Bolesław and Warcisław Oaks near Bagicz

The Bolesław and Warcisław oaks near Bagicz (BAH-geetch) are two of the most famous trees on Poland's Baltic coast – giant pedunculate oaks in the Kołobrzeg Forest, about 15 km (9 miles) southeast of the resort town of Kołobrzeg. Bolesław was long celebrated as the oldest oak in Poland until a storm brought it down in 2016; its massive remains still lie in the forest. A short walk away stands Warcisław, still alive and towering. Together they make an easy, peaceful nature outing from the coast.

Bolesław: how old was Poland's "oldest oak"?

Its age is disputed. The local municipality of Ustronie Morskie gives 800 years, while the authors of the 2016 book Drzewa Polski ("Trees of Poland") estimate about 400 years, noting that no tree-ring dating was carried out. Measurements also vary: the municipality lists a girth of 691 cm (about 22.7 ft) and a height of 30 m (98 ft); other sources give 700 cm and 32 m as of 2011.

The tree was named on August 19, 2000, after Bolesław the Brave, Poland's first king, whose efforts led to the founding of a bishopric in Kołobrzeg in the year 1000. On the night of May 31 to June 1, 2016, a windstorm toppled it. The trunk and limbs were left in place as a protected natural monument. Scientists from the Institute of Dendrology in Kórnik had taken shoots in 2014, and according to the municipality a clone of the oak was grown from them.

Warcisław: the survivor

Warcisław is now the main attraction. According to the municipality, it measures 720 cm (about 23.6 ft) around, stands 37 m (121 ft) tall and is roughly 640 years old – the fifth-oldest pedunculate oak in Poland. It is named after Duke Warcisław III of the Griffin dynasty, under whom Kołobrzeg received town rights in 1255. Large beech trees grow around both oaks.

A forest with a wartime past

The nearby hamlet of Bagicz – German Bodenhagen until 1945 – was founded in 1753. In 1935 its residents were moved out so that a Luftwaffe air base could be built. After World War II the Soviet Army used the airfield until 1992; since 2012 it has operated as the civilian Kołobrzeg-Bagicz airfield.

How to get there and is it worth visiting

If you enjoy forest walks and big old trees, yes – especially in spring or fall. A blue-marked hiking trail laid out by the municipality and signposted forest roads lead to the oaks. Popular round walks from Bagicz are around 7–8 km (4–5 miles). The remains of Bolesław and the living Warcisław are about 1.3 km apart. Cyclists can detour into the forest from the Velo Baltica coastal route between Kołobrzeg and Ustronie Morskie.

• Admission: free; the forest is open year-round (as of October 2026).
• Time needed: 1–2 hours including the walk.
• Tips: do not climb on Bolesław's trunk – it is a protected natural monument. Forest tracks get muddy after rain and in winter. We could not confirm a dedicated parking lot by the trees, so park in Bagicz or Sianożęty.
• Getting to Kołobrzeg: the nearest airport is Szczecin-Goleniów. Until December 12, 2026, trains between Białogard and Kołobrzeg are suspended for track work, with replacement buses and some trains rerouted via Koszalin.

Nearby

The forest borders Kołobrzeg's Eastern Ecopark and the Solne Bagno salt marsh. Afterward, head to the beach at Sianożęty or Ustronie Morskie, or drive to the medieval village church in Rusowo.