Olszowa Miniature Park

In a garden in Olszowa, Cologne Cathedral stands more than 6 metres tall – the highest of 18 models of churches built at a scale of 1:25. The miniature park in the commune of Ujazd (Strzelce Opolskie county) was, according to its owners, the first attraction of its kind in the Opole region. It opened in 2014 and today combines a well-kept garden, the model collection and a large play area for children.

Basilicas and cathedrals at 1:25

The collection was the idea of Aleksander Materla, who drew up a list of sacred buildings and commissioned the models from three architectural studios in Gniezno, Kraków and Wrocław. They are made of materials that withstand sun, rain and frost, and each one has an information board. Within a few minutes you can walk from St Peter's Basilica and Square in Rome to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Florence's Santa Maria del Fiore. The collection also includes the shrine at Fátima, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and Polish churches such as Jasna Góra, St Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk and the sanctuary on St Anne's Mountain.

A garden that outgrew the models

The owners are gardeners, and it shows. The garden covers about 2 hectares, with maples, plane trees, roses, magnolias, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and catalpas growing between the models. Joanna Materla told the Opole city portal that at first the miniatures towered over the plants – today it is the other way round. A footnote from local history: the farm buildings now used by the park once belonged to the stud farm of Count Andreas Renard, whose family bought the Olszowa estate in 1823.

Tripto tip

The miniature park and the play park are open daily 10:00–19:00; the Opole city portal gives the season as April to October. Tickets are cheaper on weekdays: under the price list valid from 6 April 2026 a standard ticket costs PLN 22 Monday to Friday and PLN 30 at weekends and on public holidays. The ticket covers a 100-metre rope course for children aged 3–13 with tree houses and zip lines, a hedge maze, trampolines and an inflatable-ring slide; boats and pedal boats cost extra. One hour is enough for the models alone; with children, plan half a day. There is also a hotel on site.