Lubusz landscapes. The most interesting towers and viewpoints

Due to the topography, Lubusz Voivodeship does not have such good conditions for exposing the landscape values as mountain and foothill areas. The highest hill, Góra Żarska, rises only 226.8 meters above sea level. However, with Poland’s largest forest cover of nearly 50%, a high lakeshore north of the Odra River and a low population, harmonious natural scenery prevails here. Unfortunately, this view is only noticeable from a certain height, which we can see in recent years thanks to the increasingly common drones. Another way to admire the Lubusz landscapes are the observation towers. They allow to rise several dozen or so meters above the surface of our flat voivodeship. 

In recent years many wooden observation towers have been built by the State Forests, such as large structures in the forest districts: Lipinki (29.5 m high tower, on the path in the UNESCO Geopark Łuk Mużakowa), Sława Śląska (40 m high Joanna tower, overlooking Lake Sławskie) and Bogdaniec (tower on the escarpment of the Warta river valley near Nowiny Wielkie and a tower by Lake Wielkie near Witnica). Smaller viewing platforms are located in the Forest Districts: Cybinka (by the "Ptasi Raj" path), Świebodzin (a platform near Zagórz), Bytnica (the "Basiorówka" observation and viewing tower near the Dobrosułowo Meadows), and Strzelce Krajeńskie (a viewing platform in the "Buki Zdroiskie" reserve). The activities of some local governments are also noteworthy. In 2015, the Pszczew commune built three large wooden towers near the villages: Świechocin, Silna (on Chłop Lake) and Zielomyśl (on Trębacza Mountain). Each of the towers has six storeys and is 18.66 m high. The Dobiegniew commune has built a 12-meter high tower on Ogardzka Odnoga Lake near Chomętowo. In Jodłowo, on Tarnowskie Duże Lake, a 9-meter high tower was built, and on Łubowo Lake, in Zagórze near Drezdenko, a 6.8-meter high tower. However, the biggest "tower tycoon" is the Warta Mouth National Park. In its tourist offer there are 6 towers and observation platforms, the most famous of which is a 20 m high glass observation tower by the building of the management of Warta Mouth National Park and a 16 m high wooden observation tower on Czarnowska Górka by the road from Kostrzyn to Słońsk, which refers to timbered buildings – a traditional form of architecture in the region of the Warta Mouth. It is also worth mentioning a wooden tower near Pniewo, overlooking several structures of Międzyrzecz Fortified Region. In total 20 wooden towers and viewing platforms have been identified in Lubusz Voivodeship. 

The second group of observation sites are brick church towers, town hall towers, castle towers and other historical buildings adapted for tourist traffic. Unfortunately, there are only a dozen or so of them in the province, although their potential is very high. The most successful adaptations include two church towers, in Gubin and Żagań. The Gubin viewing platform on the parish church tower, with a height of about 60 m, is the highest observation point in the entire region. The parish church is open to visitors from June to September. In Żagań, the 80.5 m high neo-gothic tower, added in 1846 to the former Grace Church, after renovation in 2004, is open to visitors from May to October. Other buildings which can be visited all year round for a fee include the neo-Renaissance town hall tower in Świebodzin, the 16th century Ostrów Tower in Gubin and the 35-meter tower of the Castle of the Order of St. John in Łagów. There are also many facilities available free of charge, such as the stone viewing tower in Ośno from 1937, overlooking the nearby Reczynek Lake, or the historic tower from 1864 in Zielony Las near Żary, restored by the Lipinki Forest District. From its observation deck at a height of 15 meters, in good weather you can even see Śnieżka, 105 km away.

It is also worth mentioning unusual viewing sites, such as the historic railroad viaduct from 1909 in Łagów, 25 meters high, which offers a view of the castle and the town, or the remains of bridge over the Odra River in Kłopot, blown up in 1945. Currently, the ruins, about 200 m long, are a popular photographic viewing platform over the picturesque Odra valley. Also the historic railroad bridge in Stany near Nowa Sól from 1908, opened to cyclists this year, is a great place from which it is possible to admire the Odra River.

The most recent viewpoints in the Lubusz Voivodeship are the 41-meter-high brick observation tower in Lakes Wysokie near Brody built in 1999, the Dominanta (also called the Pająk) in Gorzów Wielkopolski, opened in 2007, and the Palmiarnia (Palm House) in Zielona Góra with observation terraces at the height of 14 and 18 meters, installed during the reconstruction in 2008.

A separate category are viewpoints, which are usually places without tourist infrastructure, but offering unusual views. A great potential for exposing the landscape can be found along large river valleys: Odra, Warta and Noteć, with open wide panoramas, and to a lesser extent along the valleys of Nysa Łużycka, Obra and Bóbr.

