Tykocin attractions. Castle, synagogue, Pentowo, Kiermusy and national parks

Tykocin is a beautiful historical and even royal town in the PodlaskieVoivodeship. It is picturesquely located on the Narew River, slightly west of Białystok.Tykocin is one of the oldest and most beautiful resorts in the region. It is about 600 years old. It is sometimes called the pearl of the Baroque. For good reason, there are magnificent 18th-century monuments here, representing this style. A synagogue breaks out among them. And did you know that the king spent several months in the castle after he... died?

Tykocin - the gate of Podlasie

Tykocin is called the pearl of Podlasie, it is also its gate. In fact, it is one of the most popular cities in Podlasie, which is often the starting point for visiting this wonderful and unique region, famous for its valuable swamp areas, primeval forests and rich nature.

Tykocin captivated us! Not only with its majestic castle, magnificent temple on the market square, but also with its small-town atmosphere, with Jewish traces. It is worth taking a stroll through the charming streets with endearing buildings. And just outside the city, you can admire the wonderful nature, protected in the form of the Biebrza National Park in the north and the Narew National Park in the south.

Experiences in Tykocin

Tykocin is a small town, but it boasts many attractions. And unique. You will find here both beautiful and valuable monuments that are worth seeing, interesting museums, as well as natural curiosities. Discover the best attractions of Tykocin and its surroundings!

The royal castle in Tykocin

The castle in Tykocin is a gem of the town. The first wooden building was erected here at the beginning of the 16th century, thanks to the great Lithuanian family. In its ruins, in the middle of the sixteenth century, a brick building was erected here by King Sigismund Augustus of Jagiellon. It had the form of a trapezoid with a courtyard and four round towers and was a powerful lowland stronghold.

The King's body in the fortress!

Zygmunt August loved Podlasie. He often visited nearby Knyszyn. Not for nature, however, but for the beautiful Barbara Radziwiłłówna - his great love. She was the widow of the previous owner of the Tykocin estate. The king, as the heir of Tykocin, built a castle here. When he died in Knyszyn, finishing the royal line of the Jagiellonians, according to the principle "The king is dead, long live the king", they waited with his burial to elect the first elected king. It took 14 months! During this time, the embalmed body of the ruler was stored in the Tykocin castle.

The Swedish Deluge and the Fall of the Fortress

The Tykocin castle played its role during the Swedish Deluge and was even immortalized in Henryk Sienkiewicz's "The Deluge". Janusz Radziwiłł, who cooperated with the Swedes, died here. From that moment, the castle began to fall. In the 18th century, only the foundations remained, as the material was used in the construction of the city's monuments.

Visiting the castle

In the 21st century, a private investor undertook the reconstruction of the stronghold and today it is open to tourists. The most interesting are the castle undergrounds, presenting the history of the castle. Above, there is a large Glass Hall with one of the largest tiled stoves reconstructed. You will also find an exhibition related to the Order of the White Eagle. It was here that it was first presented in 1705 by King Augustus II the Strong. I also recommend climbing to the top of the prison tower to admire the surroundings and the stork's nest. The interiors can be visited every day, and in addition, the fortress houses a restaurant and a hotel
Address: ul. Puchalskiego 3

Great Synagogue in Tykocin

The Great Synagogue is a magnificent building from the 17th century, expanded in the next century. It stands near the market square and is a branch of the Podlaskie Museum in Białystok. It is worth going inside it, because it is delightful. It is one of the largest and oldest synagogues in Poland. Not available on Mondays.
Address: ul. Kozia 2/Mały Rynek

Talmudic House in Tykocin

Next to the synagogue of Tykocin Jews, at Kozia Street, stands the so-called small synagogue. The second facility of the Museum in Tykocin, open to tourists. In the back, there is a tasty restaurant with homemade Jewish cuisine called Tejsza.
Address: ul. Kozia 2

Alumnat w Tykocinie

The Tykocin Alumnat is the only such object preserved in Poland today! By the way, one of the oldest in Europe. It is a former institution for war invalids, which was established here in 1633-47. It was built by the Marshal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Krzysztof Wiesiołowski. Alumnat functioned as a shelter and hospital for meritorious soldiers, wounded in the battle for their homeland, but also weakened by old age. The noble-born could count on help here. Today, it houses a popular restaurant and guest rooms. Interestingly, the building appeared in the film "At God's Garden", where she played the Zapiecek Inn.
Address: ul. Poświętna 1

Church of the Holy Trinity in Tykocin

The basilica in Tykocin bears the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity. It is a building built in the 18th century in the Baroque style, with an extremely impressive front facade, topped with tall towers, connected to the church body with arches and arcades in the shape of spectacular semicircular wings. The courtyard closes with an iron fence with a gate decorated with busts of four evangelists.

