10 Fun Things to Do in Gniezno – Poland’s First Historical Capital

Located in the Wielkopolskie province, or Greater Poland, about 60km from Poznan, Gniezno dates back to the early medieval period and is one of the most significant cities in Poland still undiscovered by many. Being the very first historical capital of Poland, there are interesting things to do in Gniezno and a perfect day trip option from Poznan. 

Gniezno holds a special place in Polish history. The first Piast monarch, Mieszko I, chose the area to establish his residence in the 10th century, and Gniezno served as the capital of the Polish State until the early 11th century.  

It was here when Mieszko I converted to Christianity and marked the beginning of Poland’s connection with the Roman Catholic Church. Even though the capital was moved to Krakow and then Warsaw in later centuries, Gniezno remained an important center of worship and is still considered the country’s religious capital.

Moreover, the name ‘Gniezno’ is directly linked to the founding legend of three Slavic peoples, the tale of brothers Lech, Czech, and Rus on a hunting trip. They each follow a different prey and end up in opposite directions. Czech traveled west and ultimately settled in an area that today is Czechia, or the Czech Republic, while Rus went east towards the current land of Russia.  

Lech went north, where, at some point, he stumbled upon a giant white eagle defending its nest against the red colors of the setting sun. He took this as a sign and decided to settle here. He named it Gniezno, meaning ‘nest’ in English. 

The white eagle with the red background became his coat of arms and a foundation of Poland’s symbol and colors of its flag. 

Considering its significance in the cultural, religious, and historical development, there are many attractions in Gnieno connected to them, including churches, museums, and historical landmarks. 

However, wandering the cobbled streets and admiring the beautiful architectural buildings of the old town makes it a worthwhile detour either from Poznan or Bydgoszcz. 

How to get to Gniezno from Poznan or Bydgoszcz

Situated around a 50-60-minute car ride from Poznan and Bydgoszcz, getting to Gniezno is very simple. You can easily visit the city as an independent day trip from Poznan or combine it with a visit to Bydgoszcz.  

The best and fastest way is to take a train from Poznan, with a journey time of 25-30 minutes, depending on the train. On the other hand, the train takes a bit over an hour to get to Gniezno from Bydgoszcz. Check the train schedule here. 

However, you can also get to Gniezno from Wroclaw, Warsaw, Gdansk, and Krakow, but the journey will be longer, and you’d want to stay overnight instead of spending a day here. If you decide to, you can check your preferred hotels in Gniezno here. 

Iconic things to do in Gniezno

Visit the former locomotive depot 

One of the first things to do in Gniezno if you arrive by train is to wander through a 19th-century railway depot a 10-15 minute walk from the central train station. 

Constructed in 1875 adjacent to the newly built Gniezno railway station, it was an essential spot in the Poznań-Toruń transportation junction. The complex was built in different stages and included cargo storage, a warehouse to store four steam locomotives with a turntable, a water station, a rolling stock repair plant, and residential buildings for railway administrators, to name a few. 

From the end of the 1980s, the depot limited its functions due to reduced regional connections, and by 2012, the locomotive depot was decommissioned. 

Today, it is a tourist attraction open to the public, operated by the Gniezno Roundhouse Association, where visitors can walk through the most significant buildings of the depot. 

Unfortunately, the locomotive depot has seasonal opening hours, and except for July and August, they are only open over the weekends. On our visit in October, the locomotive was closed. 

However, if you can’t make it to the main locomotive depot, there’s a small exhibition of various trains at Gniezno Narrow Gauge Round, which is very close to the depot. The exact spot is in the map list provided above. 

Some of these trains are open, so you can go inside and see their engines or admire how they operated back in the day. 

• Opening hours: as mentioned above, it is open seasonally, so it is best to check their official website (in Polish).  
• Entrance fee: adults – 15 PLN

Stroll along the lake

Gniezno was laid on seven hills with five big and small lakes within its city limits. Jezioro Jelonek is one of the big lakes offering a tranquil environment and a walking path to enjoy during your time here. 

The weather was slightly chilly, with grey skies during our Gniezno visit. However, walking around, appreciating the gorgeous landscape, and breathing fresh air was pleasant before wandering further into the city center. 

We’ve noticed plenty of benches, sun beds, and hammocks to relax on warm summer days. A few informational boards also tell the story of the city and its important industrial or cultural landmarks along the lake shores. Unfortunately, they are only in Polish; you’d need a Google Translate to understand what’s written on these boards. 

The highlight of the walk around the lake is that it offers stunning views of the Gniezno Cathedral from the other side. 

See the fragment of the Berlin Wall

The university courtyard is home to an installation named ‘Drill’ or ‘Bor’ in Polish, which symbolizes the fall of the Berlin Wall that once divided Europe into western and eastern blocks from 1961 to 1989. 

Made from original segments in 2014, it was placed on the 25th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence together with the other countries of the Warsaw Pact. 

Learn more about the city in its museum

The Museum of the Origins of the Polish State in Gniezno offers an interesting display of archeological finds that shaped today’s city in a not-so-attractive Soviet-era building on the western side of Lake Jelonek. 

Apart from the archeological items, the permanent collection contains works of art from pre-Slavic times to the end of the Piast dynasty. A selection of historicist oil paintings of the 19th century shows the various events and people during the Piast rule, from the beginnings of the dynasty and ending with the last Piast Kazimierz III Wielki, or Casimir the Great. 

