Pniewy

Located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, Pniewy attracts travellers from Poland and Germany (Berlin lies only 200 km from Pniewy). The town is both an important service and trade centre and a picturesque tourist resort. The neighbouring Pniewskie Lake is considered a great destination for swimming enthusiasts and keen anglers. The Pniewy parish has also an interesting history. Although many monuments have been destroyed, the most important ones survived and wait for visitors.

Pniewy TOURISM

Pniewy is populated by 7,7 thousand people. Because of the town’s location near Poland’s western border, you may notice some marks of German culture there. Pniewy’s layout was probably based on Magdeburg law, which may be confirmed by rectangular shape of the market square with numerous streets. These charming streets will lead us to St. Lawrence and The Holy Spirit churches. The churches, initially wooden, were destroyed and re-built with brick. Inside them we find such monuments as late gothic font (St. Lawrence church) and rococo ambo (The Holy Spirit church). Other worthy a visit buildings are: a palace from the 18th century and a post office building from the 19th century. Interesting are also architectural monuments located in the town’s neighbourhood; for instance, late baroque manor in Zajaczkowo or neo-gothic church in Najewo.

Worth mentioning is the fact that Pniewy, due to its perfect location, were an important connector between Warsaw and Berlin. Because of that local authorities decided on building multifunctional Mail Coach Station there. The building consisted of a coach house, a stable and a hotel for visitors and was famous for its interesting décor and delicious coffee.

Nature lovers will also find something for themselves in Pniewy. The town is located in the area of landscape parks from the 18th and 19th centuries. They are full of old gigantic oaks and lime trees.

GEOGRAPHY

The town of Pniewy is situated in the western part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, in Szamotuly county, trip to Poznan should take no more than 1 hour driving. Pniewy lies at the crossroads of important routes, connecting southern Poland with Szczecin and Swinoujsce and Warsaw with Berlin.

Pniewy may boast of picturesque landscapes. We find here beautiful lakes of Międzychodzko-Sierakowskie Lakeland and the greenery of Notec Forest with pines and numerous mires.

HISTORY

The first records about Pniewy come from 1256. Its first founders were probably the Pniewski family, from the house of Nalecz. Their efforts amounted to Pniewy’s obtaining town rights in the 13th century. Next owners also wanted the town to develop. It was the Szoldrski family that had the greatest contribution to Pniewy’s development. They organized numerous fairs and built and re-built many listed monuments.

In the 16th century the area of Pniewy stretched and owned the town hall, market square and curtain walls. Unfortunately, the Deluge destroyed the town, which remained stagnant until the 19th century. In 1830 post coach started to operate in Pniewy. In order to improve it, local authorities decided on building a Mail Coach Station, where people could feed and water their horses. Pniewy’s economy began to progress. In the end of the 19th century a bank and the Rolnik cooperative came into existence.

Similarly to many other Polish towns in the 20th century, Pniewy was constantly striving for freedom. In 1918 it was taken by the Greater Poland insurgents and a year later, as a result of signing the Treaty of Versailles, was re-joined to Poland. Unfortunately the Second World War again brought enslavement and oppression from the Nazis. However, after WW2, Pniewy’s authorities managed to re-build the town, which since then has been an important trade and service centre.