The Principality of Makovia Inferior is filled with aroma of pine trees and crops, with fragrance of fields and meadows, rivers and streams. During your wandering, you will often find places, where you can forget about world of feverish haste and concerns. Thanks to the rustle of trees and silent whispering of the streams, which inspire the essence of soul, you will enjoy an infinite calm of the nature.

The Principality of Makovia Inferior kindly invites to visit charming parts of our country - colourfull pieces of hundred-years history, which are dispersed among the whole county.

Click image to enlarge

the autors: Andrzej Szymon Olkowski, Paulina Ilińska

Legend:

1. FORT, Różan, Różan. Fort complex was built in 1905-1911 by Russians, to ensure that the Narew crossing will be always under control of the Tsar’s troops. During the Great War in 1915 the forts were taken by Germans. Buildings were then assigned to be a prison facility. In 1918 forts were liberated by Polish Army. During Second World War they were used in northern defense scheme. Up to present times only three of four forts survived intact. Fort I is open for tourists. One of the forts is used as a storage of radioactive waste, mainly from hospitals. More information and maps: http://www.rozan.hg.pl/forty/index.php

2. MEDIEVAL GORD, Sypniewo, Sypniewo. 2 km west from the city center you can find remains of medieval gord. Placed in a swampy terrain in the valley of the left bank of the Róż river ("river of roses"). Gord is ring-shaped and has diameter of 70 m. During archeological excavations an old burial ground and settlement from 10th century was found. One grave held gold dinar of Otto and Adelaide - the Holy Roman Emperor and his consort. Documents from Płock diocesan archives mention also about a Church of St. Laurence. Unfortunatelly, it has collapsed and no traces lead now to the ruins of perhaps one of the oldest temples in this parts of Mazovia.

3. PARK, Sypniewo, Glinki Stare. Glinki Stare (meaning Old Clay Pit). There is a park of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century. The garden presents an idealized view of nature. Among many trees visitors may rest in the shade of a small-leaved lime, norway maple, ash, sycamore maple, wych elm, aesculus, hornbeam, and pedunculate oak. Within the surface of 7,84 ha you can find the most valuable tree of the park (natural monument) - eastern white pine - 20 m high wit a diameter of 100 cm. Next to the pine there was once a palace of the prince Korybut-Woroniecki, destroyed about 1920, in the times of terrible Polish-Soviet war. War was present in this area many times before - during national uprising in 1830 there was a field hospital. Next uprising left a grave of 9 insurgents. On the top of the grave stands the statue of Blessed Virgin Mary.

4. WINDMILL, Sypniewo, Mamino. Mill was built in the second half of the nineteenth century. It was moved to its current location in 1922. It is built entirely of wood, on the plan close to a square (6,5 m) with roof covered with tar.

5. PARISH CHURCH, Młynarze, Sieluń. The parish was established in 1387. Archeologists proved, that local area has been settled for few thousand years, with remarkable history of Sieluń Principality. Historical monuments that survived is the parish church of the nineteenth century, extended in the twentieth. Second World War has destroyed completely a building called fortalicium (later castrum) from the times of Sieluń Principality. It was a castle built on a hill between the river Róż ("river of roses") and lake, first mentioned in chronicles in 1491. Local nobles (szlachta) handled official matters there.

6. PEOPLE’S HOUSE, Sypniewo, Gąsewo Poduchowne. Built between 1925-1927 by the village community. The opening ceremony was conducted by President Ignacy Mościcki. In 1945 it was largely demolished an rebuilt in the years 1955-1959. It is made of brick with roof covered with sheet metal. Built on a rectangular plan.

7. MANOR HOUSE, Karniewo, Karniewo. Manor house was built in 1830-1840. At that time the park was also estabilished, which composition has not been changed since then. One of the local legends is worth mentioning. It refers to the Slavic gods of Lelum Polelum, Świstum Poświatum and an island, an alleged place of worship... There are rumors that even today you can meet wanderers around there. You can see the Mysterious hill you in the park of karniewo, near the stables.

