Gniezno

Gniezno is a city in Greater Poland in Poland. It is traditionally regarded as having been the first capital of Poland, and has been witness to many important events in early Polish history. Gniezno has become the seat of the second Polish diocese (after Poznań) and the first archbishopric. The coronations of several kings of Poland took place in the Gniezno cathedral.

Gniezno is situated in the northeastern part of the Greater Poland, between three lakes: Jelonek, Swietokrzyskie and Winiary, in what is called the Gniezno Lake District. It is only 50 kilometres away from Poznań and relatively close to Kujawsko-Pomorskie.

By plane
The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are in Poznań (50 km) and Bydgoszcz (90 km).

By train
Gniezno is an important railroad junction, so there are many options to travel to and from the city by rail. The main rail line through Gniezno is Poznań-Gniezno-Inowrocław, where it is forks out to Gdańsk through Bydgoszcz and to Olsztyn through Toruń, with numerous connections:
 * to Poznań up to 17 daily regional trains and 6-10 (depending on season) fast ones. The travel time to Poznań varies from 40-45 for fast trains to 55 for the local ones (stopping at every station).
 * to Bydgoszcz and Gdańsk: 4 regional trains and 4-7 fast ones
 * to Toruń and Olsztyn 2 local trains and 3 fast ones.

Another line runs from Gniezno to Września and Jarocin, with 4 local trains daily (including two coordinated in Jarocin with trains to Wrocław).

An interesting alternative for those traveling to Gniezno from the South-East is a journey by a local narrow-gauge railway. It runs over a 38 km route during spring and summer weekends, and on other days by special request. Details (Polish only) -.



By bus
Gniezno is a big bus travel junction, as well. Most coaches go not - as you might think - to Poznań (trains are dominating on this route), but to other places in the region (only routes to tourist places are mentioned):
 * Bydgoszcz: 7 buses daily
 * Czerniejewo (a beautiful historic palace): more than 30 daily
 * Imiolki (the Dominican Fish-Gate): 11 daily
 * Konin: 14 buses daily
 * Kruszwica through Strzelno: 8 daily
 * Skorzecin (a lake resort): 12 daily
 * Wenecja through Biskupin: 9 buses daily
 * Wągrowiec: 9 daily
 * Września: 18 daily
 * Żnin: 10 buses daily

By car
The main road passing through Gniezno is the country road nr 5, linking the town with Poznań and Wrocław in the south and with Bydgoszcz and Gdańsk in the north and passing through such attractions like Biskupin, Wenecja or Znin. The other roads passing through Gniezno are: country road nr 15 - enabling you to get to Kruszwica, Strzelno or Toruń; local road nr 260 - for those travelling in the Lake District nearby Powidz, 190 - to Wągrowiec and 197 to Slawa through the northern parts of Lednicki Landscape Park.

On foot
Most tourists will find it unnecessary to use public transport in Gniezno, as all main tourist attractions are situated in the very centre (6-8 minute walk from both rail and bus station).

By bus
The network consists of 16 city bus lines and 1 suburban line. Some lines run only few times a day (e.g. in peak hours).

The fee structure is simple - single ride will cost you 2 zloty (€0.45), the fee doubles at night (23-5). If you travel more, you can use 11-ride ticket for 21 zloty. Unfortunately, there're no multiple-day tickets, the only option for those staying in the city for longer are monthly tickets - for one line: 50 zlotys (€12), for two lines: 60, for the whole network: 100 zlotys.

More information: free phone number: 9285 or.

See


Visits to the Bronze Door and the cathedral's crypt are permitted only with a guide.

In the vicinity
As Gniezno is in the Lake District, many accommodation options are well out of the city:

Go next
The large cities of Poznań, Bydgoszcz and Toruń are within 60-90 minutes from Gniezno by road or rail.

The area around Gniezno is rich in historic monuments and places of interest:
 * Ostrów Lednicki - an island on Lednica Lake with preserved remnants of a medieval fortress from 10th century; one of the most important places on the Piast Route.
 * Dziekanowice - located next to Ostrów Lednicki, with an open-air museum of Greater Poland architecture
 * The Fish-Gate (a large girder construction shaped after the early Christian symbol) in Imiołki. Every year in May or June, the Dominican Order holds a large Catholic youth gathering there.
 * Timber churches in Weglewo and Lubowo
 * Czerniejewo with a beautiful classicist palace, stables and carriage house
 * Żnin, Biskupin and Wenecja with settlements of so-called Lusitian culture from 2700 years ago all connected via narrow gauge railway
 * Trzemeszno with one of polish oldest churches
 * Strzelno - a romanesque rotunda and the Trinity Church with famous columns presenting human virtues and sins
 * Mogilno with a romanesque church of St. John