Biskupin

Biskupin is an archaeological site in the village of Biskupin that preserves the remains of a fortified wooden settlement from the Late Bronze Age on what was once a lake peninsula. The grounds hold over one hundred reconstructed wooden and clay houses laid out along several parallel lanes inside a defensive perimeter.

The settlement was found in 1933 when dropping water levels exposed wooden palisades later dated to 738 BCE and attributed to the Lusatian culture. German archaeologists attempted during the Second World War to present the site as Germanic in origin, but later research confirmed its Slavic roots.

The settlement layout demonstrates advanced architectural planning with identical houses measuring 8 by 10 meters, connected through a network of wooden streets.

The site is best visited during the summer months when open-air events and craft demonstrations take place, while winter access is more limited. Comfortable shoes are recommended as the paths are unpaved and can be slippery after rain.

The timber of the palisades and houses was preserved by lake waters for centuries, allowing tree-ring analysis to pinpoint the construction year exactly to 738 BCE. A small section of the original fortification has been kept under a protective shelter and shows the original building method of horizontally laid logs.