Some weapons, treasures, and beautifully illustrated rare books are also on display. You’ll also find regalia of Casimir the Great designed for funeral purposes, chess pieces of the 12th and 13th centuries made out of horns, and a document of Vaclav II, the King of Bohemia and Poland, with a majestic seal dating to 1301, etc. 

We especially loved the ceramic tile decorations and various ornaments that once adorned different buildings in the city. 

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 9 am to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays
• Entrance fee: adults – 18 PLN

Chase rabbit statues

If Wroclaw has small dwarf statues scattered across the city, Gniezno has rabbits of various professions at different places in the city. 

Following the Royal Trail enables you to see most of the city, including 15 rabbit statues, and see different sculptures of kings, miniature city models made of bronze, etc.  

However, if you don’t want to follow the Royal trail, most of them are included on Google Maps, and there even is a mobile app called Królika Goń, or Rabbit Chase in English. 

Why rabbits, you may ask? The answer is hidden in Polish names – Król is for a king, and królik is the rabbit with similar spellings. But if we dive deep into Polish grammar, the word królik means ‘small king.’ 

Hunting down these statues is one of the best things to do in Gniezno with kids, but adults will have fun discovering a writer, railwayman, liqueur taster, bricklayer, Napoleon, and other rabbit statues. 

I didn’t download the app but used Google Maps to find Gniezno Kroliks. The ones I stumbled upon when wandering the city streets are included in the above map list. 

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Go inside the Gniezno Cathedral

As a bastion of the catholic church, Gniezno Cathedral (Primatial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Shrine of St. Adalbert) has always been the city’s main attraction and centerpiece. 

Constructed in 970, it is one of the oldest churches in Poland, where the royal coronations of the Piast dynasty were held for the following three centuries. 

The most significant item of the Cathedral is the so-called Gniezno Doors, containing 18 bronze panels with engravings showcasing the life of St. Adalbert of Prague, a 10th-century Czech evangelist and martyred after trying to convert the Old Prussians in the north. 

In summer, you can walk up 231 steps to enjoy the panoramic views of the city from the bell tower. 

Have lunch devouring Polish cuisine

One of the things to do in Gniezno is to visit a restaurant serving traditional Polish food. The country’s cuisine is rich in meat, vegetables, spices, and herbs that have evolved over the centuries and share similarities to many other cuisines. 

The most iconic and famous Polish food is probably pierogi, followed by bigos. Pierogi is a local version of dumplings that differs greatly from similar meals, such as Georgian Khinkali, Dim Sums, or Momos. 

Pierogarnia Siódme Niebo, in the center of Gniezno and a few meters from the Cathedral, is a place to try all Polish meals. While their focus is providing an extensive list of dumplings with various fillings, they also have other meals, such as żurek (fermented rye) or barszcz (borscht) soups, to name a few. 

Admire buildings at Rynek 

Like in many cities in Poland, Gniezno’s market square was the center of city life and action. In 1819, a big fire destroyed most of the buildings surrounding the Rynek, but over the years have been rebuilt. 

If you look closer, you’ll find red bricks that marked the city perimeter back in the day. The reconstructed buildings have dedicated nameplates of the companies and cities that funded the restoration works. 

The pyramid structures point to where the old town gates once stood. You can go south of the Rynek to Słomianki and the Holy Trinity Church to see the remnants of the old city walls. 

And if you travel to Poland in winter, the Rynek is home to the small Gniezno Christmas Market. 

See vintage items at the Museum of Monuments of Technical Culture

Those who love vintage motorbikes, cars, and machinery can visit the museum located in a former Prussian military barracks outside the city center. 

The collection represented in the museum transports you back to your childhood and the time of your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Most exhibits are of Polish origin, making it very interesting to see what locals used as their transportation options at various decades throughout history. 

Unfortunately, the museum was not open on our visit as we were supposed to call in advance and let them know we were coming. 

• Opening hours: open year-round, but times differ; see their Facebook page. Contacting them and telling them you’d want to visit is better during the off-season. 

Finish the day with beer-tasting

Dobry Browar is a local micro-brewery combining a bar, restaurants, and accommodations, offering various types of craft beer brewed from the best raw materials using the oldest brewing recipes but adding a modern approach. 

The venue has brewing machines on the spot, so if you come at the right time, you might see the whole process on-site. And if you are interested in knowing more, you can purchase a tour. 

Dobry Browar has a lot of beers to choose from, and there is also a self-service beer tap if you want to try more types. You can order a tasting board with four beers of your choice like we did. The beer menu describes each type, but you can also ask for recommendations from your server.  

And if you feel hungry, they have a full menu of meals from starters to tapas and from salads to main courses. What I loved the most is that besides the kid menu, they provide a pet menu for your furry friend. 

We were not hungry, and I was not going to order anything, but once I saw a Beermisu in the desserts, I had to try it. It’s a tiramisu where the lady’s fingers are soaked in beer instead of espresso. It is very delicious compared to how it sounds, and the beer taste is barely visible. 

Dobry Browar also has a small courtyard with outside seating and a fermentation plant downstairs near the bathrooms. And the tap reserve I mentioned above is connected to the fermentation room, meaning that you are getting the freshest ‘from the source’ beer.

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