Reda is located in the picturesque proglacial valley of
the Łeba and Reda rivers, at the foot of tree-grown
moraine hillis, between grown with forests uplands: Pucka
Upland and the Upland of Kaszubskie Lake District, in the
neighbourhood of the vast plain called Moście Błota.
Topographic features of Reda area are a result of the activity
of the Scandinavian ice-sheet.
Reda is a clean and rather small town with the population
of 17,000 people. Although it has not got any worth visiting
public utiiity buildings, the town abounds in many interesting
places.
Summer is the best time to have a walk about attractive
and interesting places in Reda as it often offers good weather
and a variety of cultural, artistic, sport and recreational
events held in the town.
Sightseeing is best started at a railway station at Gdańska
street.
The station is one of elements in the so called "complex of the station and estate of the rails" including also a former building of the post office and telegraph, houses of railway workers, buildings of the maintenance and technical base.
The complex arose about 1875. Its main part is a square with a semicircular driveway (lined with trees) leading to the building of the railway station).
In the north the square is enclosed by a building of the former post office and a multi-famiły house, in the south, by other multi-family houses.
The uniform building complex shows an interesting spatial arrangement with preserved architectural forms and the old tree stand. Its architecture is an example of the typical development of railway estates.
Going down Gdańska street northwards, stop by the Municipal Public Library at Derdowskiego street (a walk of 15 min). On your way, you will pass by Poniatowskiego street with its numerous buildings dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. The library offers a permanent exhibition of interesting wood sculptures, well-known painted birds, religious and secular figures by folk artist Izajasz Rzepa. Besides the sculptures there are oil paintings by local artists as: portraits of children by Wanda Adamczyk, landscapes and still life by Brygida Śniatecka, landscapes, portraits of children and horses by Stefan Lewiński.
The library offers also books of poetry by Adam Klein, a laureate of many famous literary contests and an inhabitant of Reda.
The library building houses the Tourist Information offering guidebooks and city maps and other information on Reda as well as activities of the Branch of the Kaszubsko-Pomorskie Association in Reda.
Leaving the Municipal Library building and coming back to Gdańska street. it is best to head for Gniewowska street and follow it to reach Jara street (30-min's walk). At its very end there is a viewing terrace at the height of about 70 m above sea lęvel.
From here, in good weather, the plain called Moście Błota may be seen, situated in the east part of the commune, within Kaszubska Proglacial Vallev. The plain is in places grown with small woods adding variety to the flat scenery. Pucka Bay and Helski Peninsula are visible in the farther perspective.
The north part of the town is localed on Pucka Upland. the edge of which is a steep cliff sinking southwards. The area is grown by forests and is enclosed within the limits of Darżlubska Primeval Forest (the Zone of Protected Scenery). Mixed forests prevail in the region. The forest-grown area, because of its scenic advantages following from the diverse topographic features and a variety of forest communities, shows great recreational attractiveness.
In the west part, i.e. in the proximity of the viewing terrace, the Reda valley adjoins a forest complex of „łęg” type showing great recreational absorbency. The complex is a part of protected Trójmiejski Scenic Park displaying unique natural and scenic advantages.
In forests, covering over 50% of the town area, there are many worth seeing monuments of nature, e.g.: the Dunkeld larch, one of which has got the trunk circumference of 3.30 m and the height of over 40 m, the European beech with the trunk circumference of 4.40 m and the height of 30 m, the Norway spruce with the trunk circumference of 2.90 m and the height of over 35 m and the common ivy with the trunk circumference equal 0.25 m and the height of 18 m.
In the south, in the closer perspective, the urban development of detached and many-family houses may be seen.
Having seen the city panorama, leave the viewing terrace down the flight of 204 stairs and, along Gniewowska street, go to Ogrodowa street. Some of buildings lining the street are over 200 years old. These are one-storey objects built of red brick, with high tiled gable roofs.
Then, visit the Roman-Catholic church of the Assumption and St Catherine of Alexandria, Maiden and Martyr, at Gdańska street. Its soaring spire is a sight not to be missed (about 30 min's walk from the viewing terrace). On the way from the church remember to stop at a building of the former inn of the Kożyczkowskis (2 Gdańska street). The object is probably about 150 years old.
Having visited the church, go farther along the alley, in the direction of the nearby bus stop, towards a large green area used for purposes of recreation. In the area a municipal park is planned. The ground adjoins the Reda river.
The direct surroundings of the river is an inundation area where a variety of species of pasture vegetation and the vegetation of mixed type (rushes and pastures) occurs.
From the west to the east border of the town, along the river, runs an ecological corridor. The land abounds in various habitats and offers favourable natural conditions. The corridor enables migration of animals and plants, integrates natural structures of this part of the region and is an element of the regional system of the ecological infrastructure.
From the green area, having crossed a footbridge over the river, keep going westwards, on the river bank. Thus, you reach a located at Pucka street former production complex.
Originally, the complex comprised a mill, two granaries and a house. In the 15th c. it included also ironworks and, in the 17th c., also a sawmill.
One of the granaries and the house have been preserved till the present day. Nearby the objects, a burial ground of stone cists was discovered and explored by archaeologists.
At Parkowa and Gajowa streets there is a manor and park complex of outstanding qualities. Till the present day only the manor house and a part of the park dating back to the first half of the 19th c. have been preserved. The manor building is. however, run-down and its present condition far differs from its original appearance. The complex used to comprise also a grange dating probably to the 16th c.
Coming back to Pucka street and going farther north, you reach the Linden Alley lined by protected ancient linden trees.
Having crossed the railway track, turn west to come to 12 Marca street which runs nearby zones of archaeological protection encompassing ancient campsites from the Stone Age and multi-cultural settiements from later times.
The final section of the street crosses a forest park. Tum here into Rzeczna street at which another manor and park complex is located.
In the Middłe Ages the complex used to consist of a grange, a mill and a brewery. Towards the end of the 19th c. it comprised also a manor house that, together with the borders of the spatial arrangement of the complex, old trees of the park and a gateway alley lined by a variety of tree species, have been preserved till today.
We wish you a nice time visiting the picturesquely located
town of Reda.
