The Innkeeper of Waliszewo – the Legend of the Red Inn

Why visit?

# The Innkeeper of Waliszewo – the Legend of the Red Inn At first glance, the Innkeeper of Waliszewo seems surprisingly welcoming. He holds a vessel towards passing travellers while keeping his other hand behind his back. Walk around the statue, however, and you will discover what he is hiding: **an axe**. The sculpture refers to one of the darkest legends from the area around Lake Lednica – the story of the **Red Inn**, a supposedly murderous innkeeper and human bones that were genuinely discovered nearby. What makes the story particularly interesting is that the legend grew around a real place and real archaeological discoveries. ## The Red Inn A roadside inn known as **Waliszewek** once stood in this area. According to local tradition, its owner offered accommodation and refreshments to travellers, but was particularly interested in wealthy guests. The legend claims that some of them never continued their journey. The innkeeper was said to murder his victims, steal their possessions and bury their bodies near the inn. This dark story became associated with the names **Czerwona Karczma**, meaning the Red Inn, and **Czerwona Oberża**, or Red Tavern. There is no historical evidence proving that the murders actually happened. This part of the story should therefore be treated as local legend rather than established fact. Tourist materials relating to the local Myths and Legends Trail state that the inn burned down in **1840** and was never rebuilt. Historical and archaeological research confirms that an inn called Waliszewek once existed in this area. ## Human bones were actually found here This is where the legend becomes much more intriguing. Human bones and fragments of skeletons were genuinely discovered near the former inn. Even during the 1930s and 1940s, remains and early artefacts were uncovered when gravel was extracted in the area. For people who already knew the story of the murderous innkeeper, the discoveries seemed to provide convincing evidence. Archaeology eventually offered a very different explanation. A **much older early-medieval cemetery** had existed nearby. The human remains therefore had nothing to do with the nineteenth-century inn or its owner. The discovery of genuine human bones may have helped the legend survive for generations. ## The modern Innkeeper The story was revived when the **Myths and Legends Trail of Gniezno County** was created. Seven bronze sculptures representing local stories were installed at different locations in the county, accompanied by information boards and small visitor facilities. The Innkeeper of Waliszewo became one of them. The sculpture tells the story without words. From the front, the innkeeper appears friendly and welcoming. Behind his back, however, he hides an **axe**. ## A statue that thieves tried to steal The modern sculpture has its own unusual criminal history. The original Innkeeper was stolen. A replacement was later produced from the surviving original model, with the bronze casting and installation carried out by BrązArt in Pleszew. In February 2014, thieves tried to steal the statue again. It was torn from the ground together with part of its concrete base but ultimately abandoned. The sculpture was damaged and later repaired. Additional security measures followed, including a wildlife monitoring camera installed in cooperation with the local forestry authorities. ## What to look for The most important detail is the **axe hidden behind the innkeeper's back**. Do not simply take a photograph from the front and leave. Walk around the statue. Only then does the composition make complete sense: a welcoming host on one side and a potential murderer on the other. ## Interesting facts * A real roadside inn called Waliszewek once stood in the area. * Local tradition remembers it as the Red Inn or Red Tavern. * According to legend, its owner murdered and robbed wealthy travellers. * Human remains were genuinely found nearby. * Archaeologists identified them as remains from a much older early-medieval cemetery. * The original modern statue was stolen. * A replacement was produced using the original model. * Another attempt to steal the sculpture took place in 2014. * The Innkeeper forms part of the Myths and Legends Trail of Gniezno County. ## Practical information **GPS:** 52.5677827, 17.4021371 **Access:** the sculpture stands directly beside the road and is easy to reach by car. **Parking:** there is enough space beside the sculpture for approximately **3–4 cars**. It is a small informal parking area rather than a large designated car park. **Picnic shelter:** a **covered picnic shelter with a table and benches** stands next to the sculpture, making this a convenient place for a short break. **Admission:** free. **Opening hours:** the site is outdoors and has no standard opening hours. **Suggested visit time:** approximately **10–15 minutes**, longer if you plan to stop for a picnic. **Cyclists:** the shelter makes the site particularly convenient as a short cycling stop. ## Tripto tip **Walk behind the Innkeeper.** The hidden axe is easy to miss when looking at the sculpture from the road. It is the single detail that explains the whole composition. Rather than making a special trip only for the statue, combine it with other attractions around Lake Lednica and nearby villages. ## Nearby attractions Church of St Catherine in Waliszewo – approx. 1.2 km Third Millennium Gate in Imiołki – approx. 2.5 km St Rosalia Chapel in Sławno – approx. 2.9 km Church of St Nicholas in Sławno – approx. 3.2 km Palace in Zakrzewo – approx. 4.1 km

What you’ll see

• ukryta siekiera
• legenda Czerwonej Karczmy
• dawny gościniec Waliszewek
• wiata piknikowa
• punkt Szlaku Mitów i Legend

Map