The best traffic-free bike rides around Sejny

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Berżniki is a historic wooden church dating from 1819, picturesquely situated near Lake Kelig. Surrounded by a fence with chapels, and flanked by a 19th-century bell tower and old rectory, it forms a valuable complex of sacred architecture. The interior has retained its historic character, and the site commemorates important events in the history of the parish and the region. In 2013, a plaque was unveiled here in honor of Marian Piekarski, a soldier of the Home Army and the Freedom and Independence Association. Be sure to step inside and notice the interesting lamp!

Architecturally, the interior of the synagogue is a combination of a Gothic six-bay structure with a Baroque central solution, which is emphasized by the arrangement of four pillars. The synagogue has three naves. In the eastern wall there is a niche after the Aron Kodesh – a track cabinet. The polychromes, the women's gallery and the bimah, which was located in the central nave between the four pillars, have not survived. https://www.pogranicze.sejny.pl/miejsca-waciwe/biala-synagoga/

The facility is accessible to visitors from outside. Possibility of visiting during cultural events.

In 1768, the owners of Sejny - the Dominicans - allowed Jews to settle in the city. The first synagogue, built in 1788, was made of wood. The current one was built in 1885 at the initiative of Rabbi Moses Becalel Luria. It was used for prayer until World War II. The German occupiers set up a fire station there, knocking out three car entrance gates in the southwestern elevation and building an observation tower above the facade. The Nazis also plundered the synagogue's equipment. After 1945, the building was used as a transport base and a warehouse for artificial fertilizers. A general renovation in the years 1978-1987 restored the synagogue's former appearance. In 1991, the building was handed over to the "Borderland - of Arts, Cultures, Nations" Center, and currently serves as a concert and exhibition hall. https://zabytek.pl/pl/obiekty/sejny-synagoga-(so-called-white-synagoga)

Around the monastery there are historic towers, which not only add charm to the place, but also constitute an excellent viewing point. From their tops you can admire a vast view of Sejny and the surrounding landscapes, which is an additional attraction for visitors. Significance and Rank Currently, the church has been raised to the rank of a minor basilica, which indicates its enormous religious and historical significance. The Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sejny is not only a place of worship, but also a valuable architectural monument that delights with its history, art and atmosphere of spiritual peace. https://suwalszczyzna.net.pl/atrakcje/bazylika-w-sejnach

There are two chapels in the basilica: the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Mother of God. Each of them is a place of prayer and contemplation, offering the faithful a space for concentration and spiritual strengthening. However, one of the most important elements of the temple is the chapel with the sculpture of Our Lady of Sejny, which is famous for its numerous graces. It is a unique three-armed sculpture, which when opened presents God the Father and Christ on the cross, and when closed - the Mother of God with Child. https://suwalszczyzna.net.pl/atrakcje/bazylika-w-sejnach

The church was built by the Dominican Order in the years 1610–1619. Initially, it had more modest dimensions, but over the years it was expanded, adding, among others, the front facade with two towers that reach a height of 47 meters. These monumental towers have become one of the most recognizable elements of the basilica. Inside the basilica there are as many as 11 altars from the mid-18th century, each decorated with valuable paintings, which are a testimony to Baroque sacral art. The choir with a Baroque organ and an intricately made pulpit attract special attention. The western span houses the porch, on the walls of which hang two impressive crucifixes and paintings by the founders of the monastery, Jerzy Grodziński and Róża Strutyńska, which additionally emphasizes the historical significance of this place. https://suwalszczyzna.net.pl/atrakcje/bazylika-w-sejnach

The church in Sejny is the Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is already four hundred years old and is one of those fortunately preserved monuments that have survived the storms of history. Here you can find elements of the Renaissance, Rococo, Classicist style, and most of all Baroque. Currently, the church has been raised to the rank of a basilica under the invocation of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. https://www.sejnenszczyzna.com/cms/ciekawe-miejsca/atrakcje-turystyczne/bazylika-w-sejnach.html