PLACES OF INTEREST
(in the town and the surrounding area)
| Lighthouse | Millennium Memorial |
Open to visitors daily from 10.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m., entry 3.00 PLN. The first lighthouse in Kolobrzeg was built in 1666. Over the years it was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Completely destroyed after a bombing during World War II. The lighthouse was the first to be rebuilt after the ravages of war. In its present form it consists of two parts: the lower one, Fort Münde constructed in 1770; where a 26-metre-high tower was added in 1947. Totally refurbished in 1979 – 1981 and then opened for tourists. Kolobrzeg Lighthouse is also a youth music club well known throughout the country, where hundreds of concerts have been given.
Famous bands such as: Wu-Wu, Maleńczuk, Mech to name a few, performed here.
Cathedral The Cathedral is the tallest building in town; its tower (72 meters high) is a landmark for many tourists. Despite severe damage suffered during the conquest of the town in 1945 (90% of the buildings were reduced to rubble), the church survived and undoubtedly, today it is the pride of the town. For that reason its silhouette is included in the city emblem. You are warmly welcome to visit this monumental building: the only five-nave hall church (where all naves are the same height).
The first Gothic Town Hall was built in the 14th century and survived until the Napoleonic wars. In 1807 the town was besieged by French and Polish military units (Duke Sułkowski’s troops), and on the last day of the siege the Town Hall was subject to such a severe bombing and destruction that only parts of the basements and a few stone columns remained. The new seat of the town council was designed by a famous German architect Friedrich Schinkl and built in 1829-1832. The neo-Gothic building looks like a fairy-tale castle: the entire building made of red bricks, with pointed arched windows and six towers crowned with crenellations. Numerous cultural events are held here during the summer: concerts, dance shows and theatre performances to name a few. The quest for Adebar’s head on one of the medieval columns is definitely worthwhile. Adebar was a leader of the uprising against the medieval town councilors, he also lived a rich social life and seduced many townswomen of Kolobrzeg – all that led him to the scaffold. Shortly after his death he became a legend that has survived to this day. It is said that touching his head while making a wish could make the wish come true, especially when it comes to love.
Brick building erected in 1885 concurrently to the new waterworks system that substituted the wooden pipes dating back to as early as the Middle Ages. Water used to be pumped from the Parsęta River to a huge water tank (holding 720 m³) at the top of the tower, and then distributed to houses. During the siege of Kolobrzeg in March 1945, when the town water system failed, the tank supplied the besieged residents with drinking water. Despite severe fights the building has survived and started to be re-used in the 1970s, when many blocks of flats were built around it. Today the Water Tower is still in the possession of the Urban Water Supply and Sewerage authorities. Apart from that, its lower part houses a stylish flower shop.
The Fuse Tower, currently called the Gunpowder Tower is all that remains of the medieval town walls demolished in the 19th century; a curved line of the street located in this area (today’s Dubois) reflects the former pattern of walls. The tower survived unchanged to this day, which shows in beautiful gothic bricks it is made of. Loopholes can be seen on the park side – a proof of the military past of the building. Today the tower houses PTTK (Polish Tourist-Sightseeing Society) office.
Alley lined with 100-year-old plane trees. It is the only genus of Platanaceae that has a greater degree of cold tolerance and is able to survive the Polish winter. However, only older trees have such ability, hence about 15-year-old plants are imported for that purpose from southern Europe. For that reason the Alley is so precious and protected, although it is not nearly as valuable as the plane tree in London Mayfair with a trunk of more than 6 feet in diameter. Its estimated value is over £750,000.00, which makes it the most expensive tree in Great Britain.
The word bower comes from French berseau and means an alley with a frame for branches of plants such as lime, hornbeam or rose to grow over and through. Kolobrzeg Hornbeam Bower is one of a very few in Poland; set up in the 19th century measures 130 meters in length. Undoubtedly, one of the most romantic places in Kolobrzeg that was called the ‘alley of love’ as far back as before the war. Vandalised few years ago, today beautifully illuminated, with new plants. It is a delight for both: the inhabitants and tourists as well as Primary School No 4 children who look after it. Without a doubt, a place worth seeing!
Redoubt (Salinen Schanze) was built during the last modernisation of Kolobrzeg Fortress in 1832-1836 on the basis of 1807 battle experience. It is telescope-shaped and consists of an embankment and two buildings. Originally there was a small entrenchment (Salinen Brückenkopf) protecting the fortress from the side of the Kolobrzeg graduation tower, demolished in the middle of the 19th century. Today the redoubt is the seat of pirates who organise entertainment and educational events for children and youth.
Built in 1884 in neo-Gothic style. Figures of small dwarfs, which according to a local legend bring good luck, are located on the cornice of the building. The Post Office was refurbished in 2006, e.g. an access for the disabled was added
Morast Redoubt / Fort Schilla Built after the Seven Years’ War when the Russians conquered the town as the fortification system was too poor. Today it is better known as the marina, where flags from all over the world can be seen, although mostly yachts from Sweden and Germany moor here. Today the former redoubt houses a tavern, while embankment turned into an amphitheatre with sitting places. In the summer you can hear the sound of music every day, beer is poured and delicious smell of smoked fish wafts across the area. Sailing on board of a sea-going yacht Ark or Baltic Star to the roadstead is undoubtedly a major attraction. The wooden yacht with a white sail will take on board all those willing to go cod-angling – unforgettable impressions guaranteed! Pontoon bridge joins the marina to the harbour with a lighthouse towering above it.
