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Michal Leszczynski | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gniezno tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Gniezno

Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland (in Dagome Iudex) however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around 840s A.D. Its Roman Catholic archbishop, the Archbishop of Gniezno, is the Primate of Poland. These historical facts make its position in Polish history similar to Canterbury or Rheims.

Gniezno is located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Poznań Voivodeship. The city is the administrative capital of the Gniezno County.

There are archaeological traces of human settlement since the late Paleolithic. Early Slavonic settlements on the Lech Hill and the Maiden Hill are dated to 8th century. At the beginning of the 10th century this was the site of several places sacred to the Slavic religion. The ducal stronghold was founded just before AD 940 on the Lech Hill, and surrounded with some fortified suburbs and open settlements.

According to the Polish version of legends: three brothers Lech, Czech and Rus were exploring the wilderness to find a place to settle. Suddenly they saw a hill with an old oak and an eagle on top. Lech said: this white eagle I will adopt as an emblem of my people, and around this oak I will build my stronghold, and because of the eagle nest. I will call it Gniezdno . The other brothers went further on to find a place for their people. Czech went to the South (to found the Czech Lands) and Rus went to the East (to create Ukraine).

Around 940 AD Gniezno, being an important pagan cult center, became one of the main fortresses of the early Piast rulers, along with aforementioned fortresses at Giecz, Kruszwica, Poznań, Kalisz, Łęczyca, Ostrów Lednicki, Płock, Włocławek others. Mieszko I might have moved the capital to Gniezno from Poznań after his own and his realm's baptism, but actual move of the capital to Gniezno might have coincided with a growing German menace of the late 10th century and early 11th century depositing the remains of Saint Adalbert in a newly built church, to underline Gniezno's importance as the religious centre and capital of Bolesław I Chrobry's kingdom.

It is here that the Congress of Gniezno took place in the year 1000 AD, during which Bolesław I the Brave, Duke of Poland, received Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. The emperor and the Polish duke celebrated the foundation of the Polish ecclesiastical province (archbishopric) in Gniezno, with newly established bishopric in Kołobrzeg for Pomerania; Wrocław for Silesia; Kraków for Lesser Poland and later also already existing since 968 bishopric in Poznań for western Greater Poland.

The 10th century Gniezno cathedral witnessed royal coronations of Bolesław I in 1024 and his son Mieszko II Lambert in 1025. The cities of Gniezno and nearby Poznań were captured, plundered and destroyed in 1038 by the Bohemian duke Bretislav I, which pushed the next Polish rulers to move the Polish capital to Kraków. The archiepiscopal cathedral was reconstructed by the next ruler, Boleslaus II the Generous, who was crowned king here in 1076.

