Rychwald – Landscape, Cycling Route and Memorial Sites

Rychwald lies on the edge of the Ciężkowice Foothills and is surrounded by wooded slopes. The village stretches along the Rychwałdzianka stream, which flows into the Biała Tarnowska River. Memorial sites and a 14 km cycling route add to the picture. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Rychwald, you can first decide whether to focus your trip on the landscape and outdoor activities or on the historical memorial sites.

Rolling Landscape and Waterways

The mixed-wooded hills around Rychwald offer panoramic views of the northern part of the Ciężkowice Foothills. Rychwald lies within the Ciężkowice Foothills Protected Landscape Area and serves as a buffer within the network of protected areas for the Ciężkowicko-Rożnowski Landscape Park and the Brzanka Range Landscape Park. The stream and the panorama create distinct features of the landscape: the Rychwałdzianka runs through the village, while the hills offer views across the northern part of the foothills.

Explore the Cycling and Walking Trails

The “LEGIONISTÓW” cycling route is 14 km long. It runs from the Legionnaires’ Cemetery in Łowczówek via Rychwałd Klepków, Lichwin Pustki and Lubinka Piekarzówka to Lichwin Nowy Świat. The blue-marked Piotrkowice–Rychwałd hiking trail also passes through Rychwald. Check the current trail markings before setting out on a hike. The cycling route’s length and waypoints are specified; for the hiking trail, the current state of the markings is the key detail to check when planning.

Cemetery and Memorial Sites

A municipal report, updated on 7 October 2024, stated that three memorial sites in Rychwald had been renovated in the preceding months. Cemetery No. 188 is the final resting place of 29 Austro-Hungarian and 25 Russian soldiers; it covers an area of 0.05 hectares.

In Olszówki, a monument with two graves commemorates the site where 13 political prisoners were shot on 31 March 1944. They had been brought from Limanowa or Nowy Sącz. Another monument in Olszówki commemorates fighting by the Barbara battalion of the Home Army (AK), referred to as “Operation Butter.” Olszówki is also the site where four prisoners brought from Tarnów were shot on 30 March 1944. The two March dates are one day apart, but the sites and groups of prisoners described are different.

In Las Koszycki, 18 Poles were shot by Germans in 1940. They had probably been brought from Tarnów; 8 September is considered the probable date. This tentative dating is part of the historical account of the site.

Chapel of St Joseph

A service at the Chapel of St Joseph is listed for Sundays and public holidays at 10:15 a.m. As the schedule may change, confirm the time with the parish before visiting.

You can explore Rychwald according to your interests: the wooded slopes and cycling route appeal to travelers who want to focus on scenery and outdoor activities, while the cemetery, monuments and chapel give a stay a historical or religious focus.

Discover more destinations: Zgłobice, Wola Rzędzińska, Pleśna, Meszna Opacka, Wojnicz, Komorów, Zakliczyn, Rzuchowa

For the main travel overview: Tarnów.