It is the foundation of Hetman Jan Klemens Branicki, who also exhibited a post-Missionary monastery ensemble. This architectural ensemble adorns the city's main square. The baroque and rococo interior, in addition to interesting sculptures and polychromy, hides the image of Our Lady of Nobility, famous for its miracles. As well as valuable organs.
Address: Rynek

Bernardine Monastery in Tykocin

Several hundred meters from the market square stands the former Bernardine monastery. Also funded by Jan Klemens Branicki. Unfortunately, at the expense of the castle, because when expanding the city, he allowed the use of bricks from its demolition. Today, there is a church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and there is a Social Welfare House in the monastery.
Address: Klasztorna Street

Statue of Stefan Czarniecki in Tykocin

On the Market Square in Tykocin stands the second oldest secular monument in Poland, after Sigismund's Column in Warsaw. The statue of the hetman adorns the central part of the market. The statue is made of Szydłowiec sandstone and depicts Hetman Stefan Czarniecki - the owner of the city after the war with the Swedes. It was founded by a descendant of the hetman - Jan Klemens Branicki in 1763. By the way, it is worth mentioning that cobblestone streets come to the market from different sides, which adds charm to this place.
Address: Rynek

Promenade on the Narew River

A pleasant walk is offered by the nature trail built by the river, in the centre of the town. The pedestrian and bicycle pavement made of stone cubes fits perfectly with the character of the city. For this purpose, it offers elements of small architecture, information boards and beautifully integrated vegetation. It is a valuable natural place, with birds and a nice landscape. The path is 1.5 km long and runs along the Narew River on both sides of the bridge.
Address: Market exit

European Stork Village

Did you know that there is a European Stork Village in Poland? This title is given by the European Foundation for the Protection of Natural Heritage – Euronatur. Only one village across the country that demonstrates significant efforts to protect and conserve the breeding sites of the white stork. So far, 15 such villages have been established, and in Poland it is Pentowo, which received the distinction as the seventh, in 2001.

It is located in the historic Pentowo Manor, near Tykocin. It is a unique attraction for tourists, where every year  storks fill dozens of nests in the summer. They are usually here from May to August, when they fly to Africa. Entrance to the manor is free of charge. In addition to storks, you will find horses, an old manor house, accommodation and pleasant walking areas. And it all started in the 1990s. Of the twentieth century, when a powerful hurricane passed here and broke the trees on which the birds later made their nests.
Address: Kolonia Kaczorowo 39

Kiermusy

A unique stronghold of the noble tradition lies 3 km from Tykocin. It isa very interesting place to walk in the beautiful scenery of the Podlasie village. You can also stay here for a night or a meal. The Rome Inn, known as the culinary capital of Podlasie, was created here, as well as a very interesting agritourism with charming court quadruplets for rent and a bison refuge, i.e. a small flock of the king of the forest.

Behind the inn there is an oak alley with the names of famous Poles. All the plates are modest and the plants grow. With the national team's football oak, the plaque is powerful, but the oak is rather fragile. Coincidence? 

Further, the path leads to the castle, located at the end of the Kiermus. The Jerzy Hoffman Museum of Polish Arms was established there. You will find exhibits related to the screening of the Sienkiewicz trilogy. Unfortunately, the museum is only open on Sundays and we bounced back from the closed door, just like other tourists.

Narew National Park

A little south of Tykocin stretches the Narew River backwaters, which are included in the Narew National Park. It is a very beautiful place where, thanks to footbridges and observation towers, you will see wild nature, usually inaccessible to humans. It is worth recommending the Waniewo - Śliwno footbridge, built over the swamps and backwaters of the Narew River.

