Viaducts in Stańczyki

The Stańczyki Viaducts (roughly "stahn-CHIH-kee") are two twin railway bridges deep in the Romincka Forest in the far northeast of Poland's Masuria region, near the town of Gołdap and the Russian border. Their towering concrete arches, about 36 m high, look so much like a Roman aqueduct that locals call them the "Aqueducts of the Romincka Forest." No train has crossed them since 1945, which makes them one of the most striking abandoned railway structures in Poland – and a great photo stop.

History

Until 1945 this area belonged to East Prussia, and the village was called Staatshausen. The viaducts were built for a railway line from Gołdap (Goldap) east toward Żytkiejmy, part of an east–west route that was never completed. Construction began before World War I (around 1912); sources disagree on exactly when each bridge was finished – one account gives 1912–1917 for the southern and 1918 for the northern bridge. Regular trains only began on October 1, 1927, carrying passengers, day-trippers and timber; in the 1940s the line also carried stone for Hitler's Wolf's Lair headquarters. In 1945 Soviet troops dismantled the tracks, and the bridges have stood idle ever since.

Each viaduct is about 180 m long with five arches and up to 36.5 m high – among the tallest bridges in Poland. They have been protected heritage monuments since 1979. A popular story that wood was embedded in the concrete as reinforcement is unproven; the remnants are most likely leftover formwork.

What to see

• The view from below – a path leads down into the Błędzianka valley, the best spot to see both bridges lined up,
• the deck – you can walk across the top with views over the forest,
• the surroundings – rolling fields and woods, with the Poland–Lithuania–Russia tripoint nearby.

Allow about an hour. The bridges also appear in the 2007 Polish comedy Ryś.

Tickets and safety (as of October 2026)

• Admission: the site is privately owned and there is an entry fee. We could not confirm 2026 prices from an official source (travel sites listed 10 PLN adult and 7 PLN reduced in 2024). Bring some cash in PLN.
• Safety: keep children close on the deck and don't lean over the parapet. Press reports say the owner has banned jumping from the bridges. In winter the deck can be icy.
• Contact: the owner's details are published by the Warmia-Masuria Film Fund (see sources).

How to get there

Stańczyki is about 25 km east of Gołdap via Dubeninki. From Warsaw it is roughly a 5-hour drive; from Gdańsk about 4.5 hours. There is parking at the site. Public transport barely reaches the area, so you need a car or bike.

Planning your visit

The viaducts combine easily into a day trip with Gołdap, the Romincka Forest and the border tripoint, all within a few dozen kilometers. Carry cash for the entry fee and check the weather: after rain the valley paths can be slippery. Photographers usually head down to the valley floor, where both bridges line up one behind the other.

Nearby

• Romincka Forest and Lake Gołdap,
• the town of Gołdap,
• the Poland–Lithuania–Russia tripoint,
• Suwałki Landscape Park and Lake Hańcza, Poland's deepest lake.