Discover Chojna: churches, city gates and a natural monument

Chojna combines medieval buildings with a distinctive natural monument. The Old Town is surrounded by fortifications; its notable buildings include St. Mary's Church and the surviving Barnkowska and Świecka gates. Those interested in architecture and history will find several different points of interest here. The “Olbrzym” plane tree is also part of the city's character, adding a natural-history highlight.

St. Mary's Church and Brick Gothic

St. Mary's Church was built in several phases between 1389 and 1459. It was based on a design from the workshop of Szczecin architect Heinrich Brunsberg. The long construction period and the multiple phases are part of the building history of this single church. The historic buildings of Chojna's Old Town are on the European Route of Brick Gothic. This also places the city in the context of this architectural tradition.

St. Mary's Church is used as a concert and exhibition hall. An observation terrace is located on its tower. These are two distinct aspects of the building: its use for events and the viewing opportunity from the church tower. If you are interested in sacred architecture, you can make the church a highlight of your stay in Chojna; this does not imply any specific events or visiting hours.

Fortifications and city gates

The medieval fortifications surround the Old Town. The fortification complex included the Piekarska, Więzienna and Bociania towers. The surviving Barnkowska and Świecka gates date from the 15th century. Together, these structures represent several distinct forms in the history of the city's fortifications: gates, towers and the complex that encloses the Old Town.

The Barnkowska Gate has an open observation terrace. The Świecka Gate stands out for its octagonal tower with four small turrets. These specific features also make the two gates interesting to compare: the observation terrace is a notable feature of the Barnkowska Gate, while the shape of the tower distinguishes the Świecka Gate. Although both gates date from the 15th century, they differ in their documented architectural details.

Another glimpse into Chojna's architectural history can be found at the Church of the Holy Trinity. It contains ceramic masks used as corbels. The particular point of interest is therefore their function in the building, not just their form as ceramic works. If you enjoy noticing individual architectural details on a city visit, you can take note of this design alongside the Old Town's larger buildings.

A natural monument in Chojna

The “Olbrzym” plane tree gives Chojna a natural-history attraction as well. The tree is protected as a natural monument and is considered a tourist and natural-history attraction of the city. Its trunk circumference is 1078 cm, measured at a height of 1.3 metres above the ground. The plane tree is 33 metres tall; its age is estimated at 300 years. The measurement height, the tree's height and the age estimate describe different characteristics and should not be confused.

Chojna offers two distinct areas of interest: medieval architecture, with its church, gates and fortifications, and a protected natural monument. If you want to focus your trip on architectural history, the city gates and St. Mary's Church offer specific points of interest. For a natural-history focus, “Olbrzym” is a reason in its own right to discover a remarkable tree. Chojna can therefore be explored according to clearly distinct interests, without assuming that they form a single walking route.

An annual event

Dni Integracji, Przyjaźni i Ekumenizmu (Days of Integration, Friendship and Ecumenism) takes place every year on the last weekend of August. Most of the three-day programme is held in St. Mary's Church. If you would like to take this event into account when planning your trip, the last weekend of August is the relevant period. This refers to the annual event; no further programme items or specific offers are mentioned.

For more travel options, see the pages for Steklno, Krzywin, Cedynia, Nawodna, Moryń, Widuchowa, Nowe Czarnowo and Kolbatz.

For the broader travel overview: Greifenhagen.