In the summer, they usually remain mostly dry, but in the spring they are very interesting and attractive. Throughout the year, you can move around on floating platforms, moved by the strength of your muscles. There are several piers on the route, they allow you to get from the shore to the other shore. By the way, it is a very interesting attraction for young and old alike.
Address: Kurowo 10, Kobylin Borzymy

Biebrza National Park

North of Tykocin you will find the Biebrza National Park - the largest in Poland! It's a moose sanctuary and an Eldorado bird sanctuary. There are few places in Europe where you can find such a density of birds, and in such different species. We highly recommend this area to every nature lover. We managed to spot a moose here!! With our own eyes, we saw a klempa or a female moose in the distance, and another day we also saw a male from a drone!

It was founded in 1993 and offers footbridges, observation towers and slow travel. The best time to visit the Park is in spring, when during thaws the birds are swarming in the swamps.
Address: Osowiec-Twierdza 8, Goniądz

Map of Tykocin attractions

Below we present a map with marked interesting places in Tykocin and the surrounding area. It is definitely worth visiting them in this region, and the map will definitely help you plan your route before visiting Tykocin.

Assault of the Tykocin Castle - staging of the battle

Every winter, or more precisely in February, a demonstrationassault on the castle is organized. This is the only winter historical staging in Poland. It is adorned by the local Computowa Banner of Stefan Czarniecki. You will then travel to 1657 and learn about the events of the Swedish Deluge. At that time, the Tykocin castle was in the hands of the Radziwiłł family, who favoured the Swedes. The fortress was besieged and finally conquered by the forces of Hetman Paweł Jan Sapieha.

Where to eat in Tykocin

Although it is a small town, it offers some really interesting and tasty restaurants. You will eat very well in the castle. You will taste Podlaskie cuisine, Old Polish dishes, but also Jewish and Lithuanian dishes. I recommend the castle terrace, it tastes even better in such scenery. The Alumnat Restaurant is recommended on the market square. This is an elegant version and slightly more expensive than the nearby Tykocin Pierogarnia, which is also eagerly visited. And let's not forget about the unique Tejsza Restaurant. It is located at the back of the Talmudic House, next to the synagogue. Here you will taste tasty, homemade Jewish cuisine, nicely decorated. The interior of Tejsza is very interesting and atmospheric, but on hot days I recommend outdoor tables to avoid the heat.

Accommodation in Tykocin

During our visit to the city, we slept in the Tykocin castle, which offers several dozen guest rooms. Furnished in a modern style, well-equipped. The place is beautiful, breakfast is served in the form of a Swedish buffet, and in the afternoon you can taste local cuisine in the restaurant. In addition, guest rooms are waiting in the Alumnata or Villa Regent next to the synagogue.

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.

Interesting facts about Tykocin

• The body of King Sigismund Augustus after his death was embalmed for 14 months in the castle. Waiting for the election of a new king
• The alumnus in the film "At God's Garden" played Gospoda Zapiecek
• The chalice that Pope John Paul II used during his pilgrimage to Łomża in 1991 is kept in the basilica
• In 2022, the Polish Post issued a postage stamp commemorating the church in Tykocin, as part of the series "The Beauty of Poland". It has a face value of PLN 3.60
• There is the only European Stork Village in Poland near Tykocin - Pentowo

Film about Tykocin

We invite you to our film report from this beautiful corner of Poland! See Tykocin with our eyes.

Tykocin on our social media

See our Posts about the Podlasie pearl on Facebook and Instagram, which our Readers liked. It's worth reading their comments, and if you want more information from us, follow our FB and IG profiles!

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What's worth seeing in the area?

If you are looking for more ideas for interesting places to visit, we have it for you some options in the area. There are several attractions within a radius of 100 kilometers, that are worth adding to your travel plan.

• Tykocin Castle, distance: 0.6  km
• Narew National Park, distance: 14.8  km
• Biebrza National Park, distance: 30.6  km
• Podlasie, distance: 31.9  km
• National parks in Poland, distance: 32.7  km
• Land of Open Shutters, distance: 53.2  km
• Wigry National Park, distance: 98  km
• Masuria, distance: 99.5  km
• Suwałki, distance: 99.9  km