Discover Szczepanów

• In 2003, Pope John Paul II elevated the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and St Stanislaus to the rank of a basilica minor.
• Via Regia Stage 14a is a six-kilometre access route from Szczepanów to Brzesko and connects the Sanctuary of St Stanislaus to the pilgrimage route network.
• A tourist and religious circular trail runs around the sanctuary and in its immediate surroundings; 20 information boards line the route.
• The stone communal well in the market square has a crank and a shingle roof. It is the only surviving communal well of its kind and is no longer in use.

The basilica minor is a striking feature of the townscape: its elevation in 2003 links the parish church with the name of Pope John Paul II and its religious significance. Those interested in history will find further points of reference in the parish cemetery and at Military Cemetery No. 273 from the First World War. The Brzesko municipality lists both the bell tower there and the military cemetery as places of interest.

The market square also tells the story of an earlier communal water supply. The well, with its crank and shingle roof, is no longer in use; nevertheless, as the only surviving communal well of its kind, it remains a distinctive historic feature. In Szczepanów, religious architectural history, remembrance and an everyday object from the town’s past stand side by side.

Via Regia Stage 14a and the local circular trail offer different ways to explore the religious heritage. The six-kilometre access route leads from Szczepanów to Brzesko and connects the Sanctuary of St Stanislaus with the pilgrimage route network. The circular trail, by contrast, stays around the sanctuary and its immediate surroundings, where 20 information boards are located. This lets you choose between a longer stage with two stated endpoints and a local themed trail. Check current route conditions before setting out; it is also advisable to check local conditions for the circular trail.

Brzesko adds its own urban and cultural themes to the region. The town hall is an eclectic building with a four-storey tower, built in 1909–1910. In Brzesko, the Regional Museum displays two bourgeois interiors, landscapes, portraits and local historical memorabilia. The Church of St James the Apostle has a historic section dating from the mid-15th century. The Jewish cemetery in Brzesko was entered in the heritage register in 1992.

The Brzesko destination also encompasses landscape and archaeology: at 394 metres above sea level, Bocheniec is the highest point in the Brzesko area. The eastern rampart remnant of a Wiślan hillfort, dating from the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries, has been preserved there. The remnant is about four metres high and 18 metres wide at its base. In Okocim, an English landscape park dating from 1900 surrounds the palace; native and exotic trees and shrubs grow there. This makes it possible to distinguish Szczepanów’s religious highlights from Brzesko’s urban, landscape and historical attractions.

Discover more destinations: Uszew, Łysa Góra, Mokrzyska, Czchów, Połom Mały, Brzesko, Iwkowa, Biesiadki.

How long is Via Regia Stage 14a from Szczepanów to Brzesko?

The access route is six kilometres long and connects the Sanctuary of St Stanislaus of Szczepanów to the pilgrimage route network. Check current route conditions before setting out.

What can you see on the circular trail by the sanctuary?

The tourist and religious circular trail runs around the Sanctuary of St Stanislaus in Szczepanów and in its immediate surroundings. It is accompanied by 20 information boards.

Is the communal well in the market square still in use?

No. The stone well with a crank and shingle roof is no longer in use. It is the only surviving communal well of its kind.

To the overview of the wider destination: Brzesko.