Biała Piska is known as the “City of Three Towers”; these buildings provide a tangible thread through the town’s history. The water tower, town hall tower, and church tower represent technical, civic, and religious architecture. The name also offers a reason to take a closer look at these different forms and historical periods. Other highlights include a protected town layout, a park, and traces of the town’s trading history.

Water Tower, Town Hall, and Church

The water tower is a technical heritage monument dating from 1928 and stands 34 metres tall. It is a tourist attraction, and visitors can see changing exhibitions inside. The tower offers a sweeping view over the town. The town hall at 25 Plac Mickiewicza was built between 1772 and 1777. Its octagonal corner tower is 30 metres tall. Octagonal means that the tower has eight sides. The heights can be compared directly: the water tower is four metres taller. The tower of the Baroque church was added in 1932; its design is attributed to K. F. Schlink.

The Baroque church also has a main altar dating from the 17th century. This extends the historical perspective beyond the form of the church tower to its interior furnishings. The altar and tower mark different points of interest within the same church building; together with the town hall and the technical water tower, they reveal different aspects of Biała Piska’s architectural history.

Townscape and Historical Traces

The protected town layout also provides a clear point of reference. The area is bounded by the Biała River and a pond to the southeast, the building frontage on Żeromskiego Street to the northwest, Warszawska Street to the north, and Ogrodowa Street to the south. A 19th-century town park adds to the historic townscape. The town layout and the park are different facets of the town’s history: one is defined by its named boundaries, while the other is distinguished by the period in which it was created.

Another historical point of reference is the railway station building, which dates from around the turn of the 20th century. The complex includes the site on Kolejowa Street. Compared with the late-18th-century town hall, the station building represents a later phase in the town’s history. The history of the town’s architecture therefore extends beyond the three towers to the buildings of the railway complex.

Biała Piska was known for its large livestock markets, which were connected to its location on a trade route. This earlier economic influence adds another perspective on the town to its architectural history. A dated example of a more recent celebration is the 2025 Powiatowe Dożynki. The programme at the time included a harvest thanksgiving service, the blessing of harvest wreaths, a harvest procession, and performances by folk groups from Lithuania, Rozogi, and Ełk.

Distinguishing the Town from the Municipality

When planning your stay, it is also helpful to distinguish between the town and the wider municipality. There are year-round opportunities for cycling, hiking, and horse-riding routes in the municipality. You can focus your stay on the historic buildings in town or plan activities in the wider municipality.

Discover more destinations: Nowe Guty, Wierzba, Ogródek, Ukta, Imionek, Orzysz, Iznota, Krzyże

For the overview of the wider area: Piski.