Biecz - surprising "Little Krakow" with medieval monuments and executioner
Biecz is a surprisingly beautiful, historical city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, with medieval monuments, excellently telling its history with an executioner in the background! It is located near Gorlice, in the valley of the Ropa River, on one of the hills of the Carpathian Foothills, at an altitude of 281 m above sea level.
Runic executioner teaching kittens!
Losing your head in Biecz? Yes, it is possible! The city captivates with its beauty so much that you can get lost in it, and in the past, heads actually fell here, often when the executioner got to work! On May 19, 1614, 120 executions were planned here! For comparison, there were 6 of them in Krakow at that time. It is not surprising that others came here to see the executioner for studies, and he himself was involved in many nearby and distant cities. A certain Jurko, the legendary executioner of Biecki, was so educated and sophisticated that during the beheading he quoted fragments of Homer, Ovid or Horace!
Monuments and attractions in Biecz. What gems are worth seeing here? Experience map
Biecz definitely deserves the attention of tourists, as it offers many interesting architectural monuments, as well as beautiful landscapes, intersected by streams, with forest complexes. It is a real gem among the surrounding cities, called the Pearl of the Podkarpacie, Little Krakow or Polish Carcassonne.
Today, the Museum in Biecz offers a number of objects that will take almost a whole day to visit, but it travels wonderfully in time and gives an amazing picture of medieval life in this noble city, which is a confluence of trails and a kind of gateway through the Carpathians. The gate is figurative and literal, because the city walls of Biecz are one of the best preserved in Poland. They hide several of the 17 towers. Effectively integrated, they also invite tourists today. All of them are noble, nicely maintained and at your fingertips, because they are close here everywhere. Discover the best attractions of Biecz!
House with a tower in Biecz
The house with a tower is a Renaissance tenement house of the Barian Rokicki family from 1523, which housed the first pharmacy in the region from 1557. The building is crowned with a Renaissance attic, it is also worth paying attention to numerous decorative elements. The building is adjacent to a medieval defensive tower, and the whole is a branch of the Museum of the Bielec Land. From the cellars to the top of the original tomb tower, it offers exhibitions from the past of pharmacy, as well as revealing the secrets of old crafts.
Kromerówka in Biecz
Kromerówka is an even older tenement house, because from 1519, it presents the history of the city, and it took its name from Marcin Kromer, a geographer, historian and bishop meritorious to the city, who was born a few houses away, but he did not survive, but they wanted to remember him and so the name stuck to this place.
Kowalska Tower in Biecz
The Kowalska Tower, also called the rectory tower, is an element of Gothic fortifications. At the end of the 20th century, it was rebuilt along with a fragment of the defensive walls and today it is available as part of the Museum.
Collegiate Church of Corpus Christi in Biecz
The Collegiate Church in Biecz is a parish church of Corpus Christi. It is an extremely impressive, late Gothic temple built of brick and stone blocks at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. It is one of the most valuable monuments of sacred architecture in all of Poland. You can especially admire the chancel here, which hides nice steels and a magnificent main altar. The temple is also an element of the Museum
Town Hall Tower in Biecz
The powerful tower of the town hall standing in the middle of the Market Square as part of the Museum offers a paid observation deck overlooking the city on a high peak and a free Tourma in the ground floor, i.e. a prison where you will learn a little about the occupation of the executioner. The town hall itself is a historic building, originally it was a gothic building from the 15th century, but the current shape of the town hall dates from 1830. Slightly reduced at that time, because Biecz lost some of its importance and hence the massive Renaissance tower from the 16th century seems too large for the whole building. The tower is the tallest building in the city, with a height of 56 meters.
School of Executioners. Museum of Old Law
The executioner's school is a museum also open in the Town Hall, but behind another ticket, it will reveal much more secrets about the executioners to you. About myths and facts that circulate around the world. And that it was Castellan Biecki - Wojciech Kluszewski who contributed to the world's first ban on torture!
St. Anne's Church and Reformed Monastery
The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, this complex can also be visited as part of the Museum.
Holy Spirit Hospital in Biecz
This former hospital is a real treat, because it is the oldest surviving hospital in Poland, founded in the fourteenth century by Queen Jadwiga. Beautifully renovated, but unfortunately closed and inaccessible to tourists. It's a pity that nothing is happening here.
History of Biecz
Biecz is one of the oldest cities in Poland. Its history is long, and the first records appeared as early as in the 12th century. In the Middle Ages, it was also one of the largest, with a population of up to 3,000. Princes and crowned heads were often here. According to tradition, from September 1311 to April 1312, Biecz was even the capital of Poland, when Władysław Łokietek stayed here with the whole court during the rebellion of Albert in Krakow.
Where to eat in Biecz?
You can eat and drink coffee at Dom Becza, at the market square, in the atmospheric café. This is the Chodorów tenement house, the Zbój Becz House, the legendary founder of the city with a Gothic pedigree, with preserved historic elements, including cellars and numerous portals. The cake was beautifully served and tasty.
Accommodation in Biecz
Getting to know the region, we slept in the fantastic Relaxatorium of the Beskid Sphere in Sękowa. It is a glamping sauna and jacuzzi in the heart of the Low Beskids. In this small but wonderful resort, we had a tent with a beautiful view and full facilities: two double beds (including one on the mezzanine), TV, wifi, bathroom with shower and equipped kitchenette. In addition to the tent, there is a place for a bonfire, a playground, picnic benches and hammocks, a car park, as well as a paid sauna and jacuzzi.
We visited the Gorlice Beskids at the invitation of the local brand Karpating, which combines what is most valuable here. It is full of tradition, history, tastes and idyllic landscapes.
Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.
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What's worth seeing in the area?
You don't have to travel far to find more interesting places. Within a radius of 100 kilometers, there are many attractions waiting for you that will certainly enrich your stay Your trip with additional memories.
- Magura National Park, distance: 32 km
- Krynica Zdrój, distance: 40.7 km
- Observation tower in Krynica Zdrój, distance: 40.7 km
- Limanowa, distance: 59.7 km
- Bochnia Salt Mine, distance: 65.3 km
- Three Crowns, distance: 69.8 km
- Pieniny National Park, distance: 69.8 km
- Wieliczka Salt Mine, distance: 90.1 km
- Krak's Mound, distance: 98.7 km
- Kazimierz in Kraków, distance: 99.9 km
