Dziewicza Góra and Viewing Tower

Dziewicza Góra (roughly "dzhyeh-VEE-chah GOO-rah," meaning "Maiden's Hill") is the highest point of the Puszcza Zielonka forest near Poznań, rising to 144.9 m (475 ft) in the Czerwonak municipality, about 10 km northeast of the city center. On the summit stands a 40 m lookout tower that's free to climb, offering wide views over the forest and toward Poznań. It's one of the easiest nature escapes from the city and a great half-day outing.

Where is it?

Poznań is a major city in western Poland, roughly halfway between Berlin and Warsaw, with direct trains from both and its own international airport (Ławica). Dziewicza Góra sits just beyond the city's northeastern edge in the Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park, a large protected forest of pine and oak. If you have a car, it's about a 20–30 minute drive from downtown Poznań to the forest parking lot at the foot of the hill. Without a car, take a regional train or suburban bus to Czerwonak and walk up through the woods.

The lookout tower

The reinforced-concrete tower is 40 m (131 ft) tall and officially serves as a fire lookout. The local forestry office built it in 2005, after a major fire in 1992 burned about 250 hectares of the forest, and opened it to visitors in 2006. You'll climb 171 steps to an open viewing terrace at about 30 m; the enclosed observer's cabin sits above it. From the top you can see an unbroken carpet of treetops, fields around Czerwonak and the Poznań skyline on the horizon. The climb isn't suitable for wheelchairs or strollers.

Opening hours and tickets

Entry to the tower is free. Opening hours change with the seasons; for October 2026 the forestry office lists:

• Tuesday–Thursday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Friday–Sunday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Monday: closed

Hours are longer in summer and shorter in winter, so check the forestry office's website (Nadleśnictwo Łopuchówko) before you go. The forest trails are generally accessible outside tower hours, and the walk is worthwhile even when the tower is closed.

History and nature

The hill's original name was Dziewcza Góra, after the Cistercian nuns who received it from Duke Przemysł I in 1242. One theory says the nuns raised Polish cochineal here, an insect once used to make red dye, which may explain the name of nearby Czerwonak (from "czerwony," red). Geologically, the hill is part of a terminal moraine left by the last Ice Age. Its slopes are covered by mixed forest with patches of old oak, and the area is protected under the EU's Natura 2000 network, with around 700 vascular plant species recorded. At the foot of the hill, the forestry office runs a nature education center with a short educational trail.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 1.5–2 hours for the walk up, the tower and a stroll in the woods.
• Bring sturdy shoes: the final approach to the summit is short but steep in places.
• Hiking and cycling trails crisscross the forest, and a series of trail-running races has been held on the hill's slopes every autumn and winter since 2014.
• Clear, crisp days give the best views; in October the forest turns gold and red.

Is it worth visiting?

If you're spending a few days in Poznań and want fresh air, yes. It's free, close to the city and quieter than the urban sights. Pair it with a walk or bike ride through Puszcza Zielonka for a relaxed half day.