the residents of Mława to build a town hall. It was built on the main square later in the 16th century. The exact date of the first building is unknown.

A fire in 1692 destroyed both the Church of the Holy Trinity (pw. Świętej Trójcy) and the town hall. Reconstruction of the church was completed in 1719, when its gables were given Baroque forms. The townhouses on the eastern side of the market square were built in the first decade of the 20th century. The Mławska Hala Targowa was designed by Stefan Usakiewicz, architect for Powiat mławski; it was put into operation in 1912 and continues to serve its commercial function. The timeline thus runs from the 16th-century town hall through the reconstruction of the church to the houses and market hall of the early 20th century.

The historic city park

Mława’s historic city park was created in the late 19th century at the initiative of Russian troops stationed in the city. It was formerly known as the “City Garden” or “Mława’s Salon”.

Regional context: Mława

Within the wider destination of Mława, the city lies in the Wzniesienia Mławskie hills on the Seracz River. The E 65 railway line, National Road 7 and Voivodeship Roads 544 and 563 run through Mława. Its location on the Seracz and these transport routes provide Mława with both a geographical and a transport context.

Discover more destinations: Marianowo, Zabiele, Strzegowo, Dalnia.

Return to the main travel overview: Mława.