The land of beautiful views - Opalenie

uu Worth Seeing:

uu The history of Opalenie The first historical note about Opalenie dates around 1365 (a contemporary name of the village was Opalin), however archaeological discoveries are showing that people inhabited this land about 1500 years before Christ. In the 17th century the village, the manor farm and Vistula river meadows belonged to the Czapski’s family. Piotr Czapski funded the Opalenie Academy, which activity was re-established in 1999. His son Jakub Czapski, Pomeranian warrant officer and the treasurer of the Royal Prussia, funded in 1773, existing to today the church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul. At that time, on the manor house from the 17th century he built also a palace, which is kept up today. In the 19th century an evangelical church was formed, a brickyard and a mill began the productive activity.

In 1924 there also came into existence the first in Poland local society of the Nature Protection League. It is worth mentioning here a village Widlice, which became famous in the history because of the fact that during the Thirteen Years War, took place there almost miraculous escape of insurgent forces, led by folk from remittances by John Jani.

• • • •

• •

• • • • • • • •

•

•

•

• •

• •

Panorama of Gniew – unique in Europe The Castle in Gniew The biggest events: International Knight Tournament – Vivat Vasa (includes historic performance Two Vasas Battle – 1626) Archaeological Museum in Gniew Old Town with the biggest complex of historic tenements in Pomerania Town Hall in Gniew St. Nicholas church in Gniew Marian Shrine in Piaseczno Museum of the Polish Peasant Movement in Piaseczno St. Apostles Peter and Paul church in Opalenie St. John church in Pieniążkowo St. John church in Wielkie Walichnowy Cemeteries of the Mennonites in Wielkie Walichnowy and Polskie Gronwo Natural reserves: Opalenie Dolne and Opalenie Górne, Wiosło Małe and Wiosło Duże Forestry Board of Education in Pólko Opalenie and the Centre of the Environmental Education in Ciepłe Tourist routes: – the Lower Vistula Valley (Nowe – Tczew) – Grzymisław trail (Tczew – Nowe) – the River Wierzyca (Gniew-Pelpin) – Opalenie trail (Mała Karczma – Opalenie) – Dębińskie Woods (Mała Karczma – Opalenie) Leisure complex, Forest Museum, Mini Zoo In Brody Pomorskie Ecological areas: Trzcinowisko in Ciepłe, Parowa in Ciepłe, Borawa in Kuchnia, Strzelnica in Gniew Watering places: Rakowiec, Półwieś, Pieniążkowo and Tymawa Tennis courts

The land of beautiful views opalenie

Agritourism farms: „Maciejówka”, ul. J. Czyżewskiego 29, Opalenie, tel. 502-760-852, 58-535-18-11, 509-771-970 www.maciejowka.net.pl, e-mail: maciejowka@maciejowka.net.pl „Miodowe Rajskie Pólka” Pólko 5, Opalenie, tel. 58-535-19-26, 601-791-522 „Pokoje u Danusi”, ul. J. Czyżewskiego 34, Opalenie, tel. 58-535-19-16 „Zielony Domek”, Pólko 3, 83-136 Opalenie, tel. 58-535-18-77 lub 668-134-462 M. Głowala, ul. Św. Krzysztofa 36, Opalenie, tel. 58 535-18-80, e-mail: m.glowala@cermag.pl M. Cejer, ul. ks. L. Warneckiego 16, Opalenie, tel. 664-733-453 „U Adama”, ul. Ogrodowa 1, Opalenie tel. 602-756-824 lub 604-554-208 „Zielona Dolina”, ul. ks. L. Warneckiego 9, Opalenie, tel. 668 665 779, www.wypoczynekopalenie.republika.pl, e-mail: mariolastaniszewska@onet.pl Tennis courts: ul. J. Czyżewskiego 1, Opalenie, tel. 58-535-18-18

Authors of photographs: Krzysztof Kuca, Grzegorz Wasielewski, archiwum UMiG Gniew Text: Anna Czyżewska, English translation: Joanna Diller Graphic Project: Studio A (studioa@onet.pl)

