Wandering in footsteps of Piast Dynasty in Kalisz

Piast Trail is the oldest route in Poland of a historical and cultural value, which has been traversed by tourists who wish to learn about heritage of Piast dynasty in Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) and Kuyavia (Kujawy) regions since 1938. However, the Trail had included only small part of these lands (from Poznań to Gniezno to Inowrocław), and therefore at the beginning of the second decade of this century it was modified and significantly extended. At present, it consists of two tourist routes that meet in Gniezno, one of which leads from Lubiń to Włocławek (via Konin, Gniezno, and Biskupin).
Zawodzie Archaeological Preserve “Kaliski gród Piastów”, St. Nicholas Cathedral (Katedra św. Mikołaja), and Kalisz District Museum (Muzeum Okręgowe Ziemi Kaliskiej) are facilities included to the Trail in Kalisz. However, due to the fact that there can be found many other footmarks of Piasts in Kalisz, there have been made a city route, which included some other facilities.
Several years ago, prof. dr hab. Andrzej Buko of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology PAS in Warsaw proposed an idea claiming that Kalisz and its immediate vicinity had been the realm of proto-Piasts, who set off from here on military campaigns into the territory of the Western Greater Poland and having defeated local tribes, established new cities, and in the half of 10th Century begun founding the future Polish state whose first historical ruler – Mieszko I of Poland - was baptized in 966.

1. Zawodzie Archaeological Preserve “Kaliski gród Piastów”,


The town was raised in the half of 9th century on the site of the cemetery that possessed cremation burial places and might have been a centre of a pagan cult, dated as of 7th to 8th century.
At the end of 10th and the beginning of 11th century, the town was developed and fortified with ramparts, and in the first half of 11th century, a small wooden church was erected nearby, which later played a crucial role in Christianisation of the Southern Greater Poland region.
During the reign of the first Piasts, the town became a significant administrative and trade centre, and it might be that from here Casimir the Restorer (Kazimierz Odnowiciel) began to restore the country and the Church in Poland following the pagan rebellion in the 1030s and the raid on Poland of Bretislav I in the period between years 1038 and 1039.
The first written record comes from the Chronicles of Gallus Anonymous, who noted that Boleslaw Wrymouth (Bolesław Krzywousty) captured the town in 1106.
The greatest growth of the town is associated with the reign of the High Duke of Poland Mieszko III the Old (Mieszko III Stary), who developed the town and founded Romanesque collegiate church dedicated to St. Paul in 1155, where he was buried in 1202 next to his son Mieszko the Younger (Mieszko Mieszkowic) who died in 1193.
In 1233, the town was captured by the Duke of Silesia Henryk the Bearded (Henryk Brodaty), who built a new fortified town 1.5km north of Zawodzie, where twenty-five years later a charter city was established.
The final destruction of the town is related to the invasion the Teutonic Knights in 1331 that also destroyed Romanesque church situated within the town walls.
Nowadays, the Archaeological Preserve, made available to visitors in 2008 following the reconstruction and revalorisation works co-financed by the European Union.

 

2. Church of Stanislaus of Szczepanów (Franciscan friars)

The church, dedicated to the bishop and martyr Stanislaus of Szczepanów, was built in the late Gothic style in the second half of the 13th century. The church was founded by the Duke Bolesław the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) and his wife Yolanda of Poland (Błogosławiona Jolenta) for Franciscan friars invited to Kalisz in 1257. This is the oldest location of Franciscan order in the Greater Poland province.
Originally, the church was built as three-span presbytery on the rectangular plan topped with cross-ribbed vaults. Essential component of the presbytery were – still preserved – big lancet windows divided with mullions and decorated with generous tracery. The Chapel of Perpetual Adoration belongs to the oldest parts of the church, where a window with perfectly preserved tracery has been discovered recently. It was probably the Duke’s chapel, while another vestige of the past decorations of the church makes a stony sedilia found in the southern part of the presbytery.
Unfortunately, we do not know the date of erecting or the shape of the first structure of the church. It is assumed that it must have been completed at the beginning of the 1280s because in December 1283, Jakub Świnka was consecrated as the archbishop of Gniezno therein (Duke Przemysł II also participated in the ceremony).
Present-day shape of the church nave – hall supported with four pillars – had been given by 1339 at the construction works carried out with the financial help of Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki).
Preserved to this day the vaults of the church – richly decorated with late Renaissance stucco in so called Kalisz-Lublin type - were made under supervision of Albin Fontana in the period between 1598 and 1632 during the reconstruction works following the destruction of the church by fires in 1537 and 1559.
Church equipment comes mostly from 17th and 18th century, and particular attention should be paid to many valuable altar paintings.

