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Gnieźnieńska, Wągrowiec
The river crossing in Wągrowiec is a hydrological curiosity rare on a European scale: the current of the Nielba cuts across the Wełna at almost a right angle, and the waters of the two rivers mix only to a small degree. This is due to differences in physicochemical properties and current speed, so that one river practically flows over the other.
The arrangement did not arise naturally — it is the result of regulation works, the idea for which is attributed to the Cistercian monks of the Wągrowiec abbey. The crossing itself was built in 1830, and its purpose was to protect the town from floods by separating and ordering the outflow of water.
A visit takes a dozen or so minutes. The crossing is reached from Gnieźnieńska Street, turning into the lane that runs along the Nielba. The ground is flat and easily accessible, including with a pushchair, and the phenomenon is best seen from the bank right above the point where the channels meet. It is worth looking in on the centre of Wągrowiec with its former Cistercian complex.
