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Gietrzwałd – a village located southwestward from the city of Olsztyn on the route No. 16 to Ostróda. The locality is inserted in a wonderful landscape of the Warmian District, surrounded by complexes of coniferous and mixed forests and numerous lakes.
The village was established in the Prussian territory Gudikus by the Warmian Chapter in 1352 on 70 strands. The founder was Dietrich, hence the old name Dietrichswald. Gietrzwałd was destroyed during the wars between Poland and Teutonic Knights in the 15th century, and in 1455 the village was robbed by the Teutonic Order troops of George von Schlieben. In the middle of 16th century, the settlement was not developed but despite that fact, there was a school as well as there was an inn in operation, which was owned in 1645 by the Olsztyn councillor George Kunigk. In 1783, Gietrzwałd counted 57 chimneys. The French troops devastated heavily the locality in 1807. The greatest events in this small Warmian village were Blessed Virgin Mary apparitions in 1877; then, the parish priest of the Catholic parish was Augustine Weichsel, and Warmian Bishop was Marcin Kromer. Since then, Gietrzwałd has become a pilgrimage village and the point in the route of those visiting the places of BVM cult in the localities Święta Lipka, Stoczek Warmiński and Ostra Brama in Wilno (Vilnius). The locality is well prepared for servicing tourists making their pilgrimages nation-wide and from abroad. In Gietrzwałd, there is the John Paul II Pilgrim’s House which provides for accommodation and full day’s meals. At the opposite side of the Pilgrim’s House, there are rich library and the shop with devotional articles; there is also the fast food bar.
From Gietrzwałd, one can make trips to attractive places located within the precincts of Warmia, Masuria and Vistula River Bank, in order to visit numerous localities with particular values of the cultural heritage of this land.
It is worthwhile to specify in this respect:
- The Concathedral Church and castle in Olsztyn, strongly connected with a great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (16 km)
- The Castle in Lidzbark Warmiński and the Collegiate Church in Dobre Miasto; here, there used to be and create Bishop and writer of the Enlightenment, Ignacy Krasicki (60 km); and the Station of the Cross in Glotowo near Dobre Miasto beautifully incorporated in the landscape (40 km)
- The baroque church in Święta Lipka (90 km)
- Stoczek Warmiński – the place of imprisonment of Primate Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński (70 km)
- The Frombork Cathedral and Zalew Wiślany (the Vistula River Lagoon) (100 km)
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| Jan z Lajs (John from Lajsy) – founder of Olsztyn, by virtue of the foundation privilege of 31 October 1353, issued by the Warmian Chapter. |
Cardinal Stanisław Hozjusz (1504-1579) – Warmian Bishop, founder of the theological seminary in Braniewo (1565). |
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) – Warmian canon, he administered and carried out astronomical research at the castle. |
For those who are interested in history, we advise to visit:
- The Teutonic Knights’ Castle in Malbork, the zero class monument (140 km)
- The Grunwald Battle field (35 km)
- The former quarters of Hitler, the so-called Wilczy Szaniec (Wolf Entrenchment) near Kętrzyn (83 km)
- The castle in Ostróda – the place of stay of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (20 km)
- Skansen museum in Olsztynek (15 km)
- The Warmian Inn in Gietrzwałd
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Canon Jan Hanowski (1873-1968) –
parish priest of the St James
parish in Olsztyn who saved the
Concathedral from destruction in 1945. |
Bishop Tomasz Wilczyński
(1903-1965) – the first Polish church
administrator in Warmia since Bishop
Ignacy Krasicki’s time |
| Beauty of this land is emphasised by interesting architectonic objects, gothic churches, fortified castles, charming castle chapels, parks and palaces. The region lures with a picturesque landscape and a unique natural environment that in part is a component of the area called the Green Lungs of Poland. Here, one may meet interesting plants and specific habits of stags, wild boars, heavers, cranes, storks, swans and, in particular, of the protected golden eagles. The natural, not contaminated environment provides for excellent physiotherapeutic conditions. |
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On numerous agro-tourist farms of the region, one may spend time in an unconventional manner, improving one’s state of health and physical condition, and to rest in the village calm and strengthen family ties.
Stay in the region is a good chance to learn Warmian folklore and to participate in many cultural events, such as:
- Singing poetry
- Festival - Picnic Country in Mrągowo
- Feasts of Humour and Satire as well as ‘Kaziuki – Wilniuki’ in Lidzbark Warmiński
- Festival of the Borderland Music in Mrągowo
- Organ concerts in the St James church in Olsztyn and in the baroque temple in Święta Lipka
- Shanties in Giżycko and Mikołajki
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Maria Zientara-Malewska (1894-1984) –
a real Warmian paragon of moral strength,
author of the hymn of Gietrzwałd |
| Proud of the region is the only operating channel in the world, between Ostróda and Elbląg, where the difference of level of waters is eliminated by means of the system of 5 slipways, across which ships pass by rails. |
| From Gietrzwałd, it is quite near to the border with the Kalingrad Oblast and the city of Wilno (Vilnius). The Pilgrim’s House in Gietrzwałd is an ideal stop-point for pilgrims from west, southwest and northwest who go towards Vilnius; thus it becomes a hospitable haven for pilgrims. | |