8. OLSZEWSKI MANOR, Płoniawy, Suche. Wooden manor house was built in the first half of the nineteenth century for Krasiński family, it was owned by Zygmunt Olszewski. The building was rebuilt in 1926. In the years 1939-1944 it was changed by the Germans. Later it was used as a hunting lodge. In the vicinity of the manor there is a park established in the first half of the nineteenth century, with specimens of old trees.

9. GRANARY, Karniewo, Łukowo. Built in 1873 for the estate owner - Stanisław Łubieński. The building is constructed on a rectangular plan. Solid foundations are made of stones collected from neighboring fields. The rest of the building is made of brick in neogothic style, with small tower. Strange marks above the enterance are the initials of the owner and the date.

10. WIERNIEWICZE MANOR, Szelków, Magnuszew. Wooden manor house, formerly owned by a Wierniewicze family. Marian Wierniewicz played an important role in the history of the county, as a chairman of Polish citizen’s committee, which was estabilished in Maków in the first days of regaining the independence. During World War II Wierniewicz was sent to Dachau concentration camp, and his property was seized. After the war the property was recoverd, but Wieniewicz did not have chance to live happily. He was shot in 1948, shortly after his imprisonment by the new communist regime. He is buried at Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

11. STATUE OF JOHN NEPOMUCENE, Krasnosielc, Krasnosielc. The statue is from the beginning of nineteenth century. John of Nepomuk is considered a patron of confession, water and bridges and, because of the manner of his death, a protector from floods. His image can be found on walkways, bridges and crossroads. This saint is very popular in surrounding areas, its shrines are among others in Suche, Pułtusk, Winnica. Figures share common elements: a crucifix, book, palm branch and sometimes the index finger on his lips, and invariably five stars in an aureole.

12. CHURCH AND RELICS OF ST. ROSALIA, Rzewnie, Słojki. In the village Słojki there is a church made of bricks, under the invocation of the St. Rosalia. Built during 1991-1995, it was blessed in 1995. Since the foundation of the church, there was a wooden chapel, which history dates back to 1709 and since then it became a place became a place of pilgrimage. The church has relics of St. Rosalia, which is considered a protector against plague.

13. MEDIEVAL GORD - EXCAVATIONS, Szelków, Bazar. The hidden archeological mistery of the city New Bazaar was discovered accidentally by mgr. Joseph Marciniak in the yeas 1936-1937. Gord was located on the high bank of Orzyc river, near the old riverbed, around Warszawska Street (nowadays days a gas station and school are situated there). Approximately about 11th - 12th century a "gród" (castle) of the prince Janusz I was built there. Later, in place of a castle a residence of Starosta (new land official) was build. It is mentioned in chronicles of 1549 and 1616. Around the "gród" there was a chapel and church of St. Bartholomew and a graveyard. The church was demolished in the seventies of the eighteenth century. In 1792 there was still a single cross standing.

14. CHURCH, Krasnosielc, Drążdżewo. Famous Krasiński family left another beautiful sight - a wooden church erected in 1774 in Drążdżewo. Situated on the edge of Kurpie’s forest it had originally served as the huntsmen chapel. One hundred years later it became a resting place for the insurgents of Jan Trąbczyński unit, which took part in battles of Płaska Góra (Flat mountain) of Orzyc in 1863.

15. NOBLE’S MANOR HOUSE, Płoniawy, Szczuki. The history of the Court is directly connected with a sugar mills located near Krasiniec, and founded by Krasiński. The ower of the Szczuka estate, prominent farmer and planter, was one of the shareholders of the sugar mill. His son, an eminent mathematician, fell in love in Maria Skłodowska (future Marie Curie), who was working as a governess there, but the wedding never took place. The history of the manor is also connected with the family of Czartoryski. Court rooms were renewed by Marceli Nowotko, an instructor of Agricultural Workers’ Trade Union, the organizer of strikes in 1919. The manor house stands as a ruin now, but during it greatest days it was visited by many prominent Poles.

