Attractions and Places To See around Kalisz - Top 20

The theatre has occupied four different buildings throughout its history: the original 1801 wooden structure collapsed after 15 years; its 1830s replacement burned in an 1858 city fire; the neo-Renaissance building erected in 1896–1900 was deliberately destroyed by German forces during the burning of Kalisz in 1914.

The Wojciech Bogusławski Theatre in Kalisz, founded in 1801 by the "father of Polish theatre" Wojciech Bogusławski, is one of the three oldest continuously operating drama theatres in Poland and holds the status of an honorary national stage. The current building, designed by architect Czesław Przybylski, was constructed between 1920 and 1936 and has been a listed historic monument since 1979. Since 1961, the theatre has hosted the annual Kalisz Theatre Meetings festival.

The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas is the oldest church in Kalisz, built between 1253 and 1257, funded by Duke Bolesław the Pious and his wife, Blessed Jolanta. From 1358 to 1810, it belonged to the order of Lateran canons, brought to Kalisz by Casimir the Great from the Sieradz massacre. In 1448, they built a monastery next to the church, currently used as a parish house. The church and former monastery are Gothic, with later additions. Among the church's interesting furnishings, noteworthy are the polychrome and stained glass windows in the Chapel of Our Lady of Consolation, created by Włodzimierz Tetmajer in 1909.

The Wojciech Bogusławski Theatre in Kalisz is one of the oldest theatre venues in Poland, with the city's theatrical traditions dating back to the early 19th century. The current theatre building was constructed between 1920 and 1936 and is located at Wojciech Bogusławski Square on the Prosna River. Since 1936, it has been named after Wojciech Bogusławski. The theatre serves as Kalisz's main theatre institution, presenting classical and contemporary repertoires and organizing the Kalisz Theatre Meetings, one of the most important theatre festivals in the country, since 1961. The building is an architectural monument and a key element of the city's cultural life.

The tower began to be called "Dorotka" in the mid-19th century, perhaps because it served as a prison for indecent women for a time. However, Kalisz residents believe its name is connected to a legend about a starosta named Dorotka who fell in love with a poor shoemaker and was locked in the tower by her father.

The first wooden theatre building erected by Bogusławski in 1801 fell apart after 15 years. In the 1830s, the theatre was rebuilt in its current location, but it burned down in a city fire in April 1858. For over 40 years, performances were held in a riding school adapted for this purpose, and later in a temporary wooden winter theatre. In the years 1896–1900, a neo-Renaissance theatre building was erected according to the design of Józef Chrzanowski. The building was burned down by the Germans during the demolition of Kalisz in 1914. In 1920, construction of the current building began and lasted 16 years, according to the design of Czesław Przybylski.

The Dorotka Tower is located behind the collegiate church, from the park side. It is a fragment of the medieval city walls. It is a well-preserved, semicircular, two-storey tower with round gun slots. Built at the end of the 14th century, originally rectangular in shape, it was probably rebuilt in the 16th century to a semicircular shape. This monument is also associated with a certain legend about the beautiful and unruly daughter of the proud and hot-tempered starost of Kalisz Castle - Dorotka and the poor shoemaker Marcinek, whose love ended tragically, namely, the angry father ordered his beloved daughter to be walled up alive in the tower.

A beautiful wooden church worth seeing