There are 2400 nature monuments in the voivodship of Varmia and Masuria. We can distinguish the following groups of monuments: single trees, groups of trees, tree lanes and rows, erratic boulders, and others. Below you will find descriptions of the most spectacular monuments, which are worth seeing.

“The Jan Bażyński’s Oak” in Kadyny
One of the biggest Polish oaks grows in Kadyny. It is about 700 years old. The oak is 26m high and its circumference at the height of 1,3m is 9,89m. Slightly below and above this height the circumference amounts to 10m. In 1880 the “the Jan Bażyński’s Oak” was 25m high with trunk circumference of 8,64 m and crown radius of 13m. The base of its hollow had enough room for 11 soldiers with their rifles and backpacks. By order of the owner of the local property the hollow was covered with a wooden door and a special guard was employed to protect the magnificent nature monument. The oak grows in Kadyny beside the road Suchacz – Tolkmicko. In the vicinity there are six other splendid oaks, also considered as nature monuments. It is worth mentioning that in 1430 Jan Bażyński, the future leader of the Prussian Confederation, became the owner of Kadyny. On behalf of the Prussian states he asked the Polish king Casimirus Jagiellonczyk to incorporate Prussia into Poland. He greatly contributed to the process of uniting Prussia and the Polish Crown; he was also the first governor of Prussia and a trust-worthy counsellor of the Polish king.

The oak in Strużyna
This nature monument is 19m high and has circumference of 7,5m. It is one of the thickest oaks in the region. It grows in the field, north-east of the village of Strużyna.

“The Karol Małłek Mukre Oak” and “The Royal Pine”
Those two monument trees grow on the forest educational route running along the eastern bank of the lake Mokre.

“The Mukre Oak” has gained popularity due to the Masurian writer and activist Karol Małłek. The oak grows in a forest clearing by the lake. It is 310 years old, 25m high and has circumference of 4,65 m. The oak prides itself on the beautiful large crown. About 100m further we can see another nature monument – “the Royal Pine”, which has been dead for about 30 years (it was 280 years old then). It is 30m high and has circumference of 4,10m.

“The Royal Oaks” and “The Lira Pine” in Ruciane-Nida
In Ruciane, by the lake Guzianka, near the Road to Pisz there are two splendid oaks of circumference 5,52m and 4,76m. They are both about 26m high, and their age is 280 and 300 years. They grow opposite the historic grain-shelling factory. 1,5 km further, beside the road to Nida, we can admired the beautiful “Lira”, a 260-year-old pine, 27m high, with circumference of 4,50m.

“The Larches near Dobrocinek”
In the forest north of Dobrocin in the area of about 0,5 ha there grow 85 lush larches, mixed with a couple of beeches. The larches are 43-49m high and have circumference of about 3m.

“Junipers near Lipowiec”
In the commune of Szczytno, beside the road Lipowiec-Łysak, we can admire 25 splendid junipers, mostly of ligneous character. The most spectacular one, considered as one of the biggest junipers in Europe, is 13,7m high and has circumference of 2,06m. It has been dead for 15 years now. It is now a protected and proud representative of the juniper species.

Yews near Leszno
The collection of 17 yews, 12m high, of circumference 50-90m is particularly precious for the region. They grow in the area of the Forestry Unit Leszno, in the commune of Barczewo. An interesting phenomenon which occurs here is the self-sowing of the yews; there are about 500 yew seedlings in the local area.

Collection of trees in the park Posorty in Olsztyn
Among park trees the most interesting are:

the 6-trunk common weeping beech, 19m high, with trunk circumference of 30-90cm; considered as the most beautiful beech in the region;
the columnar English oak, 22m high, with circumference of 3,15m;
the Canadian hemlock, 18m high, with circumference of 1,60m;
the northern red oak, 26m high, with circumference of 5,45m.

Oak row in the village of Markowo, the commune of Morąg
The row consists of 37 trees (31 oaks, 2 maples, 2 lindens and 2 chestnuts); their height amounts to 17-26m, trunk circumference reaches 3 -7,40 m. Oak lane by the road Olsztynek – Jedwabno, near the village of Dłużek
The lane consists of 37 trees (32 oaks, 3 maples and 2 lindens); their height amounts to 19-24m, trunk circumference reaches 17-24m.

“The Tatar Stone” near Nidzica
The erratic boulder, situated near Nidzica, in the field, not far away from the village of Tatary, is one of the most interesting nature monuments and witnesses to the history of the region. Grey-pink gneissic granite with circumference of 19m, height of 2m and width of 4m, was brought here by the continental ice sheet in the ice age. It was also a witness to significant historic events of the Swedish Deluge. When the Swedish army attacked Poland in 1655, Frederick Wilhelm, as a vassal to the Polish king, initially fought against the Swedes. Later, however, he turned into their ally. In November 1656 the Tatars, who supported the Polish army, besieged Nidzica and invaded the starosty. When the Tatar leader together with his companions were dining at the big boulder, a cannonball, fired by the defenders of Nidzica, hit his bowl. This event intimidated the Tatar leader, so he abandoned the siege of the town and retreated. Thus Nidzica was saved. The village in which the Tatars established a camp is at present known under the name of Tatary. The big boulder, used by the Tatars as a table, has been considered as a monument of nature, called the Tatar Stone. A stone ball has been attached to the boulder to commemorate the event.

“The Devil’s Stone of Bisztynek”
The Devil’s Stone, situated in Birsztynek, with circumference of 28m, length of 9m and height of 3,16m, is the biggest erratic boulder of the region. The legend has it that the devil made a deal with a young man who needed money for his education. The devil paid for the man’s education and demanded his soul in return. The devil could only get the man’s soul, however, on successful completion of the task of moving a big boulder to a given place. Fortunately, the boulder turned out to be too heavy and the devil dropped it before he reached the given destination. Thus, the man managed to save his soul.
Among other nature monuments we can distinguish:

Ostrich fern site near Barczewko
The ostrich fern site, which consists of several specimens, is situated in the valley of the brook Orzechówka, south of Barczewko, in the commune of Barczewo.

Globe-flower site near Maruny
The globe-flower site, consisting of a few hundred specimens, is situated in a meadow forest, north-east of Maruny, the commune of Barczewo.

Three suffusion craters near Wólka Orłowska
Three suffosion craters, one with an impressive abundance of martagons, is situated south of the settlement called Wólka Orłowska, the commune of Nidzica.

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Morąg