Discover the treasures of medieval Poland at the Ducal Tower in Siedlęcin.
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The ducal tower of Siedlęcin is the largest residential tower in Poland. Located in Lower Silesia, it was completed in the early 14th century and its history goes back to the first Polish Piast dynasty. The only one of its kind in the world, the tower contains a marvellous fresco from the time of its construction, depicting the legend of Lancelot of the Lake and his love affair with Queen Guinevere, King Arthur's famous wife. This medieval residence, which retains its charm of yesteryear, boasts a magnificent original framework and a wooden tile roof that was laid after the fire of the 16th century and crowns the masterpiece of Duke Henryk I Jaworski, the founder of the tower of Siedlęcin.
Siedlęcin, where the construction work will take place, is a small village situated on the Bóbr River, through which many tourist trails pass. Nearby attractions include Poland's largest stone dam, Silesia's oldest stone castle (Wleń/Lenno), numerous traditional vernacular country houses, the Valley of Palaces and Gardens or the Piast Castle Trail, and last but not least, some of Europe's oldest mountains: the Sudetes, brimming with legends and mysterious stories.
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The aim of the project is to maintain the tower and its surroundings, document archaeological remains and carry out an experimental archaeology project. The project will involve reproducing 15th-century ceramic stove tiles. Using traditional methods, volunteers will recreate tiles based on pieces discovered during archaeological excavations.
Tasks will include:
- Chiseling wooden molds, molding tiles and glazing them - Documenting the remains of historic walls and surrounding structures
- Conservation of the manor's wooden structures (for use by volunteers, in the communal areas in front of the dormitories).
The site will be supervised by a technical archaeology supervisor, under the supervision of a professor of medieval archaeology from Krakow University. During leisure activities, by a REMPART activity leader.
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Group living and accommodation
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The castle complex has a dormitory (in the late 18th-century manor house in front of the tower, which is currently being renovated), a bathroom with a public toilet, a toilet for volunteers, a shared washbasin and a shower for volunteers only, which is best used outside tower visiting hours.
Lunch is provided by a local cook who prepares Polish specialities. Breakfast and dinner are prepared in turn by volunteers under the supervision of the animators (ingredients are purchased according to the volunteers' needs). Meals are served in the outdoor relaxation area, overlooking the tower.
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Leisure and other activities
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One or two full-day excursions will be organized to visit other historical monuments that are part of our association's activities. We'll also give one or two free days to enjoy hiking in the nearby mountains. During two afternoons, there will be shorter walks to interesting sites around Siedlęcin.
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No specific skills are required to take part.
In the days following your pre-registration, the International Relations Department will contact you by e-mail to arrange a telephone conversation.
This will enable us to get to know you better and give you more details about the workcamp (organization, arrival arrangements, etc.).
You can ask us any questions you may have, and let us know what you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
You will then receive a roadmap summarizing all useful information about the site.
Meet us on August 10, in the afternoon, at the Jelenia Gora train station, where the host association will pick you up and take you by car to Siedlecin.
You can get there by bus or train from Wrocław, the capital of the region. To get to Wrocław you can take a plane; there are routes with a stopover at Wrocław airport, or alternatively you can take a direct bus from Paris to Wrocław.
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