Last weekend, we took part in another edition of the European Heritage Days, which this year had the theme “Discovering the Region’s History and Architecture.”

On Saturday, participants in the bike tour “Where Monks in White Robes…” (organized by PTTK Piła and PTTK Wągrowiec) visited, among other places, the church in Tarnów Pałucki—one of the oldest wooden churches in Poland. It was here that the history of architecture on Polish soil began, with wood serving as the primary building material for centuries. Another highlight of the program was the Ł3 archaeological site in Łekno/Tarnów Pałucki, which was restored by volunteers as part of the “Together for Cultural Heritage” program of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Here, the participants learned more about the history of the transition from wooden construction to masonry—from the pre-Romanesque rotunda dating back to the time of Bolesław the Brave, through the Romanesque oratory, to the Gothic expansion of the monastery church. This extraordinary place offers a chance to observe, on a small scale, how the history of monumental architecture on Polish soil has taken shape.

On Sunday, however, a Nordic walking tour titled “In the Footsteps of the Cistercians” took place in the Dębina Nature Reserve. It was led by certified instructor Honorata Mazur. Before the participants set out, they listened to a lecture on the activities of the Cistercians, their economy, and their influence on the cultural landscape. The Dębina Nature Reserve is part of the former monastery forest (Magna Silva), where oak trees planted by the Cistercians in the 18th century still stand. After the hike, everyone enjoyed a snack prepared by the Wiatrowiec Rural Women’s Association. The mayor of Wągrowiec, Małgorzata Chmielarz, also took part in the event and emphasized how important it is to combine physical activity with the promotion of local cultural heritage. The excursion concluded with a commemorative photo in front of the famous “Korfantym”—a natural monument and one of the nature reserve’s most recognizable symbols.