16. PODWORSKI PARK, Płoniawy, Młodzianowo. Wild and neglected park, adjacent to the church is forgotten landscape garden from the first half of the nineteenth century, entered in the register of monuments. It belonged to the Młynarski Family, once magnificent, now has only a few remaning trees. Traces of the manor which was disassembled in 1945 and specimens of old trees - oaks, lindens, ash - are the last remnants of its former glory.

17. GNIAZDOWSKI MANOR, Karniewo, Czarnostów. It was once a farm belonging to the Counts Gniazdowski. To the present day there are still some buildings, a park and a pond. In 1467 the mansion was propably the seat of the bishopric, during the World War II it hosted German family, and about 1950 an agricultural cooperative was organized there. Chestnut trees planted at the time of Count Gniazdowski grow to this day, and a manor house burned down. According to the gossip - house was set on fire accidentally by a wife of a gardener, who lived there after the war.

18. CHURCH, Szelków, Szelków. During six hundred years six times a church was built there. Each new one was somehow destroyed. The first wooden church built in 1402 burned down along with the entire village in 1586. The second church survived until 1710, but there is no sufficient evidence what was the cause of its destruction. The third church was consecrated in 1754, this temple also was destroyed for unknown reasons. The fourth church was constructed in 1822, it was repaired and rebuilt during many years, up to 1907 when it was ordained. During World War I, the temple has suffered slightly, but the Second World War brought its total destruction. Germans blew it up with dynamite. In 1945 a chapel was erected and communist did not want to give permission for the new church construction up to 1975.

19. ANGEL MONUMENT, Różan, Różan. At the cemetery there is a gravestone of Gromadzi family, on which stands an angel sculpture dating from the year 1896. There is also a tomb of Kossakowski family, and numerous mass graves of war victims.

20. THE BATTLE OF MŁYNARZE, Młynarze, Młynarze. July 15, 1831 was the day of November Uprising when ferocious clash between Poles and Cossacks was fought, which was called later a Batlle of Młynarze. Mass grave of soldiers killed in the park is located in the park of the former prince Woroniecki palace in Glinki. It has the form of the mound with a statue of the Virgin Mary. Here rest the soldiers killed in the battle and during the crossing of Róż River ("river of roses") in Długołęka - Koski village. A ford, where they were crossing the river is still called "Moskal" (Russian). This battle has been commemorated by Wojciech Kossak in the picture entitled "The battle of Młynarze".

21. CLAY PIT OAK, Płoniawy, Węgorzewo. There is an oak next to the chapel in Węgorzewo, which grows near the road leading to "Gliniak" (clay pit). According to a legend, by the oak tree in a mysterious glade there was a church. One day, the church fell into the ground, and this place became a swamp. Another legend, linked with the previous one, has it that a heiress of the property had been building a new road, and ordered to cut the forest. Albin Kobyliński at that time went to church for Ressurrection in Węgrzynowo. When he was passing by the oak he heard church bells. Terrified Kobyliński hung a cross on that oak and then paid the heiress to spare the tree. This oak stands so far, and the cross is still hanging there. It has been spared even by the communists, when they were widening the road. For two hundred years no one dared to raise an axe to cut the oak.

22. KRZYŻEWO HILL, Płoniawy Bramura, Krzyżewo - highest elevation of northern Mazovia (172 m). At its peak there was a church founded in by the magnate family Krasiński, which was destroyed by the Germans in 1944. Currently there is a church which celebrates St. Florian’s Day - patron of the firefighters.

A - Maków Mazowiecki
B - Karniewo
C - Szelków
D - Przeradowo
E - Sielc
F - Rzewnie
G - Brzuze
H - Różan
I - Czerwonka
J - Węgrzynowo
K - Młynarze
L - Sieluń
Ł - Płoniawy
M - Sypniewo
N - Gąsewo
O - Amenin
P - Krasnosielc
R - Drążdzewo