Discover Leśna Podlaska

• The sanctuary church was consecrated in 1758; in 1984, the church in Leśna Podlaska was elevated to the status of a minor basilica.
• The Marian image in the sanctuary is a relief carved from fieldstone and weighs 9.5 kg.
• The historic park covers 3.5 hectares and lies behind the sanctuary building and the Zespół Szkół Centrum Kształcenia Rolniczego im. Wincentego Witosa school complex.
• The Chmielinne forest nature reserve covers 67.2 hectares and is under partial protection.

The parish Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul, along with the Pauline monastery in Leśna Podlaska, was looted by Swedish troops in 1706. The sanctuary church was consecrated on 8 September 1758 under the patronage of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul. The church in Leśna Podlaska is also recorded as having been elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 1984. These dates mark different milestones: the looting of the church and monastery, the consecration, and the later elevation.

Another historical landmark is the Chapel of the Apparition of the Miraculous Image. Built in 1718 at the reported site of the apparition, it still stands today. The sanctuary also houses the Marian image, a relief carved from fieldstone. It is 29.3 cm wide, 31.4 cm high and 4.6 cm thick. Its weight of 9.5 kg, together with its precise dimensions, gives a tangible sense of this particular work. Cultural interest in Leśna Podlaska thus encompasses both the building and consecration history and a chapel and a precisely described relief.

At the centre of Leśna Podlaska are a triangular market square and an adjoining green square. The two spaces are clearly distinguished by their different shapes: the triangular market square on one side and the green square next to it. This combination is a useful point of reference when getting your bearings in town.

The historic park covers 3.5 hectares. It lies behind the 17th-century building of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Leśna and the Zespół Szkół Centrum Kształcenia Rolniczego im. Wincentego Witosa school complex. A project announcement dated 29 June 2026 set out plans to create a new, comprehensive tourist area there by the end of 2027 as part of an EU-funded project. A system of educational trails was also planned for the park, including a walking and cycling route just under 3.6 km long. It was intended to run from the town centre towards the nearby Chmielinne nature reserve. The plans therefore describe both a larger tourist area and a specific route; both are proposals.

Chmielinne is a forest nature reserve in the central part of the municipality, within the village of Leśna Podlaska. It is under partial protection, covers 67.2 hectares and was established in 1967. The provincial road between Biała Podlaska and Stara Kornica runs across the area. Its protection status, size and location are the main points of reference.

Kołowierz lies in the western part of the village, along the Klukówka River; alders predominate in the woodland. This forest area contains five natural monuments: three pedunculate oaks, including Dąb Miłości, and two common ashes. The two nature areas can therefore be distinguished by their features: Chmielinne by its protection status and area, and Kołowierz by its riverside location, woodland and individual natural monuments.

Discover more destinations: Janów Podlaski, Międzyrzec Podlaski, Pratulin, Solinki, Konstantynów, Kukuryki, Biała Podlaska and Sławatycze.

When was the sanctuary church consecrated?

It was consecrated on 8 September 1758 under the patronage of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul.

What are the dimensions of the Marian relief?

The relief carved from fieldstone is 29.3 cm wide, 31.4 cm high and 4.6 cm thick. It weighs 9.5 kg.

What was planned for the historic park?

A project announcement dated 29 June 2026 set out plans for an EU-funded tourist area to be completed by the end of 2027. A system of educational trails was also planned, including a walking and cycling route just under 3.6 km long from the town centre towards Chmielinne.

For the broader travel overview: Bialski.