Bażantarnia Forest in Siemianowice Śląskie

Bażantarnia is a forest in Bańgów, a district of Siemianowice Śląskie, protected since 1997 as an ecological site of around 39 ha. Oaks, limes, ash trees and sycamores grow here, and right next to the woods are ponds and a small brine graduation tower. It is a good place for a quiet walk or a bike ride without leaving the Silesian conurbation.

Forest, ponds and a golf course

The ecological site was created by a city council resolution of 27 February 1997, but the forest itself is only the heart of a larger area. The Silesian Tourist Organisation describes Bażantarnia as a nature and leisure zone of about 200 ha, with paths bearing names such as Aleja Wiązowa (Elm Avenue) and Aleja Dębowa (Oak Avenue). The city refers to the Rzęsa–Bażantarnia recreation complex: next to the forest lie the Rzęsa and Remiza ponds and a golf course. The woods begin at Aleja Spacerowa in Bańgów.

What grows and lives here

The stand is mixed: pedunculate, sessile and red oaks, maples, hornbeams, birches, aspens, small-leaved limes, black poplars, common ash, black locust and sycamores. Animals recorded here include wild boar, roe deer, hares, foxes and weasels, and among the birds pheasants, magpies, starlings, cuckoos, blackbirds, golden orioles and nightingales. The name means "pheasantry", recalling the former pheasant breeding, and local tradition also links the forest with a camp of Napoleon's troops.

A graduation tower and benches made from city trees

Next to Bażantarnia and Rzęsa pond stands a small brine graduation tower – after a walk you can sit for a while and breathe the saline mist. The benches in Bażantarnia and at Rzęsa are made from trees removed during routine felling in the city; twelve new ones were added at the end of November 2024. A cycle path runs through the forest to the centre of Siemianowice.

Tripto tips

Entry is free and there are no ticket offices or opening hours. Allow 1–2 hours for a walk in the forest with a break at the graduation tower. After rain the forest paths can be muddy, so wear sturdy shoes. In May 2026 the city announced tree felling along the path from Aleja Spacerowa to Remiza pond and across the golf course for a gas pipeline upgrade – check whether the works affect access.