If someone does not know where the homeland of the Polish nation is, then you should visit Gniezno. It is to this relatively small town that the Poles themselves today attribute such a characteristic. It was here, according to legend, that Lech saw an eagle that adorns the national emblem of Poland today. Rumor has it that there was no eagle, but noticing the beauty and fertility of the local lands, Lech simply could not pass by, and therefore founded a city here, called Gniezno, in honor of the nest of that very legendary white eagle.
Historians say that the first settlement, at least which archaeologists managed to find, appeared here in 990. Also around this time, the first mentions of the city of Gniezno appear in the historical chronicles of European kingdoms. In those days, there was a large residence of Polish princes, and then the capital of the small Pyatov kingdom that existed in the Middle Ages..
The main attraction of the city is considered to be the church, which is the most beautiful and oldest Catholic monument in Poland. The first religious buildings were erected here in 970, that is, before the official foundation of the city. By the way, it is in the modern church that the remains of St. Wojciech lie, very revered by the Poles. In 1000, the cathedral became a cathedral, but it was rebuilt many times and turned into a Gothic one, and after, as the architects say, into an archcathedral — this is how it looks today..
The second attraction of Gniezno is the statue of Boleslav the Brave. The monument was opened at the beginning of the last century, but the Nazis demolished it with the arrival in Poland. Therefore, the statue was erected in its place again, but after the war..
The Lech Hill, on which the city itself stands, stands on the shores of the beautiful Lake Olenek, or, as it is commonly called today, Yelenek. Nearby there is a large Gniezno Museum, which contains large collections of various documents and monuments dating back to the founding of the first Polish states, and then the Commonwealth. The museum was built about forty years ago and immediately collected many exhibits that are available today to all tourists visiting Gniezno. There is a lot of interesting things for all visitors to the city. The peculiar culture of these places will delight you with hospitality, and in the evenings you will find interesting concerts on the main square of the city, historical reconstructions and a lot of entertainment venues..