 

3. St. Nicholas Cathedral

The oldest part of the church includes two-span presbytery with choir stalls and ground floor sacristy. It was built in two stages. The first stage included years between 1275 and 1280 and was founded by the Duke Bolesław the Pious, while the second stage included years between 1285 and 1300 and was carried out thanks to the financial help of the Duke Przemysł II.
Further development of the church was discontinued due to unknown reasons. There was only raised a temporary, wooden structure and at the end of the first half of 14th century a brick tower was added together with the Gothic portal that is used to this day as the entry to the church.
The construction of the brick structure of the church commenced during the reign of Casimir the Great and was overseen by Canons Regular of Lateran invited to Kalisz in 1358.
Works had been completed by the end of 14th century and the church received three-nave hall shape.
Canons Regular of Lateran remained in charge of the church until 1810 – up to the dissolution of the order by the archbishop Ignacy Raczyński.
Partial reconstruction of the nave vaults was made at the beginning of the 17th century, and they were given stucco decorations in so called Kalisz-Lublin type by Albin Fontana.
The church tower collapsed due to the fire in 1706, and was rebuilt no sooner than in 1876 in the Neo-Gothic style.
At the end of 19th century, one of sacristies and chapter house were changed into the Chapel of Our Lady of Consolation. Włodzimierz Tetmajer decorated walls and vaults of the Chapel with colourful polychrome in 1909. Due to its décor, it is called a “Polish Chapel” or “Under Eagles”.

 

4. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kalisz (Sanctuary of St. Joseph)

Beginnings of this church are unknown. We only guess that it was raised most likely during years between 1291 and 1303 as a wooden edifice. We know that in its place the archbishop Bogoria Skotnicki founded the new brick church, which in 1359 became the collegiate church. The church was small and had three-nave, three-span structure and two-span presbytery with chapter house, which preserved to this day.
In August 1783, following the construction disaster, a major part of the church was destroyed. Reconstruction lasted until 1788 and in its course the church was restored in late Baroque style. Fourth span was added to naves, as well as a tall tower topped with a ridge tower.
Since the first half of 17th century the visitors may found in the church – St. Joseph Sanctuary – the painting of the “Holy Family”, which in 1770 was claimed to be “imago miraculosa” (miraculous).
Remnants of the Piasts era include Romanesque paten founded at the end of 12th century by Mieszko III the Old (for Cistercians from Ląd Abbey), early Gothic chalice - a gift of Casimir the Great from 1363, and a reliquary crucifix from 14th century.
Attention should also be paid to the Gothic painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ab Igne (protecting from fire) and winged altar made in 1496 in the Silesian workshop of the Master from Gościszowice (Mistrz z Gościszowic).

 

5. City Defensive Walls and “Dorotka” Tower

Construction of the defensive walls started as soon as the city was granted a municipal charter, but their major part was built during the reign of Casimir the Great. Walls were 9 meters tall, 1.5 meter thick, and 1600 meters long.
The city could be entered by four gates – including two major ones, which additionally had fore gates with tall towers. Towers increased the defensive value of the walls. It has been assumed that there were 7 or 8 towers (excluding gate towers).
Defensive walls had been ruined to a significant extent by 18th century; therefore, their demolition started in 1780, and was finished by Prussians who took Kalisz in 1793 in the result of the Second Partition of Poland.
Some sections of medieval fortifications have been preserved to this day, and their longest section may be found at Parczewskiego Street. It is still 6 meters tall and there are preserved brick buttresses supporting a suspended tower.
Second big section of walls – along with the semi cylindrical tower “Dorotka”, which is going to house the Museum of Legends and Fairy Tales from Kalisz – lies at the back of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Joseph Sanctuary).

 

6. Kalisz Castle

The Castle played an important role in the city fortifications and was situated on the land that today is a part of the playground of Adam Asnyk High School (I Liceum Ogólnokształcącego im. A. Asnyka), and a large section of today’s John Paul II Square (Plac Jana Pawła II). It was one of the biggest defensive structures in the Greater Poland region. The castle was demolished at the end of 18th and the beginning of 19th century and today we may see only a small section of foundations uncovered during excavation works. The castle, founded by Casimir the Great, was built in the period of years between 1335 and 1343.
The shape was quadrilateral with four wings surrounding large courtyard. There were 45 rooms inside.
The castle hosted many rulers – Casimir the Great, Władysław Jagiełło, King Eryk VII of Denmark, Charles Duke of Luxemburg (future Charles IV Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia), Casimir IV Jagiellon (Kazimierz Jagiellończyk), Henry III of France, Sigismundus III Vasa (Zygmunt III Waza), and August II the Strong (August II Mocny).

 

7. Kalisz District Museum

Kalisz District Museum is one of the oldest in Poland. It is the Self-government Cultural Institution of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, entered into the National Register of Museums. It collects archaeological, ethnographical, and art history exhibits, which are displayed at permanent and temporary exhibitions.