Korsze (0.0 km) • Reszel (14.0 km) • Święta Lipka (20.4 km)
This route is particularly appealing to those interested in the region’s history and religious tourism. Its main attractions include the historic sites of Reszel and Święta Lipka, among them the famous Marian shrine known as the “Częstochowa of the North.”
We begin the tour in the center of Korsze, on Mickiewicza Street. Nearby is the Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Initially, we head south on Provincial Road No. 590, passing the Orthodox Church of Saints Peter and Paul on our left. We cross Provincial Road No. 592 and continue following the signpost toward Reszel. Along the way, we pass through the small village of Wandajny and arrive in Gudnik. It’s worth stopping in this village to see its historic sites. The next section of the route leads from Gudnik to Reszel. This is a small town, but one of great historical importance to Warmia. After passing through Reszel, we continue south on Provincial Road No. 590. As we leave the town, we can use a bike path that’s several hundred meters long. We head toward Święta Lipka along a well-known pilgrimage route lined with wayside shrines. As we approach the town, we cross the border between Warmia and Masuria, marked by a brown tourist sign. To reach the Marian shrine, you can take the paved road—an option for road cyclists—or, earlier at the fork, take the gravel path by the last wayside shrine into the forest. Along this stretch, you’ll pass an old Marian column topped with a statue of the Mother of God. This is a historic boundary pillar from 1750, which once separated Ducal Prussia from Royal Prussia and now marks the border between Masuria and Warmia. The Baroque façade of the sanctuary is visible in the valley.
You can extend the route by 4 km by continuing east from Święta Lipka to Bezławki. The village features a historic 16th-century church associated with a legend about the Holy Grail.
The route is short and entirely paved. The terrain is also not difficult, consisting mainly of small, gentle hills.
Regional trains running on the Olsztyn–Ełk route pass through Korsze. There are also several long-distance connections.
Korsze
The town was founded in the 15th century. Its name likely derives from the original name of the settlement in the Prussian language, namely Cohorsen, later Karsens or Kors, which in the related Lithuanian language means “hazelnut” (“karšis,” “karše”). Until the early 19th century, Korsze was a landed estate. The expansion of the railway network in East Prussia during the second half of the 19th century was a decisive factor in the village’s development. Korsze’s unique location—almost exactly at the center of East Prussia—was decisive in its selection as a railway junction at the intersection of the two oldest railway lines in East Prussia (Königsberg–Ełk and Toruń–Wystruć). The year 1945 brought severe damage (40%), as Korsze was defended by retreating German armored units. The town was granted municipal rights in 1962.
The town has three historic water towers dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The oldest of them was built in 1890. One features a spherical steel Klönne-type reservoir. There are only three towers with this type of reservoir in Poland (the other two are in Dąbrówno and Runowo Pomorskie). In 1903, the Neo-Gothic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was consecrated, and the following year, the Evangelical church (now an Orthodox church) was consecrated.
Gudniki
A small village that boasts some interesting historical monuments. It was founded in 1340. The village is home to the 14th-century Church of St. Andrew Bobola, built of brick and fieldstone, with an 18th-century wooden narthex. The interior furnishings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Of particular note is the tombstone of the Swedish physician Johan Bernard Varnbagen from 1647, made of red marble. Next to the church stands an obelisk commemorating the villagers who fell during World War I. Further along the road leading toward Reszel, you can see the ruins of the burial chapel of the von der Groeben family.
Reszel
A former stronghold of the Prussian Bart tribe, which bore the Old Prussian name Resel and was conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1241. The town was granted town privileges in 1337 and was built from the outset according to a pre-established plan. The medieval urban layout has survived to this day, including most of the defensive walls and some of the towers.
In 1631, the Jesuits, who had been expelled from Braniewo, took over the monastery buildings left behind by the Augustinian Order and established a college in Reszel. In the 19th century, there were even plans to establish a university here. Reszel was known as a town of artists, many of whom were employed on projects at Święta Lipka. During World War II, the town suffered no major damage.
