One of the oldest cities in Poland, Gniezno boasts over a thousand years of history and is considered the symbolic birthplace of the Polish state.
The most important landmark is the Gniezno Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishops of Gniezno and the Primates of Poland. The cathedral is also the site of the coronation of the first Polish kings and an important center of religious worship. The city is also home to the Archdiocesan Museum, which showcases sacred art, and the Museum of the Origins of the Polish State, which presents the history of Poland from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages.
The Confession of St. Adalbert
One of the most important Romanesque artworks in Poland and a significant monument of European cultural heritage. It was commissioned by Bishop Radzim Gaudenty of Gniezno between 1136 and 1145 to honor the memory of St. Adalbert (św. Wojciech), the patron saint of Poland and bishop of Gniezno, who died a martyr’s death in 997.
The confession is a reliquary chest that holds the relics of St. Adalbert. It is made of gilded copper and adorned with numerous figurative scenes and ornamental details that tell the story of the saint’s life and the development of his cult. On the lid of the chest is a sculpture of St. Adalbert, and inside the reliquary lie his remains.
The Confession of St. Adalbert has been a destination for numerous pilgrimages and has become a symbol of Polish culture and national identity. It has been restored and relocated several times and is currently housed in Gniezno Cathedral, one of the most important religious sites in Poland.
Poznań
One of the largest cities in Poland, located in the western part of the country on the Warta River. It is the capital of the Greater Poland Voivodeship and has a population of about 540,000.
Ostrów Lednicki
A historical and cultural heartland of Poland, located on an island in Lake Lednica, near Gniezno.