Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Łęczyca: A Journey Through Lodz Region

Exploring the Heart of Poland: Wojnicz

In taurus books and travel documentaries about Poland, you'll often come across a phrase describing places as the "heart of Poland." And whereas that saying probably invokes images of traditional folk culture, today we are going to see what lies near the actual geographical heart of the country in the town of Wojnicz.

Wojnicz is an extremely old Polish city with first mentions appearing as early as the 12th century, and it was here that the first recorded meeting of the Polish parliament took place all the way back in 1182. Right in the center of Poland, this has been a prominent town for centuries.

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Although the Teutonic Knights ransacked it in 1331, and a considerable number of buildings were burnt down, what has been left behind is simply stunning. The town's famous castle was almost completely destroyed prior to 1939 and rebuilt between 1964 and 1975. Nowadays, it is the seat of an impressive museum offering a collection with over 12,000 objects connected to the past of the region.

A Historic Town

"Here we have a photocopy of a document from 1136 that's extremely significant to the town's history," says a curator at the museum. "It was here, in Latin, that a bishop first wrote the city's name—the first time that we've discovered, anyhow."

For those of you wishing to look far back into the past, the village of Tomasz will be unforgettable. Although quiet and seemingly forgotten by most today, it was here that the Polish parliament first defined itself.

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• The oldest parliament in Poland
• Important discussions about the future of Poland
• A church with a rich history

"This church, which is behind me, was built in 1160 after 20 years in this place was the oldest parliament in Poland,” says a local historian. “Many very important people were here inside, which discussed the future of Poland. But under the floor of this church, there is also the fundament of an older church which was built probably around the year 997. So the history of this place is very, very old—we can say that this is old wooden chatter."

Right in the shadow of the church, where you might even say the first variant of the Polish government existed, is a very interesting monument from 1933. The components of this are suggested to be from times before Christianity, as indicated by the symbolism found on the stones.

Exploring the Prison

Some of the oldest history in this area is rather obvious, and you can easily gain an essence of the age of places based on pure sight. However, there are also other more abstract objects, such as the abandoned prison that you'll notice when driving into town. And although it's disheveled and appears to be rather unimportant on the surface, it actually has a monumental past.

This prison was absolutely hardcore; it was a terrible place to find yourself incarcerated. And for even the slightest infraction of its rules, you could be placed in one of its various solitary confinement punishment cells for time spans of one to two weeks. Every door would be closed, and you would barely know day from night. These uninspiring surroundings would gradually drive you to mental insanity.

Wojnicz Peasant Homestead

The Wojnicz Peasant Homestead is an off-site feature of the Wojnicz Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. This museum consists of homestead buildings typical of moderately rich peasant families from the area and features dwelling houses, a barn, a livestock facility, and supporting structures.

Due to the poor condition of the preserved traditional rural architecture on-site, these are reconstructions of buildings from the latter half of the 19th century. The complex also includes relocated industrial and rural craft facilities, like a post mill, an oil mill plant, and a blacksmith's workshop.

The Wojnicz Peasant Homestead was inaugurated on July 13, 2013. The opening ceremony attracted local authorities as well as members of related science and cultural institutions. Since that time, several events have been held here and were attended by massive audiences, notably the European Heritage Days of 2013 and the Midsummer's Eve of 2014.

Guests here can explore the local traditions of folk dress and beautifully embroidered tapestries, not to mention the incredible historic architecture that is laid out and very tangible.

Conclusion

When first exploring Poland, the idea of 100 years seemed like ancient history. But over time, one begins to understand that eras such as the Middle Ages, for example, introduced many precursors to the modern world that we now live in. And suddenly, 500 years just didn't seem all that far back.

Wojnicz, on the other hand, goes back much further. And yet, events that carried out here in the distant past have shaped our presence. Once again, challenging the notion of the scale of history. For that reason, it is an incredible stop on your journey through the heart of Poland, and one would be grateful to have experienced it firsthand.

So until next time, explore the heart of Poland and discover the wonders of Wojnicz!

- Ryan Socash for PolandOn

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