In the next centuries Gniezno evolved as a regional seat of the eastern part of Greater Poland, and in 1238 municipal autonomy was granted by the duke Władysław Odonic. Gniezno was again the coronation site in 1295 and 1300.
Gniezno - Architecture
Gniezno - Architecture
Gniezno - Architecture
Gniezno - Architecture
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno - Momunent of People of the Sea
Gniezno - Momunent of People of the Sea
Park
Park
Doors
Doors
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Entrance
Entrance
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Post Office
Post Office
Gniezno - Post office
Gniezno - Post office
Information plate of Church
Information plate of Church
Entrance
Entrance
Tower of Church
Tower of Church
Interior of Church
Interior of Church
Stained Glass
Stained Glass
Altar
Altar
Church
Church
Statue of Saint Adalbert
Statue of Saint Adalbert
Gniezno
Gniezno
Architecture - Gniezno
Architecture - Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno
Entrance
Entrance
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno Cathedral
Gniezno Cathedral
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Ratuszowa Restaurant
Gniezno - Ratuszowa Restaurant
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Ratuszowa Restaurant
Gniezno - Ratuszowa Restaurant
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Architecture
Architecture
Memory plate
Memory plate
Gniezno - Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Chrobrego Street
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Boleslawa Chrobrego Street
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Sqaure with view on Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Main Sqaure with view on Chrobrego Street
Gniezno - Main  Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Fountain at Main Square
Gniezno - Fountain at Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square with view on Cathedral
Gniezno - Main Square with view on Cathedral
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - House of Craft
Gniezno - House of Craft
Gniezno - Tumska Street with view on Cathedral
Gniezno - Tumska Street with view on Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Cathedral
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Products of Order of Saint Benedict
Products of Order of Saint Benedict
Products of Order of Order of Saint Benedict
Products of Order of Order of Saint Benedict
Gniezno -  Hotel Atelier
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Interior
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Entrance
Gniezno - Hotel Atelier - Entrance
Cathedral
Cathedral
Tumska Street
Tumska Street
Tumska Street
Tumska Street
Cathedral
Cathedral
Entrance into a restaurant
Entrance into a restaurant
Doctor's House
Doctor's House
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno
Gniezno
Cathedral's window
Cathedral's window
Gniezno
Gniezno
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Gniezno - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Romanesque Road
Romanesque Road
Cathedral's Towers
Cathedral's Towers
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Entrance - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Entrance - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Stained Glass
Stained Glass
Window
Window
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Cathedral
Cathedral
Nave
Nave
Cathedral
Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Gniezno Doors
Gniezno Doors
Gniezno Doors
Gniezno Doors
Elements of architecture over Gniezno Doors
Elements of architecture over Gniezno Doors
Cathedra of Coronation
Cathedra of Coronation
Interior of Cathedral
Interior of Cathedral
Cathedral's Towers
Cathedral's Towers
Architecture of interior
Architecture of interior
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Architecture
Architecture
Stained Glasses
Stained Glasses
Stained Glass
Stained Glass
Interior
Interior
Interior
Interior
Nave
Nave
Stefan Wyszynski
Stefan Wyszynski
Nave
Nave
Nave
Nave
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Interior of Cathedral
Interior of Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Architecture
Architecture
Organs
Organs
Altar and Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech
Altar and Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech
Altar of Cathedral
Altar of Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Silver relic coffin of St. Wojciech in the Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Organs
Organs
Basilique
Basilique
Around Cathedral
Around Cathedral
Around Cathedral
Around Cathedral
Basiliques Towers
Basiliques Towers
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Basilique
Details of architecture
Details of architecture
Memory plate
Memory plate
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Flowers
Flowers
Stairs
Stairs
Basilique
Basilique
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Gniezno
Gniezno
Basilique towers
Basilique towers
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral tower
Cathedral tower
Group of cyclist near the monument of Boleslaw Chrobry
Group of cyclist near the monument of Boleslaw Chrobry
Statue of King Boleslaw Chrobry and Cathedral tower in distance
Statue of King Boleslaw Chrobry and Cathedral tower in distance
Monument of Boleslaw Chrobry
Monument of Boleslaw Chrobry
Statue of Boleslaw Chrobry
Statue of Boleslaw Chrobry
Mesco dux baptizatur - Mieszko baptized - Mieszko przyjmuje chrzest
Mesco dux baptizatur - Mieszko baptized - Mieszko przyjmuje chrzest
Statue of Boleslaw Chrobry
Statue of Boleslaw Chrobry
Hill of Lech
Hill of Lech
Basilique's tower
Basilique's tower
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Cathedral
Cathedral
Bell
Bell
Bell
Bell
Details of bell
Details of bell
Details of Bell
Details of Bell
Details of bell
Details of bell
Details of bell
Details of bell
Doors
Doors
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture of Cathedral
Architecture of Cathedral
Gniezno
Gniezno
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Cathedral
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Gniezno - Tumska Street
Window
Window
Gniezno
Gniezno
Cathedral
Cathedral
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno - Main Square
Gniezno
Gniezno
Holly Trinity Church
Holly Trinity Church
Tower of Holly Trinity Church
Tower of Holly Trinity Church
Gniezno
Gniezno
Lantern
Lantern
Flowers
Flowers
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Church
Church
Gniezno
Gniezno
Church's tower
Church's tower
Gniezno - First Capital of Poland
Gniezno - First Capital of Poland