Monument to the Last Aurochs – Roadside Shrine loop from Międzyborów

01:00

25.5km

50m

Road cycling

Easy road ride. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 22, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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4.23 km

Roadside Shrine at the Entrance to Pódiasie

Highlight • Religious Site

Beautiful, red, at the entrance to the village of Podlasie.

Translated by Google •

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10.8 km

Monument to the Last Aurochs

Highlight • Monument

Bos primigenius is the Latin name for the aurochs, the ancestor of today's domestic cattle breeds. Thousands of years ago, it occurred in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Humans, by hunting this powerful animal (it reached 2 m in height and 3 m in length) and clearing primeval forests, contributed to the extermination of their population. The last aurochs in France was seen in the 10th century, two centuries later it died out in German lands. Aurochs lived the longest in Polish forests. The last herd was placed under protection in Masovia, in the Jaktorów Forest. Despite the efforts made, the species could not be saved from extinction. The aurochs, a symbol of strength and robust health, slowly died out. It is assumed that the local family was defeated by a disease transmitted from their domesticated cousins grazing in forest clearings. The last female aurochs died in the vicinity of Jaktorów in 1627.
The species had its last refuge in Poland. Its typical habitat was deciduous and mixed forests. The aurochs was under the special protection of Polish kings, and only the monarch could hunt it. The disappearing herds were cared for by royal supervisors and members of a special hunting service. Since they reported on the condition of these animals, the history of the species' decline is known. In the 14th and 15th centuries, aurochs occurred only in Masovia and possibly in the southern Lublin region. In the 16th century, their range was already limited to the Wiskitki and Jaktorów Forests. In the mid-16th century, the aurochs population numbered around 50 individuals. Over time, their numbers continued to decrease, and the animals occupied a smaller and smaller area. It is said that at the end of the 16th century, supervisory discipline loosened in the last refuge of the aurochs, there was no proper care for the offspring, and diseases were introduced.

About 400 m west of the train station, right by road No. 719, it is worth seeing a boulder lying on a concrete pedestal with an engraved silhouette of an aurochs and an inscription commemorating the extinct species. The information is valuable, especially for children who are just learning facts from history.

For several years, Polish geneticists have been conducting research on DNA molecules from aurochs bone remains. They hope to learn the causes of these animals' extinction, determine to what extent modern cattle resemble their ancestors, and in the distant future, attempt to recreate an individual as identical as possible to the aurochs. The Polish Foundation for Aurochs Restoration, established in 2006, helps in achieving these goals.

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19.5 km