KAMPINOS FOREST - historical and social information

• Reach in wood Mazowsze Forest  has been well known and valued for a long time. Pines were cut down and floated by Vistula river to Gdańsk. 

• Considering its proximity to Warsaw, the Kampinos Forest was an area of frequent military activities. There are mementoes of these times such as "Sosna Powstańców 1863 roku" (Pine of Insurgents of 1863) or a cemetery of Nazi execution victims in Palmiry.  

Many inhabitants of Warsaw are buried at the Palmiry cemetery, they were secretly killed there by the Germans in the years 1939-1945.

• Every year in Brochów there is a recreation of Battle of the Bzura, the biggest battle of the September 1939 Campaign, which was fought by Polish armies Poznań and Pomorze against German 8th and 10th Army of South Group.

Additional attractions near the Kampinos Forest:

- Żelazowa Wola, a manor house where famous composer Frédéric Chopin was born; 

- Brochów, fortified church, place of Chopin’s baptism and wedding of his parents;

- Modlin Stronghold;
- Romanesque monastery in Czerwińsk by Vistula river;

• 73,000 people live within the boundaries of the biosphere reserve, mainly in villages. Agriculture and tourism are the main economic activities in the area.

• The Kampinos Forest almost reaches Warsaw so it’s very popular destination for weekends breaks and holidays. A very important thing is that the Park produces a lot of clean, fresh air for the capital city.

• Kampinos is popular among hikers and cyclists from the capital, who take advantage of its 300km of marked walking and cycling trails. The eastern part of the park, closer to the city, is more favoured by walkers as it’s accessible by public transport; the western part is less visited.  

• More than 360 kilometres of hiking trails were marked in Kampinos National Park. The main trail has a length of more than 50 kilometres. Bicycle tourism is difficult because of the sandy ground. Therefore, 140-kilometre Kampinos Bicycle Route is led on the outside part of the Park. 

• Sandy Kampinos routes ensure great conditions for cross-country running and nordic walking, and in winter for cross-country skiing. 

• One can also rent a horse and ride on trails whose total length is around 360 kilometers. 

  Welcome to the Kampinos Forest !