Sightseeing and attractions in Tykocin

yellow church, in front of it a lawn with flowers, on the right a few houses with yellow walls and red tiles, people are walking — Quiet, peaceful town and nice atmosphere. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Honestly, I didn't think there would be so many attractions in such a small town. I was especially charmed by the castle and the heritage of Jewish culture, i.e. the synagogue. Tykocin was one of the largest pre-war centers of Jewish culture in Poland. It was in Tykocin that I had the pleasure of trying traditional Jewish dishes in one of the restaurants that serves Jewish cuisine. A large number of monuments, and above all the preserved original spatial layout of the town, with the border of the Jewish part visible to this day, with the original synagogue (museum) attracts many tourists, not only from Poland but also from abroad.

Let's start with the Tykocin Castle.

another view of a castle made of red bricks — The Polish arsenal and the treasury were kept in this castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The castle in Tykocin was reconstructed on the foundations of the 16th-century royal castle of the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania - Sigismund Augustus. The reconstruction of the castle body was carried out on the basis of archaeological data and historical sources. The castle became particularly important at the end of King Sigismund August's life. The Tykocin castle housed the Polish arsenal and the treasury (the famous tapestries and the library of King Sigismund August were located here). Tykocin Castle was visited many times by Polish kings and princes. Stefan Batory, Zygmunt III with his family, Władysław IV, August II Mocny, and Tsar Peter I of Russia stayed here. At the Tykocin Castle, August II established the Order of the White Eagle - the oldest and highest Polish decoration to this day. Visit Tykocin with me.

More information about Tykocin you can find on Wikipedia

How far is it from Warsaw to Tykocin?

The distance from Warsaw to Tykocin is 178 km.

How far is it from Białystok to Tykocin?

The distance from Białystok to Tykocin is only 30 km.

Tykocin is a charming, small town in Podlasie. When I plan trips to big cities, I always look at the map to see where else I could go and what to visit. The idea to explore Tykocin and Supraśl while visiting Białystok turned out to be a bull's-eye.

What do tapestries, Wawel, Sigismund August and Tykocin have in common?

For several months, the castle in Tykocin was the necropolis of the passed king Zygmunt August, whose body was mummified. The famous Wawel tapestries temporarily decorated and, above all, warmed the castle in Tykocin. They were taken to the king's funeral in Krakow in 1573.

I invite you to see my photos :)

For now, only part of the castle is reconstructed. You can visit the Castle in Tykocin, which I highly recommend. The castle has a Museum, a restaurant and guest rooms.

panoramic photo of a restored castle made of red bricks — The castle in Tykocin in all its glory. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

There is also a place where you can sit, relax, drink a regional beer.

the family is sitting at the tables in the courtyard of the castle and drinking drinks — A moment of rest before further sightseeing. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a castle made of red bricks — The castle in Tykocin has undergone a complete renovation. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman is standing in the cloister of a castle made of red bricks — We weren't alone :) Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the boy is leaning against the balustrade in the cloister of the castle — Unfortunately, it was a pandemic time and the masks were required. The castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Tykocin is located on the route of the Podlasie stork trail. The city was awarded the title of the European Stork Village. It was awarded in 2001 by the German environmental organization Euronatur.

a view from the castle on the meadows, storks nest and the far-flowing river — If you look carefully, you can see the stork's nest. It's at the bottom of the photo :) Near the castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the boy is standing by the castle window, in the background a meadow and a storks nest — Stork's nest. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Polish rulers at the castle.

a wall in a castle with portraits of Polish rulers hanging on it — The part of the Jagiellonian dynasty. The castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

"The big, deep blue castle stove", as it was written in the old chronicles. The hall in which the stove was located was called a glass hall. During excavations, many small fragments of beautiful white and blue tiles were found among the ruins of the castle. It is from these fragments that it was possible to recreate the original appearance of the stove. The reconstruction project was developed by Dr. Maria Dąbrowska.

a woman is standing by a white and blue tiled stove, which is in the castle hall — The stove is 4.5 m high. The castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a painting showing a man bowing to the ruler, the ruler is sitting on a throne, next to him are two men dressed in noble costumes — One of the paintings hanging inside the castle. The castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

in a frame on a red fabric and a blue sash lies the Order of the White Eagle — Order of the White Eagle. The oldest and highest state decoration of the Republic of Poland. The castle in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Tykocin was one of the most important Jewish centers in the First Polish Republic. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the local Jewish community was called "the first after Krakow's in the Crown".

