Discover Gniazdów: Walking Trail and Mariavite History

• Gniazdów lies in a hilly landscape, with elevations reaching up to 380 m above sea level.
• The yellow Szlak Żarecki walking trail (Cz–1010) is 21 km long and starts in Gniazdów.
• Built in 2015, the T.R.E.C. course is part of an inter-municipal equestrian trail project and is open to the public free of charge.
• The Mariavite parish of Koziegłowy is based in Gniazdów; the Church of St. Mary Magdalene is listed in the municipal register of monuments.

The yellow Szlak Żarecki starts in Gniazdów and runs through Koziegłowy, Miłość, Kuźnica Nowa, Lgota Nadwarcie, Żarki Letnisko, Koza, Żarki, Leśniów and Przewodziszowice. It is 21 km long in total. The starting point, route length and sequence of places give you concrete details to consider if you would like to include the entire trail or individual sections in your trip plans.

The T.R.E.C. course in Gniazdów offers a different kind of activity. It was built in 2015 as part of an inter-municipal equestrian trail project involving the municipalities of Koziegłowy, Poraj and Żarki. The course is open to the public and free of charge. This means Gniazdów offers both a marked walking trail and a separate facility related to equestrian trails; the two projects provide different starting points for planning your visit.

The landscape is another point of reference: Gniazdów lies in hilly terrain, with elevations reaching up to 380 m above sea level. This elevation range adds context to the specific information about the walking trail without changing its route or length.

The Mariavite parish of Koziegłowy, based in Gniazdów, received state authorization to operate on 2 (15) February 1909. Today, the parish is considered a centre of Mariavitism in the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships. It has branch churches in Koziegłowy and Kraków. The parish’s institutional connections therefore extend beyond Gniazdów, while its headquarters remain in the town.

Gniazdów is also home to the Mariavite Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which is listed in the municipal register of monuments. For visitors interested in religious and cultural history, it is a notable part of the local heritage. Nearby stood Koziegłowy Castle, between Koziegłowy and Gniazdów. Foundation remains can be seen behind “Kamionka,” on the other side of the DK road.

The school in Gniazdów has a tradition of staging Nativity plays on Epiphany. They take place at the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Mariavite Church of St. Mary Magdalene, both in Gniazdów. The school’s Nativity play tour visits churches in Mzyki and Gniazdów on 6 January, the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day. This local tradition thus involves two churches of different denominations.

The “Z Kopyta” Festival for Horse and Music Lovers brings together a passion for horses, music, motor vehicles and entertainment for the whole family. The seventh edition was announced for 8 and 9 August 2026 in Gniazdów, near Koziegłowy.

If you would like to compare other destinations separately, you can also find pages about Żarki-Letnisko, Lgota Górna, Niegowa, Koziegłowy, Gorzków Stary, Myszków, Żarki and Przybynow.

How long is the Szlak Żarecki?

The yellow Szlak Żarecki walking trail (Cz–1010) is 21 km long and starts in Gniazdów.

What is the T.R.E.C. course?

Built in 2015, the course in Gniazdów is part of an inter-municipal equestrian trail project involving the municipalities of Koziegłowy, Poraj and Żarki. It is open to the public and free of charge.

When are Nativity plays part of the school’s tradition?

The school in Gniazdów takes its Nativity play tour to churches in Mzyki and Gniazdów on 6 January, Epiphany. The tradition also includes Nativity plays at the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Mariavite Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Gniazdów.

For the wider travel overview: Myszków.