Monuments & mounds
Along the road from Kruszwica to Sompolno, not far from the Ślesin market square, stands one of the few triumphal arches in Poland. Locals call it Napoleon's Gate: it was erected in 1811 in honour of the Emperor of the French, who had passed through Ślesin four years earlier.
The structure was raised to greet the emperor in 1812, after the end of the Russian campaign. The meeting never happened: the march on Moscow ended in catastrophe, and Napoleon never saw the arch built for him. Even so, the building remained a testament to its era and is today listed as a heritage monument.
The arch consists of a main semicircular closed arcade and two lower side passages for pedestrians. At the top stands the figure of the Napoleonic eagle — the symbol of the army for which the gate was raised.
In 1972 the arch was badly damaged by a lorry, and it was restored in 1976–1977. The monument stands on Napoleon street, by the Warta–Gopło canal, accessible around the clock and free of charge. A visit combines well with a walk by the water and a trip to Licheń, a few kilometres away.
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