The Monument was made to commemorate the event dating back over 1000 years. In the year 1000 AD a meeting between Polish Duke Boleslaus the Brave and a very young German Emperor Otto III took place in Gniezno. During the meeting a decision was made to establish three bishoprics: in Wrocław, Kraków and Kolobrzeg. The monument presents the figures of both rulers standing on two sides of a torn cross being an allegory of Poland and Germany. The monument was made in a workshop of an artist Wiktor Szostało in Saint Louis in 2000. 8 years later two figures were added: John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The names of sponsors appear on a plaque in the pedestal of the monument.
On the pedestal you can see a figure of a kneeling girl holding up a wounded soldier. Looking at the face of the girl, very few tourists realise they see the features of a real person who took part in the fights of Kolobrzeg. Private Ewelina Nowak was killed in action in 1945 when taking a wounded soldier away from the battlefield. The sculptor, Adolf Cogel from Wrocław, sculpted her face against a photograph. The monument was unveiled in the spa district on Gen. Wł. Sikorskiego street on 13 July 1980.
Marriage to the Sea Ceremony Memorial
The Marriage to the Sea Ceremony Memorial is located on the seafront promenade, which leads from the harbour to the pier. The monument represents soldiers carrying a flag of which a wide ribbon is falling down onto the ground. The figures of soldiers recall different points in the history: you can spot Slavic warriors who conquered Western Pomerania under Mieszko I and Boleslaus the Wrymouthed. The falling flag creates a corridor-like clearance leading to the sea – the symbol of a ‘window to the world’ as that is what every harbour is. Apparently, breathless passing from one side of the monument to the other makes a wish come true. It is worth trying! Stone boards lying at the bottom of the monument commemorate all troops that conquered Kolobrzeg in 1945. The Marriage to the Sea Ceremony took place on 18 March 1945, on the very day when Kolobrzeg was conquered. The main ceremony did not take place where the monument is located, but on the terrace of Fort Münde (at present the Lighthouse). It was the act of determination in striving at access of Western Pomerania to Poland, as then nobody knew where the frontier would run, nor what the final shape of the Polish border would be. The unveiling of the monument took place on 3 November 1963. It is the work of architect Wiktor Tolkin.
Lapidary designed by Zygmunt Wujek was established in 2000 in the seafront park, in the area of the former Jewish graveyard. Lapidary is an arrangement of six Jewish tombstones that survived down to our times on the pattern of the Star of David. They come from two pre-war Jewish graveyards: one at the crossing of two contemporary streets: Zdrojowa and Mickiewicza and the other in Koszalińska. Both graveyards suffered major destruction during the Night of Broken Glass on November 9-10, 1938, and then during the post-war period. The Jewish community that lived in Kolobrzeg in 1812-1940 made a major contribution to the development of the town into a well-known seaside resort. Special credit for the development of the town and balneology goes to Jewish doctors: Dr. Moses Beherend (1869), Dr. Feliks Beherend (1853-1917), Dr. Walter Beherend, dr Eberhard Margulies, Dr. Herman Emanuel Hirschfeld (1825-1885), Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935) and many others.
German Lapidary German
German Lapidarium
German Lapidary was established in the area of a beautiful pre-war Maikuhle park. Before World War II there was an evangelic municipal graveyard. Tombstones of former inhabitants of Kolobrzeg (all that survived the ravages of war down to our times) are located here today. Lapidary is the place of remembering and reflection about the former German inhabitants of the town.
Braunschweigs Palace (Armii Krajowej 10)
Braunschweigs Palace
(ul. Armii Krajowej 10)
Palace of the von Braunschweigs family dating back to the turn of 18th and the 19th centuries. The building in the empire style of a very original façade, currently a museum. A very rich collection of historic weights and measures is kept here – one of the biggest in Poland. In the cellar you will find objects from the archaeological excavations that were carried out during the Old Town of Kolobrzeg construction works. The collection is illustrated with pictures, drawings as well as descriptions. At the end of your visit to the museum you can watch a film about the history of the town.
Road Bridge The bridge connecting the land part of the town with Solna Island was constructed over 100 years ago and it is the only one that survived both World Wars. Metal railings are decorated on both sides with anchors showing the date of construction: 1900.
Road Bridge
The bridge connecting the land part of the town with Solna Island was constructed over 100 years ago and it is the only one that survived both World Wars. Metal railings are decorated on both sides with anchors showing the date of construction: 1900.
Rotunda-shaped building, erected at the beginning of the 20th century was used as town baths until the 1970s. Today it houses State Primary Music School.
(Spacerowa 39)
Pre-war house in the Harbour District, the place of signing the terms of Island of Bornholm surrender.
Fort (Wolfsberg Schanze) was designed in 1807. It was built at the time when the French troops were approaching Kolobrzeg. It was the theatre of the fiercest fights. Polish infantry, whose camp was located on the causeway in Kolobrzeg Forest, launched offensive many times. The Fort kept changing hands. Finally the French did not manage to conquer the town, which was only a matter of time, as the Peace of Tilsit was signed. However, the heroic defence of the town passed into a German legend of an unconquered fortress, on the basis of which a propaganda film (one of the most expensive in the history of German cinema) was made. Kolobrzeg remains one of the most recognisable Polish towns by the Germans.
After the war the fort was turned into an amphitheater. In 1968-1991 it was the venue of Polish Soldiers’ Festival. Currently a variety of concerts and entertainment events such as Interfolk Festival and Gamma Festival are held here.
The Railway Station Building as we know it today was built at the beginning of the 20th century. In March 1945 it was the strong point of the Fortress Kolobrzeg defence supported with an armoured train Panzerzug PZ 72A, under the command of Captain Roeming. The building survived despite the fierce fights around the railway station. After World War II it was turned into a grain warehouse of the Soviet Army, later handed over to Polish Railways, which have been using it until today.
St. John’s Church in Budzistowo
The oldest building in the commune, the first records are dated back to 1222. The church was built in the area of a former Slavic settlement, located about 2 km away from the present town centre, on J. Frankowski walking route.