Along the Cistercian Trail (Henryków – Krzeszów – Lubiąż)

The arrival of the Cistercians to Polish lands in the 12th century brought the founding of new villages and towns as well as numerous churches and abbeys. Their activity significantly contributed to the agricultural and economic development of the regions where they settled. In Lower Silesia there are still buildings that testify to the order’s power. During our trip, following the Cistercians’ route, we will admire outstanding architecture and the finest Silesian art. On our trail we will visit, among others, the largest monastery in Poland and learn the story of a book containing the oldest known sentence written in Polish.

REGISTRATION: REGISTRATION

PROGRAM:

• 1st DAY – 20 MARCH 2026 (FRIDAY)
  - Early gathering, 20 March 2026, at 05:30. We meet in front of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, at the parking lot opposite the entrance to Kinoteka. Departure at 05:45 towards Wrocław. On the way there will be a restroom break and a longer breakfast break.
  - Henryków Abbey – beginning of the walk along the Cistercian trail. Its origins date back to the 13th century; the abbey developed despite destructions (Mongol invasions, Hussite wars, the Thirty Years’ War). Henryków houses a copy of the so‑called Henryków book, which contains the oldest sentence in the Polish language.
  - Kamieniec Ząbkowicki – a walk through a charming town located near the Golden Mountains and the Kłodzko Valley; we will see, among other things, the monastery, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Marianna Orańska palace (from the outside).
  - Bardo – the “City of Miracles” with a stone bridge over the Nysa Kłodzka (one of the oldest in Poland) and a minor basilica that houses an almost thousand‑year‑old sculpture famed for many miracles.
  - Transfer to the hotel, check‑in and dinner.



• 2nd DAY – 21 MARCH 2026 (SATURDAY)
  - Breakfast, departure towards Krzeszów.
  - Krzeszów – the “Pearl of Silesian Baroque”: a former Cistercian abbey, the Minor Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (“The Golden House”), a 13th‑century depiction of Our Lady of Grace, the largest wooden altar in Silesia and rich Baroque decoration. We will also see the Brotherhood Church of St. Joseph with monumental frescos by Michał Leopold Willmann and the Mausoleum of the Silesian Piasts.
  - Chełmsko Śląskie – a charming settlement with a small market square, Baroque townhouses and the 17th‑century Church of the Holy Family; a special attraction are the Weavers’ Houses from the early 18th century, called the Houses of the Twelve Apostles (11 of the original 12 houses survive to this day).
  - Kamienna Góra – a short walk through the town with its market square, buildings from the turn of the 18th–19th centuries, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the Baroque Church of Grace.
  - Transfer to the hotel, dinner.



• 3rd DAY – 22 MARCH 2026 (SUNDAY)
  - Breakfast, check‑out from the hotel, transfer towards Lubiąż.
  - Cistercian Abbey in Lubiąż – an impressive Baroque complex on the Oder, one of the most beautiful Baroque ensembles in Central and Eastern Europe; in size it surpasses Wawel or the castle in Malbork. Interiors were decorated by, among others, Michał Willmann and Antoni Feliks Scheffler. The program also includes stories about the activities of the Telefunken company laboratory during World War II and the history of searches for Third Reich treasures.
  - Środa Śląska – a short walk around the market square surrounded by 18th–19th‑century townhouses and the ruins of a medieval castle.
  - It is possible to arrange a group lunch before the return trip to Warsaw (details will be provided closer to departure).
  - Departure for the return journey around 14:30–15:00. Return to Warsaw around 22:00–23:00, depending on road conditions and weather.

Trip price: 1050 PLN/person + entrance tickets to visited sites.

REGISTRATION: REGISTRATION

We invite you!