Meszna: Local history and trails beneath Magura

The Chapel of Matki Bożej Siewnej

Built in 1810, the Chapel of Matki Bożej Siewnej is one of Meszna’s specific cultural and historical landmarks. Its furnishings include a 19th-century wall altar and a wooden baptismal font. The year it was built and the age of the altar offer two different points of reference in time; the baptismal font adds another distinctive detail. Together, these features tell the story of the building without requiring you to work through a long list of sights.

Quest trails through landscape and history

The Quest trails are walking routes that lead from the village centre through scenic areas to clearings and forests below Magura. Together, they showcase the nature, history and sights of Meszna, which is more than 300 years old. If you prefer to explore the area on foot, they offer a different way to experience the village than visiting individual historic buildings: the trails combine views of the landscape with the themes that define Meszna.

In 2022, three themed Quest trail leaflets were available at the Meszniański Ośrodek Kultury „Nad Borami” and at tourist and catering establishments in the village. If you are planning to use one of the leaflets to explore, ask whether it is currently available.

A yellow-marked hiking trail passes through Wilkowice to Meszna, climbs through the built-up area of the village and continues to the clearings below Magura, where Chata na Groniu is located. Check the current trail markings and conditions before setting out. The routes described therefore differ in their course: the Quest trails start in the village centre, while the yellow-marked trail also passes through the built-up area.

The mountain landscape of Wilkowice municipality

For a broader perspective, it is worth looking at the municipality as a whole. Wilkowice municipality is surrounded by mountains of the Beskid Śląski range, including Kozia Góra, Szyndzielnia, Klimczok and Magura. Czupel, Magurka Wilkowicka and Rogacz belong to the Beskid Mały range within this landscape. The mountains are connected by a dense network of marked hiking trails. This gives an overview of the mountain landscape of Wilkowice municipality; the Quest trails, by contrast, run specifically through Meszna.

In winter, a cross-country ski trail is available on the summit areas of Magurka Wilkowicka in Wilkowice municipality. This is a different option from the walking trails in Meszna and forms part of the wider picture at municipality level. When planning your trip, you can take these differences into account when choosing the focus of your holiday, rather than treating the various trails and locations as the same.

Culture and activities to help plan your holiday

In November 2022, information boards and an educational trail about nature and culture in Meszna were presented as new tourist attractions. At that time, Meszna also hosted an annual Nordic walking event and outdoor activities.

When choosing your holiday apartment, you could first consider which part of the trip you want to focus on: local history around the chapel, the Quest trails starting from the village centre, or a plan that also takes in the municipality’s mountain and hiking landscape. This lets you tailor your search to the experiences that interest you most in Meszna and the surrounding municipality.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Bystra, Porąbka, Rybarzowice, Buczkowice, Jaworze, Bestwina, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Międzyrzecze Górne.

For the broader travel overview: Bielsko-Biała.