Reszel is a founding member of the Polish Cittaslow network of towns. Reszel’s most recognizable landmark is its Gothic castle (3 Podzamcze St., 11-440 Reszel, tel. 89 755 01 09, www.zamek-reszel.com), built between 1350 and 1401. It is a massive structure featuring a soaring Neo-Gothic turret, a round keep, and a gate leading to the courtyard. It served as one of the residences of the bishops of Warmia, including the last of them—Ignacy Krasicki. Currently, the castle features guest rooms and houses a gallery that organizes exhibitions of contemporary art. Visitors can climb the tower and explore the museum in the basement, which features an exhibition of torture instruments. Among the 50 original exhibits, you’ll see, among other things, a witch’s chair, an iron maiden, Judas’s cradle, and a water torture device. The Knights’ Hall presents the history of European chivalry, and in the Knights’ Chamber, visitors can admire suits of armor (including one modeled after the armor of the mythical King Arthur), bladed weapons (including a sword modeled after the legendary Excalibur), and firearms. Another medieval landmark in Reszel is the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. Construction began in the mid-14th century. It is a three-nave church with a chancel and an imposing tower. After a fire in 1806, it was rebuilt and refurnished between 1822 and 1843. The main altar features a painting depicting the church’s patron saints, created by Antoni Jan Blank (1785–1844), a professor of fine arts at the University of Warsaw who hailed from Warmia. The church tower, standing 51.2 m tall, is open to visitors. Inside, visitors can see the clock mechanism from 1913 and the church bells, and from the top, they can enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area. In the center of the market square stands the historic town hall in the Neoclassical style, built between 1815 and 1820. The entrance portico is adorned with two small columns, and on the roof there is a clock tower with a cupola and a spire.
Europe’s Last Witch
The last woman in Europe accused of witchcraft was burned at the stake in Reszel. This took place in 1811. The victim was Barbara Zdunk. She was accused not only of witchcraft but, above all, of arson. In 1807, part of the town burned down, and the cause of the fire was unclear. The trial lasted three years. The question of guilt was controversial, but the court in Königsberg upheld the verdict. Before being burned at the stake, the condemned woman was strangled.
The Marian Shrine in Święta Lipka
The Shrine of Our Lady (Święta Lipka 29, 11-440 Reszel, tel. 89 755 14 81, www.swlipka.pl) has attracted pilgrims since the Middle Ages, not only from the region but also from distant parts of Poland. It is known as the “Częstochowa of the North.” The complex of buildings, considered a Baroque gem, includes a basilica, cloisters, and the Jesuit monastery. The church courtyard is entered through a Baroque triumphal gate dating from the first half of the 18th century. The church’s rich and varied furnishings—stone and wood sculptures, murals and paintings on canvas, goldsmith and woodcarving works, as well as examples of artistic blacksmithing and metalwork—have been preserved in nearly unchanged condition. The Baroque organ with moving figurines, built in 1721, is particularly noteworthy. Short concerts and impressive demonstrations of the instrument’s moving decorative elements take place every hour during the summer. The main altar features a painting of Our Lady of Świętolip. It is also worth visiting the museum displaying artifacts related to the sanctuary, located near the pilgrim house.
The Church in Bezławki
The church, dating from 1513, was built in the main building of a former castle, which was first mentioned in 1402. Inside the church, the wooden structure of the tower, added around 1728, is worth seeing. A legend about the Holy Grail is associated with the church. According to the legend, the chalice in which Christ’s blood was collected ended up in England. From there, after the Battle of Hastings (1066)—which took place during the Norman invasion of England—the children of the defeated King Harold II, taking the Grail with them, traveled through Lithuania and Kyiv to Byzantium. Two of the king’s sons remained in Lithuania. Świdrygiełło, the younger brother of Jagiełło (who, according to legend, was descended from Harold’s eldest son), is said to have brought the chalice to Bezławki. During the Polish-Teutonic War in the summer of 1520, when Tatar troops approached the village, the chalice was allegedly walled up in the church’s wall and later disappeared under unexplained circumstances. A hole knocked into the wall, high up where a window had been bricked up, is considered evidence of its concealment.
