Nidzica

The commune of Nidzica is located In the southern part of the voivodship of warmińsko-mazurskie, within three  masurian regions (mezoregion), which are Garb Lubawski, Pojezierze Olsztyńskie and the Równina Mazurska. Commune consists of 22,600 inhabitants, of which 15,600 are inhabitants of the town Nidzica. The settlements in this area dates back to ancient times, i.e. 4000-1700 BC. Evidence of this are the traces and archaeological finds from different periods, including the positions of well-educated form, spatial – cemeteries, burial mounds, embankments border.
Nidzica, called the “Gate to Warmia and Masuria”, received city rights in 1381 by the hands of Grand Master Winrych von Kniprode. The Teutonic Knights, using the marshy areas of the valley Nida, built a castle on a hill, designed to residential – defence purposes, which to date dominates the town. The biggest attraction of the community of Nidzica are natural values, here the nature is pure and unpolluted by the progress of civilization. The hilly landscape, flowing rivers and large forest areas encourage to relaxation and long walks. Omulew Lake area, the valley of the River Łyna, forests of napiwodzkie and koniuszyńskie, are the areas which offer special landscape value. Many places, because of its valuable nature, are subject to reserve protection. Visitors can also see unique habitats of sea eagles, beavers, and numerous species of plants and animals, which are relict and have a restricted distribution.

The commune consists of four reserves:

1. Landscape – geomorphological, “Sources of the River Łyna, named: prof. Kobendza Roman” – was created to preserve the source of the river along with the geological phenomenon, which is the erosion of the headwaters.
2. Reserve “Lake Orłowo Małe” was the first and for many years the only one in the country, established in order to protect the pond turtle.
3. “Koniuszanka I” was created for the protection of inanimate nature, in unique in this part of the Polish forms and scoring phenomena  developing in outwash sediments.
4.  “Koniuszanka II” is intended to maintain a very picturesque breakthrough part of the river Koniuszanka.

Also worth visiting in Nidzica are:
. Church of St. Wojciech – Catholic, then Lutheran, Catholic again today. Built in the fourteenth century, the west line of the town walls. Burned during the war in 1914 and rebuilt in the twenties, subject to the Gothic elements. The church tower is located on the side part of the building.
. Klasztorek – located in the south-eastern part of the fortifications of the town. Originally housed the salt storehouse, later a school for the lower staff of the church, barracks, city library, a cinema and a regional museum. Destroyed during World War I, it was rebuilt in the twenties. It was destroyed again in 1945 and rebuilt in the seventies. Since 1988 to date it  is the seat of the National Archives.
. Evangelical Church – Lutheran – formerly a Catholic, built in neo-Gothic style in the years 1858-1860, the tower was built in 1890.
. Town Hall – built at place of the demolished building in 1824. which was built in neoclassical style in 1842.
. Brewery – established in 1868 and originally was called “Schlossbrauerei Neidenburg” (Browar Zamkowy Nidzica), which today  houses the Winery and Meads.

. Tatar Stone  – lies near the village of Tatary and it is a huge boulder with a circumference of 1900 cm, length 6.5 m, width 4 m and a height of 1.8 m.  It is related with the legend, which says that inherent in the stone ball mortally wounded the Tatar chief, who fired his gun one of the residents of Nidzica, someone by the name of Nowak.