Discover Kalisz: History, City Walks and Parks
Accommodation in Kalisz
There are several ways to discover Kalisz: a walking route takes you past nine characteristic places in the city, while archaeological remains and sacred art offer insights into different chapters of its history. A circular route through five parks is another way to get to know the city on foot. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus more on history, longer walks, or both.
Medieval traces at Zawodzie
The Kaliski Gród Piastów Archaeological Reserve is located in Zawodzie and is part of the Muzeum Okręgowe Ziemi Kaliskiej. Here you can encounter relics of the early medieval castle complex and furnishings from medieval houses. The reserve also features reconstructed fortifications, including a gate with a palisade, palisades around a reconstructed defensive tower, and a section of the former timber-and-earth fortification. Thus, a visit brings together remains of the castle complex, vivid reconstructions and insights into medieval domestic life.
If you are travelling with children and want to explore different historical topics together, this is a good starting point for conversations about castle complexes, fortifications and medieval houses. The individual elements are clearly distinct: the relics refer to the early medieval complex, while the gate, palisades and defensive tower are reconstructed fortifications. This distinction also makes the site interesting for visitors who want to learn about different forms of historical representation, not just individual objects.
Sacred art and a view over the city
Another historical highlight is the Romanesque Kalisz Paten. It is on display in the treasury of the Sanctuary of St Joseph. Mieszko III the Old donated it around 1193–1202 to the Cistercian monastery in Ląd. The paten thus connects a specific work of art with its donation history and the monastery for which it was intended. If you are interested in sacred art, you can make this visit a cultural highlight in its own right during your trip.
The Town Hall Tower offers a different impression of Kalisz: rising over 50 metres, it provides a panoramic view of the city. Alongside historical artefacts and fortifications, you can therefore also take in Kalisz as a whole. When choosing what to see, you can switch between a closer look at history and a broad overview of the city.
Walking routes and parks
The Kaliski Szlak Wiewiórek is a walking route with nine stops at characteristic places in Kalisz. It invites residents and tourists to explore the city actively. For families who enjoy spending time on the move, this way of exploring the city offers a different perspective from a visit focused on archaeological finds or art. The nine stops structure the walking route; no specific overall distance is given.
The Szlakiem Kaliskich Parków circular route passes through Park im. Rodziny Wiłkomirskich, Planty Miejskie, Park Miejski, Park Przyjaźni and Park Dworski Szczypiorno. Park Miejski was established in 1798 on the site of former Jesuit gardens. This historical origin gives this part of the route a particular connection to the past. If you are interested in both parks and urban history, you can consider this circular route another way to explore Kalisz, alongside the walking route with nine stops.
Choose Kalisz as your destination
When choosing a holiday apartment in Kalisz, you can consider what you would like your stay to centre on: archaeological history at Zawodzie, the Romanesque paten, the panorama from the Town Hall Tower, or walks through characteristic places and parks.
More places
Find more places here: Dębniałki, Wolica, Szałe, Tłokinia Kościelna, Blizanów, Staw, Żelazków, Nowa Plewnia.
For the broader travel overview: Kalisz.
