Olszanowo is home to a distinctive architectural landmark, the branch church of Saint Francis of Assisi; cycling routes pass through both the village and the area of the Sołectwo Olszanowo. This means that architectural history and cycling routes are separate highlights to consider when planning a trip. When choosing a destination for a stay, you can first decide whether the church or cycling should be the deciding factor.

The church: half-timbering and architectural history

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is the oldest monument in the Gmina Rzeczenica. It is a listed half-timbered branch church dating from the 17th century, probably from its early years. It was renovated in 1688. Its tower is built above the nave. The church is also among the oldest architectural monuments of sacred architecture in the area of ziemia człuchowska.

The building’s history includes several distinct dates: the church was consecrated on 27 April 1947; since 5 April 1960, it has been listed under number A-175. Together with its probable dating to the early 17th century and its renovation in 1688, these details place the landmark in the context of several historical periods.

Natural features and landscape in the wider area

One natural monument in Olszanowo is an erratic boulder. The Sołectwo Olszanowo area contains two natural monuments: the erratic boulders in Olszanowo and Grodzisko. The wider area is characterised by a ground-moraine upland with numerous elevations. This places a specific natural feature in the village alongside a landscape form found across the Sołectwo.

The lakes can also be considered at the gmina level: Olszanowskie and Orzechowskie are the only lakes in the Gmina Rzeczenica. They are therefore part of the wider gmina area; the natural features in Olszanowo itself are the erratic boulder and the hilly landscape of the Sołectwo.

Cycling routes and their different courses

The 37.2-kilometre “Głazów narzutowych” cycling route runs from Przechlewo via Dolinka, Rzeczenica, Grodzisko, Olszanowo, Biskupnica and Skórzewo to Cłuchów. Olszanowo is one stop on this route through several localities; the total distance refers to the entire route, not just the section in the village. Check local conditions before planning your ride, as route conditions can change.

Another route runs via Rzeczenica, Grodzisko, Olszanowo, Garsk, Gwieździn and Rzewnica. It passes through the area of the Sołectwo Olszanowo and explicitly includes Olszanowo in its itinerary. Unlike the two routes mentioned above, which explicitly include Olszanowo in their itineraries, two more cycling routes pass through the area of the Sołectwo Olszanowo: one runs via Czarne, Przyrzecze, Grodzisko and Gwieździn; the other via Grodzisko, Rzeczenica, Pakatulsko, Koprzywnica, Gwieździn, Garsk and Krępsk.

When choosing a route, it is worth looking at its course: two routes explicitly list Olszanowo among their stops, while the two others are identified by their passage through the Sołectwo and the localities named there. This lets you distinguish the routes by whether Olszanowo itself is named or whether other places in the Sołectwo are the focus.

Discover more destinations: Polnica, Cierniki, Dąbki, Wierzchowo, Ględowo, Rzeczenica, Gwieździn, Jeziernik.

For the broader travel overview: Schlochau.