Old Town Market Square
Rynek Starego Miasta

The Rynek in Olsztyn is a market square established in the mid-14th century as the centre of the new town founded under the rule of the Teutonic Order. The square was planned as a commercial area where the streets from the city gates met and where the most important functions of the city were located. Here were the town hall, trading stalls and merchant houses, which for centuries formed the core of economic life. The square has been hit by several fires over the years, but the greatest destruction came during World War II, when almost the entire old town was damaged. In the post-war period, the Rynek was rebuilt, and many of the houses had reconstructed facades, often inspired by the stylistic features of earlier times, but in a simplified version.

The architecture around the square shows a mixture of styles from different eras. The oldest preserved houses date from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, but most of the facades seen today are reconstructions from the 1950s and 1960s, when there was a desire to re-establish a historical atmosphere. The houses were built on several floors with shops on the ground floor and living quarters above. Some facades have retained sgraffito decoration, gable motifs and classicist details, while others appear in a simpler style. The center of the square is dominated by the old town hall, whose history dates back to the 14th century, but which was rebuilt several times and stands in a mixture of Gothic and Baroque features.

The old town hall was built in the late 14th century as the city’s administrative center on the square. The building is rectangular and was originally built in the Gothic style. At the beginning of the 16th century, the town hall was given a south wing, and in the 17th century, Baroque elements were added. It served as the town hall and market place until the city administration moved to the new town hall in 1915. During World War II, the building was severely damaged, but it was rebuilt in the 1950s. Today, the former town hall houses a library and cultural institutions.

Olsztyn Castle
Zamek Olsztyn

Zamek Olsztyn is the name of the castle in Olsztyn. It was built between 1346 and 1353 by the cathedral chapter of Warmia and served as the administrative center of the area. It was built on a hill by the Łyna River, surrounded by moats and defensive walls. The castle was originally a rectangular building with a high defensive tower and a ring wall. In the 15th century, the complex was expanded with a new wing, giving the castle the shape of a closed square. It was built in the typical brick Gothic style that characterizes large parts of the region, and it was both a residence, a seat of administration and a fortification.

The architecture is characterized by Gothic features such as pointed arched windows, cross-vaulted halls and decorative brick gables. Inside, among other things, there is the refectory with an unusual diamond-shaped vault from the beginning of the 16th century. The castle also housed a chapel, living quarters, granaries and defensive functions. A special chapter in its history is associated with Nicolaus Copernicus, who lived here in the years 1516-1521, when he was responsible for the chapter’s properties. He worked here on his economic writings and made astronomical observations, which were later included in his groundbreaking theories.

The castle gradually lost its defensive importance, but remained an administrative building until 1772, when the area was incorporated into Prussia. Later, the castle was used for various purposes, and in the 20th century it became a museum. Today it houses the Museum of Warmia and Masuria, Muzeum Warmii i Mazur, where you can see exhibitions about the history, art and culture of the region. The building has been preserved as one of the most important examples of brick Gothic architecture in northern Poland and is a central monument in the history of Olsztyn.

Castle Park
Podzamcze Park

Podzamcze Park is a park located by Olsztyn Castle and on the site of parts of the medieval fortifications. The park was created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the old city walls lost their military function. As in many other places in Central Europe, the former ramparts were transformed into recreational areas for the city’s citizens, and Podzamcze Park quickly became an important part of Olsztyn’s urban landscape.

The park spreads along the Łyna River and connects the city’s historic center with the newer neighborhoods. It is characterized by paths, bridges and small open spaces, which provide views of both the castle and the remains of the old defenses. Sections of the city wall and foundations of defensive towers can still be seen in the park, making it an area where history and recreation meet. As the city grew, the park was also expanded and adapted for modern use.

Olsztyn Cathedral
Katedral Olsztyn

Olsztyn Cathedral or St. James’s Cathedral is Olsztyn’s oldest church, having been founded at the same time as the city in the mid-14th century. It was built as a parish church for the newly arrived citizens and was given the status of a co-cathedral in the 20th century. The building was located close to the town square, so that it could quickly become the center of the city’s religious life. The construction lasted several decades, and the church was consecrated in the 15th century.