The great synagogue is currently the second largest and one of the oldest synagogues in Poland and one of the best preserved synagogues from the 17th century in Europe. In the main prayer hall are presented for instance: antique Torah scrolls covered with a crown, sashes, tallits, books, tefillins, hanukkiahs, menorahs. The rabbi's room and the reconstruction of the Seder Pesach, i.e. the Passover supper, were arranged in the tower. In 1992, the president of Israel, Chaim Herzog, visited the synagogue.

a woman is standing in front of the synagogue building, the walls of the ground floor are green, the windows with brown shutters, the walls of the upper part of the synagogue are brick-red, the roof is covered with tiles — In front of the synagogue building. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyński

The central place of the temple is the bimah. This is what the Jews call the podium with the pulpit in the main hall of the synagogue.

bimah in the synagogue, 4 chandeliers are lit, wooden benches, walls with Jewish inscriptions — The bimah with rich Renaissance decoration served as a pulpit. The synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

These unique, two silver nine-branched candelabrum were looted by the Nazis. Hanukkah menorahs were to go to Prague as exhibits for Exotic Museum of an Extinct Race. This is how Adolf Hitler named the collection of Judaica collected from all over Europe. The trace of the Tykocin menorahs has been lost. Hanukkah menorahs have been lost forever. Thanks to the fundraiser, it was possible to make a replica of them.

aron ha-kodesh in the synagogue, and in the foreground a Hanukkah candlestick with 9 cream candles — A beautiful replica of a Hanukkah menorah. The synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Aron ha-Kodesh - the place where the Torah, the greatest holiness, is kept.

another view of aron ha-kodesh in the synagogue, and in the foreground two Hanukkah candlesticks with 9 cream candles — Aron ha-Kodesh in the hall of the Great Synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the boy is in the synagogue, he is standing by a wooden bench, there is an arch in the wall behind him, and an inscription in Yiddish above the arch — A wonderful interior in the synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

In 2016-2018, the synagogue underwent a comprehensive renovation.

equipment in the synagogue, a table covered with a red cloth, chairs on both sides, in the background walls with Jewish inscriptions — To this day, we can admire the monumental polychromes with the texts of prayers on the walls. The synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

In the synagogue there is a section with exhibitions about the Jewish community. It's worth getting to know their difficult history for example such as the fact that during World War II, the Tykocin temple was devastated and plundered. The Germans set up a warehouse here. And on August 25 and 26, 1941, in the forest near Łopuchów, they murdered over 2,000 Jews. 150 people escaped from the roundup. Only 21 people survived until the end of the war.

people are looking at the exhibits of Jewish culture that are in display cases, on the walls there are paintings depicting Jews in various activities — Very rich collection of Judaica - the drawings, paintings, various information and exhibits are impressive. The synagogue in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

In the town you can also try Jewish cuisine. In this restaurant, you can also buy a kosher wine!

a woman and a boy are sitting at a table in a restaurant outdoors, the woman has potatoes and stew on a plate, the boy is eating pancakes, there is a jug with water, mint and lemons on the table — It was so tasty. Believe me! A restaurant in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a boy is eating chicken in an outdoor restaurant, a man is taking a photo of the other dishes served on white plates — My dad is always photographing food :) A restaurant in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

A walk through the streets of Tykocin.

some old huts in the street, there is a woman and a boy on the cobbled street — The original preserved spatial layout of the town. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyński

old wooden hut close-up, gray boards, brown door — A great example of old building. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

We are heading to the center of the town.

the boy is standing on the pavement, behind him the market square in the town and the yellow church in the background — In the background, the Holy Trinity Church in Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the main square in the town, a monument to a military commander, a woman and two children near the monument, a church with a yellow facade in the background — The very center of the town. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyński

The statue of Stefan Czarniecki was founded by Jan Klemens Branicki. The monument is 2 meters high and was made of sandstone in 1763 by the French sculptor Pierre de Coudray. It is believed to be the second oldest secular monument in Poland, after the Sigismund's Column in Warsaw. In fact, due to the wartime destruction of Warsaw and the reconstruction of its monuments, it is the oldest structure of this type preserved unchanged in our country.

a monument to a military commander, a fence around the monument, flowers in front of the monument — The statue is impressive. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the main golden altar in the church, the boy is sitting in the pew — Inside the church. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

fragment of a wall in a church with painted angels, in the middle there is an image of Christ — In a church. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

In the crypt under the altar there are currently five burials from the second half of the 19th century, belonging to the Potocki family - the heirs of hetmans Czarniecki and Branicki.

two children are in the crypt by the graves — In the crypt. Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Alumnat was an institution for War Disabled Persons. It was built between 1633 and 1647. It is the only facility of this type in Poland. Now there is a restaurant, rooms, a conference and banquet hall and a summer garden.

entrance to the seminary, i.e. an institution for war invalids, the Polish flag hangs on the wall — Alumnat in Tykocin was also a film set for such films as: "U Pana Boga w ogródku", "U Pana Boga za miedzą" directed by Jacek Bromski. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a man and two children on the pavement, a fence separates the pavement from the river, grass and reeds grow around the river — The Narew lazily flows past Tykocin. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

How to get to Tykocin Synagogue?

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