Themes
Golden domes, wooden Orthodox churches in the meadows and a hill of a thousand crosses.
In Podlasie faith is visible in the landscape. Orthodox churches with blue and green domes stand in the middle of villages, crosses at the crossroads are tied with embroidered towels, and the Sunday bell can be heard several villages away. In one area Orthodox and Catholics live side by side, and once also Jews and Tatars. This is a borderland where East and West met long ago and learned to live under one sky.
When visiting Orthodox churches, dress modestly and keep quiet. During services do not take photographs without permission. The interiors of village churches are usually opened for services. At other times, help comes from the parish phone number on the board by the entrance, or from a neighbour who knows who has the key.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Route lines are based on OSM data; on the ground, follow the trail markings.
The largest village of the Land of Open Shutters. The most decorated houses and the green Orthodox church of St Michael the Archangel from the 1860s, with a rich iconostasis.
Walk through the whole village. The prettiest shutters are on the side roads.
The most important Orthodox shrine in Poland: a hill with a church, a convent and thousands of crosses brought by pilgrims. At the foot of the hill is a spring whose water is credited with healing power.
Dress modestly; women should cover their heads. In mid-August the great pilgrimage takes place.
One of the most extraordinary Orthodox churches in Poland, built from the 1970s to the 1990s. Its form recalls a tent, and inside the eye is drawn to great stained-glass windows and icons. Every year it hosts a festival of Orthodox church music.
Step in during a service and listen to the choir. The acoustics are impressive.
A village with a colourful Orthodox church of the Protection of the Mother of God, built in 1913–1918, one of the most picturesque in Podlasie. Its bright decoration is visible from the road.
The interior usually opens for services. Keep quiet around the church.
An Orthodox hermitage on the edge of the Narew valley marshes, far from the roads. Wooden buildings among meadows and silence.
This is a place of prayer. Come for a short visit and do not disturb the monks.
The Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration stands on the edge of the village, a few minutes’ walk from our house. It looks loveliest in the evening, when the sun sets behind the fields.
The parish feast day falls in August. Then the village fills with guests and music.
The seat of the municipality, on the red Hajnówka–Piaski cycle trail. The Orthodox Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, shops, and the starting point for trips south.
By bike from Klejniki you are here in 20 minutes.
A village on the Green Velo trail, with an Orthodox church and Bachmaty Reservoir in the forest right next to it.
A good spot for a picnic lunch halfway along the route.
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Every route in this guide starts within an hour of our house. After a day out, a tiled stove, a kitchen with a wood-fired range and silence are waiting for you.