Biskupiec: Old Town and Historic Buildings

For a hotel stay in Biskupiec, one clear theme presents itself: the town’s history, reflected in the Old Town and buildings spanning several centuries. The market square, churches, former administrative and commercial buildings, and engineering structures reveal different sides of the town. Specific features include a rectangular street layout with seven streets, a preserved inscription, and a viewing point in the church tower. If you are interested in architecture and cultural history, Biskupiec offers several distinct themes to explore.

The Old Town between the market square and townhouses

The Old Town is arranged around a market square. Seven streets run at right angles in the direction of the four cardinal points. The market square forms the center of the town plan. At the center of the renovated market square stands a distinctive monument to those who died fighting for the Polish identity of these lands and for the return of Warmia-Masuria to Poland. The former town hall stands in the town center on ul. Pionierów and was built in 1895. Townhouses from the first half of the 19th century and from around the turn of the 20th century recall earlier urban development. A square with a fountain occupies the site of former buildings. You can relax there and, in winter, enjoy the fountain’s lighting.

Churches and architectural history

The oldest masonry sections of the Church of St. John the Baptist date from the 14th century. The former Protestant church building is now the Catholic Church of Blessed Karolina Kózkówna; it was built between 1842 and 1848. Since 2010, the tower of the Church of St. John the Baptist has housed a viewing point overlooking Biskupiec and the surrounding area. The viewing point includes a gallery of historical and contemporary photographs of the town. If you are planning to visit the viewing point, it is advisable to check current access arrangements in advance.

Industrial and engineering history

The Old Pharmacy was established in 1859; a foundation stone on Plac Wolności commemorates it. The Old Tile Factory dates from 1865. To this day, the red-brick building bears an original German inscription. Another type of building is the brick neo-Gothic water tower rising above Biskupiec: it was built in 1912–1913, is 39 m high, and has a capacity of 250 m³. The timeline stretches from the church’s medieval masonry sections through 19th-century buildings to this early 20th-century engineering structure. This makes it possible to compare different building phases and features of the town’s history.

Historical plaques and other routes

In addition to its buildings, Biskupiec has a trail with historical plaques that provide information about the town’s past. The “Aleja Dymerska” educational trail is also in Biskupiec. The “Słoneczny Szlak” cycle route runs through the Biskupiec area. These options offer different points of interest: the plaques focus on the town’s history, while the cycle route offers a connection to cycling.

Discover more destinations: Łajsy, Kręsk, Butryny, Lipowo Kurkowskie, Olsztyn, Rybaki, Majdy, Dobre Miasto.

Go to the main travel overview: Olsztyn.