Zgierz: Weavers’ Houses, Museums and Routes

Zgierz combines the history of weaving with museums, distinctive buildings, and walking and cycling routes. The “Miasto Tkaczy” Cultural Park preserves around 30 weavers’ houses, which form part of the unique historic urban layout dating from the 1820s. This gives you a choice when planning your trip: focus on cultural history or take longer routes through the surrounding area.

Weaving History and the Museum

The weavers’ house is home to the Zgierska Pracownia Tkacka and the museum exhibition “Dziecięcy świat, zabawki z dawnych lat.” Educational activities for children and young people from Zgierz are held there regularly. The Cultural Park’s program includes walks, workshops, exhibitions and local events. If you want to plan your visit around a specific event, check the schedule in advance.

The Muzeum Miasta Zgierza is housed in “Dom pod lwami,” a building erected in 1828. It preserves around 5,000 objects relating to the history and present-day life of the city and Powiat zgierski. The collections cover history, archaeology, ethnography, art and numismatics. The Cultural Park thus focuses on the weavers’ houses and the craft, while the museum collection explores the city and powiat from several disciplinary perspectives.

Buildings and Places of Remembrance

The Church of St. Catherine in Zgierz is Neo-Gothic and was built between 1910 and 1920 to a design by engineer S. Lemene. It contains valuable historic artworks, the oldest of which date from the 17th century. The Town Hall was built in the Empire style in 1846–1847 and completed the historic urban axis of Długa Street.

Another historic site is Łaźnia Miejska, which opened in February 1929 and has a 10 × 17-metre indoor swimming pool. If you want to use the pool, check access arrangements in advance. The Pomnik Stu Straconych monument stands at the site where 100 Poles were executed on 20 March 1942, and was unveiled in 1969.

Walking and Cycling Routes

Two walking trails start and end in Zgierz. The blue Zgierz–Lućmierz trail is about 16 km long and leads to memorials to the martyrdom of Poles. The green Zgierz–Rezerwat “Ciosny” trail is about 9 km long; the reserve is its destination. The routes differ in length by around seven kilometres, giving you a clear point of comparison for planning. Check trail conditions locally.

For cycling, there is the 40 km Zgierz–Kębliny–Dzierżązna–Zgierz route and the 43 km Zgierz–Gieczno–Rosanów–Zgierz route. Their lengths are similar; the different places named in the route titles provide another point of comparison. Zgierz is also one of the points on the blue-marked “W centrum Polski” cycling route. This route is more than 300 km long and runs through Powiaty kutnowski, łęczycki and zgierski, as well as the city of Łódź. The two routes starting in Zgierz therefore offer a contrast with a much longer route through several areas. Check route descriptions before setting out.

Park and City Pond

Miejski Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki is a popular spot for Sunday walks and has a picturesque pond with an island. At the city pond in the park, Marina–Przystań Zgierz rents out pedal boats and kayaks. Rentals are seasonal; check whether they are available on your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Głowno, Rąbień, Smardzew, Sokolniki, Zgierz, Ozorków, Aleksandrów Łódzki, Stryków, Leźnica Wielka, Lućmierz-Las, Skórka, Sokolniki-Parcela.

For the main travel overview: Lodz.