The best family-friendly hikes and walks around gmina Raczki

The ruins of Pac's palace in Dowspuda are one of the greatest attractions in the Suwałki region, recalling the splendor of the Pac family and the time of General Ludwik Michał Pac, a participant in the Napoleonic Wars. The neo-Gothic residence, built between 1820 and 1827 according to designs by Italian architects, was considered one of the most impressive in Poland, hence the saying "Pac's palace is worth it, Pac's palace." After the property was confiscated by the Tsarist authorities, the building began to fall into disrepair and was demolished in 1867. A monumental portico and the so-called stork tower remain, surrounded by the remains of a landscape park.

It's a cult place, everyone knows the saying associated with this place

The Holy Place can be reached by bike better from the direction of Rączki than from the direction of Janówka (a steep, sandy descent).

The Holy Place is located on the banks of the Rospuda River next to the Jałówka River and Lake Jałowe. There is a chapel built in the fence from 1990 and several wooden and stone crosses, as well as a large wooden shrine. On one of the wooden crosses - which draws attention with its appearance - a copper plate is nailed with a text by Father Antoni Kochański, the deceased parish priest of Janówka. It informs that this cross was erected by the Yotvingians from the Skometa team after they were baptized in 1283, before going to Samland. The cross, supposedly burned and destroyed by pagans, miraculously survived and was re-erected by converted enemies. This place is surrounded by an aura of mystery and extraordinary. Miracles that have appeared here through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary have long been told. The first miracle is said to have occurred during the times of the Yotvingians, when a cross thrown into the water, instead of floating down, returned to the same place. The second miracle occurred when the Mother of God saved people surrounded by Tatars by covering them with an invisible cloak. Sometimes this extraordinary event is transferred to the times of the January Uprising. In fact, the sacred place is most likely located on the site of the former cemetery of the Orthodox church built by Bohdan Hrynkowicz Wołłowicz after receiving the grant of the forest - around 1514. It was patronized by St. John the Baptist - hence so many names related to the name of John in the area. Local people have been gathering in this place on June 24 for a long time. They prayed, ate a ritual meal, washed themselves in the nearby Jałówka river, made offerings under the crosses - money and food, and tied decorative towels on them. As ethnographers explain, these rites are characteristic of the Orthodox holiday of Jordan. Similar behaviors are seen in the Mińszczyzna region, where some of the population probably came from. Today, the holiday is officially sanctioned by the local parish priest. https://suwalszczyzna.com.pl/info/miejsca/uroczysko-swiete-miejsce

beautiful lake, great view, peace and quiet, a good place to rest after visiting the Holy Place

an extraordinary place, one-day trips often end here

The Holy Place is located on the banks of the Rospuda River next to the Jałówka River and Lake Jałowe. There is a chapel built in the fence from 1990 and several wooden and stone crosses, as well as a large wooden shrine. In fact, the sacred place is most likely located on the site of the former cemetery of the Orthodox church built by Bohdan Hrynkowicz Wołłowicz after receiving the grant of the forest - around 1514. It was patronized by St. John the Baptist - hence so many names related to the name of John in the area. Local people have been gathering in this place on June 24 for a long time. They prayed, ate a ritual meal, washed in the nearby Jałówka River, made offerings under the crosses - money and food, and tied decorative towels on them. As ethnographers explain, these rituals are characteristic of the Orthodox holiday of Jordan. Similar behaviors are seen in the Mińszczyzna region, where some of the population probably came from. Today, the holiday is officially sanctioned by the local priest. https://suwalszczyzna.com.pl/info/miejsca/uroczysko-swiete-miejsce I will only add that this is where most kayakers often end their trip down the Rospuda River, some continue on to Goła Zośka (a beach and a statue on Lake Rospuda).

Bridge partially accessible