An exceptionally large number of natural viewpoints, overlooking the 10 km wide Warta valley, can be found on the edge of the Gorzów Upland. One of the most spectacular views in Lubusz Voivodeship is from the hill in Santok, at the foot of a stone tower over the village. You can see from there, 50 meters below, the Warta valley and the Noteć estuary. The forest massif of the Noteć Forest can be seen in the distance and a bit closer, behind the river – a picturesque area of the "Zakole Santockie" reserve with centuries-old oaks. No less interesting view can be admired in nearby Czechów, at Na Skarpie Street, which is an unpaved road with a wonderful panorama of the vast Warta River valley 45 meters below. On the other side of Gorzów, in the reserve "Gorzowskie Murawy,” there are four viewpoints: Złoty Widok, Grodziszcze, Winnica and Zielony Widok, connected by a network of well-marked trails. The most spectacular one, the so-called Golden View (Złoty Widok) with a view of the bend of Warta River glistening in the sun, the wide valley of river and picturesque Wieprzyce is breathtaking.

There are also many unusual viewpoints in Gorzów Wielkopolski. One of the most famous is the popular Stairs to Nowhere. The Cathedral and the panorama of the city are beautifully presented from here. Currently, due to the stairs being closed, access is possible from the Amphitheater. A wonderful view of the Kłodawka valley can be seen from the pavilion on Kozacza Góra in Zacisze Park. This building from 1909 in the shape of a Greek temple called monopteros is supported by six Doric columns. Widok Street offers one of the most harmonious views in the city. Gently waving green hills of an undeveloped valley merge into the Gorzów Upland. In the distance, the towers of the Cathedral and the White Church are visible, and the roof of the Philharmonic Hall blends into the undulating landscape. Beautiful views of the Warta Valley, although they need to be made clear, can also be found near Sportowa, Chopina, Poniatowskiego and Kirkora Streets.

Another valley with outstanding landscape values is the Odra valley. There are magnificent natural viewpoints, such as the hills on the educational path through the grasslands at the Meadows Museum in Owczary, the castle on the edge of steepest Odra escarpment in Gostchorz, the panorama of a large bend of the Odra River and the mouth of the Obrzyca River at the "Stara Winna Góra" vineyard in Górzyków, and near Bobrowniki – Biała Góra (98.9 m above sea level) – the top of a high Odra escarpment, forming the final fragment of the Zielogórska Embankment, with a view of the picturesque Odra bend located 40 m below, surrounded by riverside riparian forests. In Krosno Odrzańskie, a scenic promenade was created in Park Tysiąclecia as a part of the revitalization project that is currently being completed. While in Bytom Odrzański, located on a high escarpment, the scenic qualities of this place were used during revitalization by building numerous walking paths with viewpoints, fountains and resting places.

An interesting, natural topography has been skillfully used in several places in the voivodeship to expose landscape values in the form of glades and viewing axes in palace parks. In the park in Gliśno, on the hill, at the end of the viewing axis, there is a romantic ruin with a tower, from where is a beautiful view of the palace, referring in its style to the royal residence Sanssouci in Poczdam. In Dąbroszyn, in the so-called upper park, on the slopes of the Warta valley, a viewing pavilion called "Cecilia’s Temple" was restored in 2014. It is also worth visiting the so-called lower park next to the palace, with its long viewing axis. In the park in Żagań you can admire the Birona Line – the main viewing axis, running in the south-west direction from the palace courtyard, where four aged plane trees commemorating the daughters of the duke grow. However, the most spectacular scenic panoramas are to be found in Łęknica, in Mużakowski Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The place where the Nysa Łużycka flows through the Łuk Mużakowa was used more than 200 years ago by Prince Pückler, who started to create his park here. Today, there are several viewing points on the Polish side, from which extraordinary panoramas can be seen that have been gradually unveiled since 1988 during revitalization works. The most spectacular views can be seen from the Pückler Stone, the Mausoleum terrace, the Ducal Bridge, and the Golden Hill. The so-called Panorama Road, leading along the eastern edge of the Nysa valley, is recommended for cycling.

Similarly, many attractive views could be "opened up" at a low cost by removing volunteer trees and bushes that have obscured them over the years. The example of gradually emerging, magnificent panoramas in Mużakowski Park shows that sometimes this view is within reach. It is enough to uncover it.

This article begins a broader topic of looking for viewpoints in the Lubusz Voivodeship. If you know any other interesting, generally accessible viewing places – please let me know at: m.maciantowicz@wp.pl