Wieleń: Lake, Canoe Loop and Sanctuary

Wieleń brings together landscapes, active routes and a place of pilgrimage. By deciding what you would like to focus on first, you can plan your trip around the lake, outdoor activities or sacred architecture.

Lake and landscape

Wieleń Zaobrzański lies on the western shore of Lake Wieleńskie. Covering 220 hectares, the lake is one of the largest in Przemęcki Landscape Park. To the west of Wieleń are the wooded Wieleńskie morainic hills. They are also part of the park and reach heights of up to 81 metres above sea level. The lake and hills represent different aspects of nature: the park’s waters and the wooded moraine landscape west of Wieleń.

Numerous holiday resorts, beaches and bathing areas line the shores of Lake Wieleńskie. So the lake’s appeal is not only a matter of its size, but also of the specific features of its shoreline.

On the water and by bike

The Konwaliowy Canoe Trail is a 37-kilometre circular route. It starts and ends in Wieleń. You can hire canoes there and get information about organising your trip. Because it is a loop, the route returns to its starting point. Local water conditions can change, so check them before setting out.

The Cistercian Cycling Route is 55 kilometres long in total, 33 kilometres of which run through the Przemęt municipality. You can start the trip in Wieleń. On the section from Wieleń to Olejnica, the route follows a paved road along Lake Wieleńskie and Lake Osłonińskie.

When comparing the routes, the different distance figures are useful: 37 kilometres refers to the circular canoe route, while 55 kilometres is the total length of the cycling route. The 33 kilometres, in turn, refers to the part that runs through the Przemęt municipality. This helps distinguish the loop, the full route and the section within the municipality.

Pilgrimage and architectural history

The Sanctuary of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, in Wieleń is a late Baroque church. Cistercians built it between 1731 and 1742. Its architectural history gives the sanctuary a different focus from the water and cycling routes: here, the church and pilgrimage take centre stage. Late Baroque refers to a late phase of the Baroque period; the construction dates also place the church in the 18th century.

The main indulgence celebrations at the sanctuary take place every year on 2 July. A separate, precisely dated event took place on 3 July 2005, when papal crowns were placed on the Child Jesus and the Mother of God depicted in the miraculous image venerated there. 2 July is the recurring date of the celebrations, while the coronation was a historical event with a set date. If you are planning a pilgrimage, check the dates of the celebrations in advance.

Discover more destinations: Oslonin, Kaszczor.

Return to the main travel overview: Solec Nowy.