Discover Ślesin: town history and cycling routes

• The historic town layout dates back to the granting of town rights in 1358.
• A monument to the Holy Family, erected in 1922, stands in the market square.
• Several cycling routes are connected with Ślesin as a starting point, destination or place along the route.

The historic town layout dates back to the granting of town rights in 1358. Surviving buildings include single-storey brick houses with a two-bay floor plan, a central passageway and gabled roofs facing the street. There are also more substantial two-storey houses dating from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The different types of houses make it possible to trace the development of the townscape through specific architectural features.

The monument to the Holy Family stands in the centre of the market square. The residents erected it in 1922 in gratitude for the restoration of independence. St Nicholas and the Good Shepherd Church also offers distinctive historical details: its side altars contain late Baroque paintings of St Nicholas and St Valentine. The church also houses a stone holy water stoup dating from the 10th century.

Another striking structure is the triumphal arch, locally known as Napoleon’s Gate. This rendered brick structure takes the form of an arcade closed by a semicircle. At the top is a figure of the eagle of the Duchy of Warsaw; on either side are two lower pedestrian passages. Along with the houses, church and monument, the arch provides another distinct architectural landmark for exploring the town’s history.

The cycling routes can first be compared by length and endpoints. The blue route is 40 kilometres long and starts and ends in Ślesin. The yellow route runs 50 kilometres from Ślesin to Skulsk; the 63-kilometre red route ends in Ślesin. You can distinguish the routes for planning purposes by their lengths and endpoints.

The route from Ślesin to Licheń is 19.5 kilometres long. The return route to Ślesin follows a different way and is 12.5 kilometres long. This provides a separate comparison of regional routes: the two directions differ both in length and in course.

Another cycling route, 32 kilometres long, passes through Ślesin and the surrounding localities. Much of it follows paved asphalt roads, with short sections along dirt tracks. The terrain is considered mostly flat, and the route is considered not difficult. For comparison with the longer routes, both the surface and the terrain matter in addition to the length. Which route best fits your travel plans depends on whether you place more weight on length, endpoint or route character.

If you are looking for hotels in Ślesin, you can make your choice based on the interests you want to shape your stay. Those interested in architecture and local history will find specific points of interest in the historic town layout, the church, the market square monument and Napoleon’s Gate. For a cycling trip, you can compare the routes by length and endpoints; for the 32-kilometre route, the surface is also a consideration.

Discover more destinations: Biskupie Sarnowskie, Licheń Stary, Golina, Brzeźno, Konin, Osowce, Stare Miasto and Witnica.

When did Ślesin’s historic town layout originate?

Its origins date back to the granting of town rights in 1358. Surviving buildings include single-storey houses with a central passageway and two-storey houses dating from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

What are the historical features of Napoleon’s Gate?

The triumphal arch is a rendered brick structure in the form of an arcade closed by a semicircle. A figure of the eagle of the Duchy of Warsaw stands at the top; two lower pedestrian passages are located on the sides.

What are the route details for the connection to Licheń?

The route from Ślesin to Licheń is 19.5 kilometres long. The return route to Ślesin follows a different way and is 12.5 kilometres long.

Go to the main travel overview: Konin.