Konin - PKS - Buses and Buses - Transport - Attractions and Monuments

Konin is a city in Wielkopolska province in the Konin Valley located on the Warta River. It has a population of more than 70,000. Thanks to its location on the Amber Route, Konin developed rapidly economically and gained importance. Konin was first mentioned in 1293. In the 14th century it was destroyed by Cossacks, and later rebuilt thanks to the support of King Casimir the Great. In the 17th century the city was haunted by numerous epidemics and fires, and was also occupied by the Swedes. During the partitions it belonged to the Prussian partition. Today Konin is an important industrial center, which, however, also has much to offer as a tourist destination.

Konin - attractions in the city

What to see in Konin? Below we describe the most interesting sights and attractions of this charming city.

Market Square and Konin Pillar

Konin's market square and adjacent streets still retain their medieval layout. Some of the townhouses date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Worth noting is the trapezoidal-shaped classicist town hall, located exactly in the middle of the former Small Market and unconventionally connecting the two converging streets.

Road pillar in Konin

Located right in front of St. Bartholomew's Church, the Romanesque stone pillar from 1151 once marked half of the road between Kalisz and Kruszwica. It is the oldest road sign in Europe outside the former Roman Empire. It bears a Latin inscription explaining the date of its construction, its location and proclaiming that it was erected by "Comes Palatine Peter."

St. Bartholomew Church

This church dates from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. On the outer walls one can clearly see the reconstructions of the church carried out over the years, and old inscriptions carved on stones can be seen in some places. It is worth noting the historic chapels and early Baroque tombstones of distinguished Konin residents - the Przyjemski brothers. The interior of this small temple dates mostly from the 20th century. The author of the polychrome and stained-glass windows is Eligiusz Niewiadomski, later the assassin of Poland's first president, Gabriel Narutowicz. Many famous people are associated with St. Bartholomew's Church. Among others, Wladyslaw Jagiello prayed there, and later also writer Zofia Urbanowska; composer and Oscar winner Jan A.P. Kaczmarek was also baptized there.

Konin District Museum

This place documents and presents the history of the Konin region. You can see prehistoric exhibitions about the town and the Jewish community that once lived there, exhibitions on the history of lighting or displays of jewelry. A highlight of the local museum is one of the most complete remains of a forest elephant. The museum is housed in a Gothic castle in Goslawice, but it also includes an open-air museum of mining machinery and equipment, an open-air ethnographic museum and an open-air archaeological museum in Antówek.

Synagogue

The synagogue was built in 1829 in Neo-Moorish-Gothic style, on the site of a previous wooden synagogue. Inside, the original, partially reconstructed paintings are preserved on the eastern wall and on the columns.

Boulevard Nadwarciański

This is a popular strolling place, where one can additionally learn about the history of Konin, as boards with interesting information about the city have been placed there. The boulevard stretches for almost a kilometer on the southern bank of the Warta River, offering observation decks, two amphitheaters, a river marina or a passenger marina along the way. This section of the river is part of the Great Loop of Greater Poland, a nearly 700-meter-long inland waterway.

Turquoise Lake

This lake is a post-industrial remnant of the open-pit lignite mine "Gosławice". It was created in the 1970s after the inactive pit was flooded with water. Its green-turquoise color is due to the alkaline reaction of the water, making the lake unsuitable for swimming, and it is not even recommended to walk close to its shores, which can be unstable and sandy in places. However, you can admire its unusual color from the observation tower located in the northern part of the reservoir at about 115 meters above sea level.

Micro Scale Model Park

About 50 mock-ups of various themes are presented here - from historical, related to the history of the world, Poland and Konin, to cinematic, depicting scenes from famous movies and fairy tales. Some of the mock-ups are interactive, some of them show natural phenomena in an interesting way, in addition, you can participate in many workshops there, such as making your own designs from constructor's blocks.