MANOR HOUSE in Gogolewo (Alternatively Through Poland)
Warta is the third longest river in Poland and it so happens that I live in the town through which it flows. The areas around it, not counting a few of the suburbs, are mostly meadows, swamps, forests and fields. So I don’t really have to go far, if I want to break out of the city: I get on my bike, ten minutes away and I'm there.
Greater Poland Voivodeship has an ideal shape of the area for collage laypersons, because it is primarily a flat, agricultural region, much less urbanized than, for example, Lesser Poland, so you can bike on less frequented roads. Until now, I didn’t venture my bike far away from home, because it seemed to me that a few kilometers away I would not see anything new...until one lazy Sunday, when we just wanted to go somewhere. We set off towards Ksiaz Wielkopolski and found Gogolewo. Oh, a village like any other, several farms on both sides of the road and a common-room. However, at the very end, where the asphalt ends and a gravel road starts leading directly to the river, two pearls have emerged: a manor house and a church.
GOGOLEWO - WHERE EXACTLY IS IT?
Gogolewo borders with Ksiaz Wielkopolski, which is located between Srem and Jarocin, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. From Ksiaz, head north towards Warta river until you reach the destination. And that's where the road ends. As you can guess, it is not busy, and more importantly leads mainly through fields and forests, providing scenic views.
The first records about the village of Gogolewo come from the 12th century. It is also known that this little town was once much larger. There were three taverns in it, which meant that it had to enjoy popularity and be frequently visited by travelers. Today only less than two hundred inhabitants live in Gogolewo. There isn’t any shop here, in return there is a "mobile store" in which you can do shopping twice a week.
MANSION IN GOGOLEWO
The historic mansion dates from the eighteenth century and represents the Polish classicist architectural style. Interestingly, from the 19th century it was rebuilt in such a way that the farm buildings didn’t directly border with the owners' headquarters, but were located a short distance from it. Unfortunately, almost all of these buildings were neglected after the war, so they didn’t survive to this day. The mansion house was owned by many, but only the very last of them decided to carry out a thorough renovation, investing enough money to preserve the original character and style of the building from its heyday. I must admit that the final effect is impressive! The interiors are distinguished by unobtrusive splendor, sense of taste and precision of detail. Spending the night here, you can feel like a wealthy landowner yourself!
An alley leads to the manor with a row of trees on both sides, which in the past was aimed at directing the horses straight to the house, so that they would be able to take the landlord back to his place, if by chance he was a bit too drunk to stay awake on the way back from the tavern.
The property is surrounded by a small park with several hundred years old trees, such as oaks, ash trees and limes. Its minimalist character fits perfectly with the ideal proportions of the manor house. Around the property, there are meadows, fields and in summer the overgrown oxbow lake of the Warta. On the horizon you can see the outline of the forest, and several meters from the front of the building there is a beautiful, historic church.
AMENITIES
The mansion was designed to be able to organize smaller events in and at the same time receive individual guests. On the ground floor there is a common part with a living room, a spacious dining room and a kitchen, usually used by the staff. The attic consists of an apartment with a private bathroom and four rooms, for which two bathrooms, one with a shower, and the other with a magnificent, free-standing bathtub are available. The whole area can host a maximum of sixteen people.
Each room has been equipped with:
bed sheets,
towels,
electric kettle,
coffee, tea, water.
The kitchen can be used with prior permission, however the property provides full board.
WHAT TO DO IN GOGOLEWO?
It's best to spend time outdoors in Gogolewo. Resting in the garden is a privilege itself, you can light a bonfire or make a barbecue and feast in the open air. The proximity of Warta river provides additional attractions: a small but sandy beach and kayaking for those who are thirsty for excitement. The caretakers of the mansion provide transport and organization of equipment, so you do not have to worry about anything.
It is worth asking for the opportunity to visit a nearby wooden church. It was built in the eighteenth century and burned down by the thunderbolt in the same century. Residents rebuilt the wooden building at the end of the 18th century and it has survived to this day in the same shape. At the beginning of the 20th century, the faithful from all over Poland came to this church for celebrations, because it was one of the few carrying out Sunday servings in Polish. Residents of Gogolewo still care for their monument, which is the pride of the whole village. What is very unusual, especially in Poland, it is them, not the parish priest, who make all decisions and manage church’s finances!
HOW TO BOOK ACCOMMODATION IN MANSION HOUSE IN GOGOLEWO?
You can do it through the official website HERE.
Or through the BOOKING.COM.
Price per person per night is PLN 149 (35 EUR) including breakfast. 50% of the price must be paid in advance.
You can also book full-board meals.
IS IT WORTH COMING TO GOGOLEWO?
I particularly recommend this place to travelers who are interested in Polish history or would like to experience wealthy rural life. The mansion house is ideally suited for romantic weekends for two, family parties or important celebrations. You can just come to the manor house for a quick visit, but I assure you that you won’t be able to help yourself to stay there for at least one night!