Attraction in Białowieża

Orthodox Church of St Nicholas

A tsarist-era Orthodox church holding a rare glazed-ceramic iconostasis, unusual in Poland.

Reviewed and updated July 2026

Orthodox Church of St Nicholas — Photo: Jackowy / CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The ceramic iconostasis at St Nicholas

The church's centrepiece is its iconostasis made of glazed majolica-type ceramic rather than the usual painted wood. It is described as unique in Poland and one of very few of its type, which is the main reason travellers seek the church out.

St Nicholas and the tsarist era in Białowieża

The church was built in the 1890s under Tsar Alexander III, the same period that produced the hunting palace and Palace Park. It reflects the Russian Orthodox presence in Białowieża at the time and remains an active parish church.

Visiting the Orthodox church in Białowieża

Access is limited, with reports of short daily opening windows and a brief introduction from the priest. As times vary, confirm current opening through the parish before planning a visit, and dress respectfully as it is a working church.

Frequently asked questions

Its iconostasis is made of glazed ceramic, a rarity in Poland, rather than the usual carved and painted wood.

In the 1890s, during the reign of Tsar Alexander III.

It opens to visitors for short periods; confirm current times with the parish, and remember it is an active place of worship.

More attractions in Białowieża

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Palace Park (Park Pałacowy)

Landscaped grounds around the site of the tsars' burned hunting palace, now the setting for the national park museum.

Strict Nature Reserve, Białowieża (Guided Primeval Forest Walk)

The strictly protected core of the Białowieża primeval forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site entered only on foot with a licensed park guide. Visitors walk through old-growth woodland that has never been cleared.

Royal Oaks Trail (Szlak Dębów Królewskich)

A short boardwalk loop in the Stara Białowieża tract that winds past monumental oaks, each named after a Polish king or Lithuanian duke who once hunted in the forest.

Governor's Manor (Dworek Gubernatora)

A light mint wooden manor from 1845, considered the oldest preserved building in Białowieża, now home to the Nature Education Centre of Białowieża National Park.

Obelisk of 1752

The oldest monument in Białowieża, a sandstone obelisk marking a royal hunt held by King Augustus III in 1752, with inscriptions listing the game taken.

Catholic Church of St Theresa of the Child Jesus

A Roman Catholic parish church in Białowieża village, built in the early 20th century in a neo-Renaissance style and known for its wooden altar furnishings.