The building is a typical example of North German brick Gothic. It was built as a three-aisled hall church, where the side aisles are the same height as the nave, which gives a uniform, open church space. The interior is covered with cross and rib vaults, and in some of the chapels there are diamond-shaped vaults, which are among the most advanced Gothic structures in the region. The west tower was raised to an impressive height in the late 16th century and later received a Renaissance lantern on top. The gables of the tower and choir are richly decorated with pointed arches and entablatures, characteristic of the brick architecture of Warmia.

The cathedral has undergone many damages and restorations. It was damaged during wars in the 17th and 18th centuries and again during the Napoleonic Wars, when the building was used as a prison camp. In the 19th century, the church was renovated, and at the end of the 19th century, a major restoration was carried out, ensuring the preservation of the building. The furnishings range from Gothic sculptures and Renaissance altars to Baroque side altars and modern additions. Today, the church functions as a co-cathedral of the diocese and has had the status of a minor basilica since 2004.

Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Kościół Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa

Kościół Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa means Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and it was built at the beginning of the 20th century as a result of the growing population of Olsztyn. The church was built between 1901 and 1903 according to designs by the architect Fritz Heitmann and represents the neo-Gothic architecture that was popular in East Prussia at the time. The church was consecrated in 1903 and came to play an important role as a parish church in the new quarters of the city.

The building is a three-nave basilica with a high west tower measuring 83 meters, making it the tallest church in the region. In addition, the building is flanked by two lower towers, each 47 meters high. It was built of red stone with details in glazed stone and natural stone. Inside there are five altars, of which the main altar was consecrated in 1911. The pulpit and baptismal font were added shortly after. The windows are filled with stained glass depicting biblical scenes and saints.

New Town Hall
Nowy Ratusz

Nowy Ratusz is the new town hall in Olsztyn. It was built between 1912 and 1915 to replace the old town hall, which could no longer accommodate the city administration. The building was built in the northern part of the old city centre, in an area where the city grew rapidly under Prussia, and it was also a time when Olsztyn experienced significant growth and transformed from a small provincial town into a regional capital.

The architecture is characterized by neo-Renaissance and eclecticism, which were common styles in large public buildings at the beginning of the 20th century. The building has several wings and a distinctive corner tower crowned by a spire. The facade is symmetrical with large round-arched windows on the ground floor and classical details such as pilasters, cornices and gables. The interior is also richly equipped with stairwells, reception rooms and offices that were to serve both administrative and ceremonial functions.

High Gate
Wysoka Brama

Wysoka Brama is Olsztyn’s so-called High Gate, which was built at the end of the 14th century as part of the city’s fortification system. It marked the main entrance to Olsztyn from the north and was originally part of a city wall that enclosed the entire medieval city. The gate was built of brick on a foundation of boulders, which was typical of the structures of the time in the region. It was called high because of its significant height and dominant location.

Architecturally, the gate was made in Brick Gothic with a tall, rectangular building body adorned with pointed arched openings and decorative gables. The gate originally had a passage with a drawbridge and was connected to defensive walls and towers, which have largely disappeared today. The upper parts of the building have been rebuilt several times, and in the 19th century, classicist elements and windows were added to adapt the building to new functions. It was used, among other things, as a prison and later as a residence.

Today, Wysoka Brama is the only preserved medieval city gate in Olsztyn. It serves as a striking architectural monument to the fortified medieval city and is an important part of the city’s identity. The gate is still a natural entrance to the old town, connecting the modern streets with the historic center.

Planetarium

The Planetarium in Olsztyn was inaugurated in 1973 to mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus. The building was built on a hill where a former tower from the city’s defensive wall had stood, and it was conceived from the beginning as a place that would both honor the astronomer’s legacy and function as a modern educational and dissemination center. The Planetarium quickly became one of the city’s most famous attractions and a symbol of the connection between Olsztyn and Copernicus.

The building is an architectural product of 1970s functionalism. The round dome, which forms the project hall itself, dominates the complex, while the rest of the building was built in simple concrete and brick forms. The dome houses a modern projector that makes it possible to show the starry sky, astronomical phenomena and space travel. In addition to the large hall, the building contains exhibition rooms that present the history of astronomy, Copernicus’ discoveries and recent knowledge about space.