River crossing: Opalenie–Korzeniewo, tel. 604-908-683

Urząd Miasta i Gminy Gniew Plac Grunwaldzki 1, 83-140 Gniew tel. 58 535-22-55 do 58, fax 58 530 79 40 e-mail: promocja@gniew.pl www.gniew.pl, www.zamek-gniew.pl

Opalenie – land of charming landscapes and bewitching nature. It’s no use searching more charming place to rest, to break away from everyday concerns, enthusing about the beauty of the country nature.

uu Stunning views Opalenie is the longest regional village in the south of Gniew. There are characteristic picturesque sceneries with beautiful forest complex, that are not poisoned by human intrusion. It’s situated on the left bank of Vistula river and is the best place to admire Vistula valley. Not far from Opalenie there is a settlement – Widlice. From here the most beautiful view is spreading on the little oxbow lakes, meadows, Vistula meanders, the towers of Nowe and towards the south on Grudziądz.

uu Monuments In the southern part of Opalenie, at the spring of Murawa brook and few others ponds there is one of the most fabulous relics of Opalenie – manorial palace built in the 18th century. The rococo building is surrounded by a park, with amazing brick facades, floors with dismembered pilasters.

It was built on the foundations of the 17th century baroque manorial palace. Till today there are preserved cellars and underground passages.

The building used to be a property of the Czapski’s family. According to legends, in 1912 during his travel to Russia, Napoleon Bonparte stayed at the palace. In the years 1923–1938 general Joseph Burhardt also lived there. Today the palace is not available to the public because it houses the center for addiction treatment.

In Opalenie there is also St. Apostles Peter and Paul baroque church, which was built thanks to Jakub Hutten Czapski in 1773. This is a one-nave church with side chapels and a rococo decor. It was renovated in 1909 and 1914.

Inside the church, in the porch there is the medieval granite stoup with a portrait of the founder of this temple. Not far from this church unused neogothic sacral building is located.

uu Natural reserves Travelling through the lands of Opalenie you must see located on a hill in the forest of Widlice the 19th century magnificent monument.

It commemorates hydro technical works on the Vistula river that were held by Gottlieb Schmidt.

Next we suggest going farther toward to school in Opalenie.

Currently, the school is named after Jozef Czyżewski, who was born in neighboring Widlice. Czyżewski was a national and social activist, editor of Gazeta Gdansk.

There are also remains of railway line, bridge over the Vistula and station building from 1907, which remind of the village’s economic development in the early 20th century. Thanks to those connections there could develop a brickyard and a mill located near the station.

If you are keen on peace and fresh air you necessarily should go to natural reserves: Opalenie Dolne and Opalenie Górne. Formed in 1965 they have an area of 3,37 ha and are covered by leafy and coniferous forest.

The reserves cover the terrains near Opalenie, Młyńska Struga valley and lands close to Vistula river. Moreover, in the nearby forest village Pólko there are forester’s lodge and Forestry Board of Education. Through the village lead the two hiking trails and one bicycle. Close to Opalenie there are two other natural reserves Wiosło Małe and Wiosło Duże.

uu Plums in a wicker basket Being in Opalenie you can rest in hidden at the forest agritourism farms.

Various attractions wait for you there. If you like unusual travels then horseback riding, chaises trips and sleigh rides with torches and a warming brew are just for you.

Opalenie and its neighborhood have been famous for its wicker products.

At the moment there are two family workshops producing wicker furniture and equipment, according to more than 100-year tradition.

The thing that distinguishes these areas is also a large number of fruit orchards, especially plum. Since 2004, Opalenie and Widlice joined the localities in which there is traditional plum jam fried. The plum jam is a regional product of Gniew district, characterized by a unique taste and aroma obtained by using the traditional method of processing. Fruits are cooked in large copper stills. In the process of producing the plum jam there are only used natural tools like clay strainers and wooden stirrers.

Looking for more active holiday in Opalenie you will find sports field and tennis courts.