Podlasie Monuments Miniature Park, Hajnówka

In a single garden on ul. Bielska in Hajnówka, the Branicki Palace, the monastery on Lake Wigry, the mosque of Kruszyniany and the synagogue of Orla stand side by side — all at a scale of 1:25. The Podlasie Monuments Miniature Park is a quick tour of the region's architecture, where Orthodox and Catholic churches, palaces and timber houses show just how multicultural Podlasie is. It is seasonal, open from May to September.

History and idea

The park was founded in 2011 in Hajnówka, a town on the edge of the Białowieża Forest. The models were built mostly at 1:25 scale, with care for the smallest details, from window layouts to the tops of the domes. Each miniature has a plaque with the building's history and some curiosities, and boards around the park display drawings by the artist Władysław Pietruk showing other sights of Podlasie.

What you will see

The collection includes religious buildings, castles, palaces, a mill, wooden houses and a railway station. The models include:

• The Branicki Palace in Białystok, nicknamed the "Versailles of Podlasie", and the Branicki Palace in Choroszcz,
• the former Camaldolese monastery at Wigry,
• the Governor's Manor and the palace in Białowieża,
• the Orthodox church in Puchły,
• the wooden mosque in Kruszyniany, linked to Podlasie's Tatar community,
• the synagogue in Orla.

Seeing Orthodox and Catholic churches, a mosque and a synagogue along a few paths shows how different communities shaped the region over the centuries. The plaques by each model help you choose which originals to visit.

Did you know?

Many visitors use the park as a "map" for the rest of their trip: after seeing a model, it is easy to decide which original to visit, from Białowieża to Kruszyniany. On site there is a campfire area, a covered picnic shelter, a souvenir kiosk and toilets, which makes it a good stop with children.

Tripto tip

The park is open from May to September, daily 9:00–18:00, and closed out of season. Admission is charged and children under 4 go free; it is best to confirm current prices by phone (+48 604 218 864). Allow 45–60 minutes for a relaxed walk. Address: ul. Bielska 120, on the way out of Hajnówka towards Bielsk Podlaski. Combine your visit with the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in central Hajnówka, the narrow-gauge railway through the Białowieża Forest and a trip to Białowieża.