The best city hikes and walks around Lake Barlineckie

There is no view of the lake from this spot.

The market square in Barlinek is the oldest part of the town, with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. For centuries, it was the center of urban life. In 1852, a great fire destroyed the medieval town hall standing on the square, which was never rebuilt.

The "Gęsiarka" (Goose Girl) fountain was placed here in 1912, specifically to commemorate the former town hall. It is topped by a figure of a girl defending herself against a gander, referring to an old Barlinek legend. The sculptor was the Swedish artist Knut Åkerberg, and the Goose Girl herself has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Barlinek.

The Młynówka stream in Barlinek flows out of Lake Barlineckie and runs through the town, eventually joining the Płonia river. Its name refers to the numerous water mills that used the current to power industrial equipment for centuries. The Młynówka also had a defensive significance – in some sections, it served as a natural city moat. It is an important testament to Barlinek's historical connection with water, milling, and the development of local craftsmanship.

The Brama Młyńska (Mill Gate) in Barlinek is part of the town's medieval defensive walls, erected at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. It was one of the two main town gates, guarding the entrance from the direction of Pełczyce. It had the form of a multi-story brick tower with a high gable roof and decorative Gothic stepped gables. Its importance is confirmed by documents from 1362 and 1363, which mention a dispute over the right to garrison the gate. With the development of the town and changes in the art of war, the medieval fortifications gradually lost their significance, and some of them were demolished in the 19th century.

Picturesque pier with two pavilions right next to the city fountain located on Jezioro Barlineckie.

The Church of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Barlinek is a Gothic temple whose origins date back to the 13th–14th centuries. Built of brick and granite blocks, it is a three-aisled structure with a high western tower, pointed-arch windows, and an entrance portal. Relics of an older, Romanesque building have been preserved in the walls, and the church owes its current appearance, among other things, to reconstructions after the fire in 1852. After World War II, the temple was taken over by Catholics, and its historical architecture remains an important element of historic Barlinek to this day.

The market square in Barlinek is the oldest part of the city, with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. For centuries, it was the center of urban life. In 1852, a great fire destroyed the medieval town hall that stood in the square, which was never rebuilt. The "Gęsiarka" (Goose Girl) fountain was placed here in 1912, specifically in memory of the former town hall. It is crowned by a figure of a little girl defending herself against a gander, referencing an old Barlinek legend. The author of the sculpture was the Swedish artist Knut Åkerberg, and the Gęsiarka itself has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Barlinek.