Briesen: Lakes, Culture and Active Discoveries

Briesen (Wąbrzeźno) lies between three lakes and combines a town shaped by history with opportunities on and around the water. Zamkowe, Frydek and Sitno partially surround the area of present-day Wąbrzeźno. You can therefore choose from a variety of focuses for your stay: historic buildings and town history, walking and cycling tours, or water sports.

Churches, Market Square and Historic Sites

Among the town’s notable buildings is the Church of the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude Thaddeus, built between 1323 and 1349. Since the 16th century, the parish church in Wąbrzeźno has served as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Pregnant (Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Brzemiennej). The name “Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Brzemiennej” was first officially used in 1993 for the long-standing Marian devotion in Wąbrzeźno. A visit to the town can therefore also be an opportunity to explore its religious history.

The town hall offers a different perspective: it was built in 1892 in the Neo-Gothic style from exposed red brick. The restored Market Square is characterised by Art Nouveau houses. The ruins of the Castle of the Bishops of Chełmno are another point of interest. Those wishing to admire sacred art will find works from the 16th to 19th centuries in the Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland (Matki Bożej Królowej Polski); the church itself dates from 1836.

The tourist trail through Wąbrzeźno includes eight historic sites. Another distinctive feature of the town’s history is that Poland’s first electrified railway line was built in Wąbrzeźno. The former route of the Wąbrzeska kolejka also serves a different purpose today: it has been replaced by a pedestrian and cycle path. These sites and routes offer several ways to focus your stay more on town history and physical activity.

Lakes, Activities and Leisure

Wąbrzeźno has a town beach on Lake Zamkowe in Podzamcze. Water sports are another focus: the Jana Bosmana-Lewandowskiego Water Sports Marina (Przystań Sportów Wodnych im. Jana Bosmana-Lewandowskiego) offers opportunities for kayaking, sailing and stand-up paddleboarding. There is also a water sports equipment rental station on Lake Zamkowe, where kayaks, pedal boats and SUP boards are available free of charge. These two options may appeal to you if water sports are among the experiences you have planned for your stay.

You can also explore Wąbrzeźno on foot and by bicycle. Walking and cycling routes pass viewpoints and outdoor fitness equipment. Cycling routes use kilometres of modernised, safe and well-signposted cycle paths. For sporting activities, the Jana Wesołowskiego Municipal Stadium (Stadion Miejski im. Jana Wesołowskiego) has a certified blue athletics track, facilities for long jump, high jump and pole vault, as well as throwing areas. The Paweł Bączyński Municipal Swimming Pool (Pływalnia Miejska im. Pawła Bączyńskiego) has sports lanes and a sauna area.

The “Przyjazne Wzgórze” Activity Centre (Centrum Aktywności „Przyjazne Wzgórze“) brings together a range of leisure activities. These include rope courses, ground trampolines, mini golf, a zip line and slides, as well as a skatepark and basketball court. If you would like to plan several kinds of activity and recreation during your stay, you can consider these options alongside the routes and sports facilities. Seasonal concerts by the water are held at the open-air amphitheatre.

Choose Briesen for Your Holiday

Its historic sights, routes, sports facilities and water sports make Briesen a place with a variety of options for spending the day. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider which aspects of the town matter most for your stay. For road travel, Wąbrzeźno has a bypass and a connection to the motorway. The Stary Młyn restaurant is located at ul. 1 Maja 40.

Other destinations to explore: Aleksandrowski, Mogilno, Powiat Radziejowski, Tuchel, Żniński, Lipno, Golubsko-Dobrzyński and Graudenz.

View the main travel overview: Kuyavia-Pomerania.