A trip to Biskupin

On 20th of September, our trip to Biskupin began. Everyone was very excited because of the expedition. The first main attraction was the most beutiful medieval city - Kalisz. It was found in 1257. The city was destroyed in 1914, but many historical buidlings survived. There were the basis of a planning scheme. The oldest part of Kalisz history which dates back to 9th-10th centuries in the ruins of a castle. We visited st. Paul's church, one of the most magnificient buildings in Poland in those days. Mieszko III the Old, his son and the bishop Jakub Świnka were burried there. However I was in the town-hall with a few people and it was very funny, because the receptionist couldn't let us in. We begged and begged him and at last he gave us the keys which opened the door to the tower. Then we went upstairs very fast. There was a gorgeous view on the town. Many buildings with red roofs were simply charming. I wish we had stayed there longer but unfortunatelly we had to leave.
Our next place of destination was Gołuchów. We visited The Forestry Center over there, It is very small area surrounded by trees, bushes and flowers. There is also a romantic castle in the park. When we were enjoying the bauty of the castle I noticed small roe on the hill. She was really lovely animal. We couldn't go away from it.
A couple of hours we stopped in Gniezno. This city is located in the centre of Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland, in Gnieżnieńskie Lake District. The settlement played an extremly important role in the history of Poland. At its beginning, the first half of the 10th century, the contemporary mediaval city was the centre of the country of Polanis which was later very fast included in the neighbouring tribal organisation.
When Mieszko I started to rule his medieval city distinguished itself by its age and size. The medieval city, performing the function of the capital of Poland became the same time the centre of new religion. Fire in 1192 damaged the stone castle on Lech's hill. The development was stopped by the invasion of Teutonic Knights in 1332 which was a disaster for the town. In 1342 the building of the magnificiant Gothic cathedral, which has dominated the town till now, was started. The annual four fairs of: st. Adalbert, the Holly Trinity, st. Bartholmew and st. Andrew were conducive to the development of Gniezno after 1548.
After visiting the fameous cathedral we had an hour for ourselves. During the spare time 'the Frog' and I went to Pizza-Hut. We were supprised because we met our classmates there. We ordered delicious meal: a pizza called 'super supreme' with tea. After a short while our pizza disappeared and we were full and happy. In the evening we arrived in Żnin. I was sleep in the room number 41, with 'the Frog', Caroline and Angelika. The room was quite small but it was OK. In the middle there was a table on which we put everything we had to eat or drink. A couple of hours later we feel asleep.
The next day we were woken up in the middle of the night (7 a.m.). Some of us took a fast morning shower, some others (including me) made a powerful coffee and the others overslept and that's why we almost missed the spectacular train to Biskupin. It was an unusual train because there was a huge draught inside (there were no windows). When we were coming back to Żnin there was a great storm with lightnings and thunders. All the people in the train were wet and cold, but it was great.
Now let me say something about Biskupin. Well, I was amazed to see this wonderful place. Only part of the settlement has been reconstructed - the gate, two rows of houses, one of the transverse streets and part of the ramport. The interiors of two of the houses have been fully recreated and the third holds an exhibition of photography showing the history of the excavations.
Every year, in the third week of September, a great archeological festival takes place in Biskupin (12th-20th September 1998), at which experts from all over Poland and from abroad demonstrate the various aspects of life in prehistoric times. The festival attacis crowds of tourists.
Before sightseeing the settlement we were in the museum where a guide told us about ancient Egypt. 'The Dawn of History on Lake Biskupin' is devoted to the history of Biskupin and its surroundings from the Late Paleolithic, when man first appeared in this area, to the Middle Ages. In the first part of the exhibition we saw a reconstructed camp of Neolithic hunters, a longhouse of the first farmers and the inhumation grave of a woman with bone armlets. In the Lusation culture the dead were usually cremated.
The third part of the exhibition is devoted to Celtic and Roman influences and early medieval times. There is a three-dimensional model of the early feudal stronghold and an exceptional silver religuary. Here we also saw excarated artefacts from the castle in the nearby village of Wenecja. We saw a reconstructed stable, sheep-fold, a barn and rick, as well as a kiln and a bread oven.
The following day most of us overslept again and our driver was mad about it. When we were coming back home we stopped in three places where we were visiting historical churches: Strzelno, Kruszwica and Łęczyca. There was, I remember, a very nice priest in Strzelno. He guided us around the two churches. The first and the bigger one was under the renovation and we couldn't see the whole beauty of it. Not the whole class visited this place because of hunger and the cold weather.
Michael, Caroline and I were the only kids, who stayed until the end of the priest's story. There were two fameous columns in the big church. There were 18 faults shown on the first column and 18 virtues on the second one. As we were told, a woman created these monuments. I was very proud because of this fact.
The small church was built in the 12th century. During the World War II someone set fire to destroy some important documents hidden there. The church was burning for a week but the walls were still there. It was rebuilt and I think it looks just great. Caroline and I decided to come back to see this wonderful place again in the nearest future. In Kruszwica we visited 'the Mouse Tower'. Of course not all of us bought a ticket to go up this tower. Oh, I remember the view over there. Lakes, lakes and lakes again. I can also recall Collegiate Church (we visited it later). There is a legend connected with the tower. We were told that many, many years ago mice ate prince Popiel who was a very evil man. It's funny because when we came downstairs our friends found a dead mouse in the puddle at the foot of the Tower. Everyone laughed at it.
The last stop we made in Łęczyca. We were to visit the castle but unfortunatelly it was closed (we were too late). We decided to go and eat something. We wanted to have a special dish but they had run out of it so we ate hot-dogs. We also attended the wedding ceremony in a local church. Oh, poor people...
In the evening we were in our great town - Skarżysko-Kamienna. I got home at about 9.30 p.m.
To conclude this trip was really fantastic! I visited manu wonderful places and I learnt about many historical events.
Moreover the non-stop party with my friends was also very cool. We didn't want to come back because school and tests were waiting for us very patiently. I became acquainted with my friends again.

You can see some photos from the trip! (A gallery, as yet, is in Polish version only.