Henryków, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Medieval village in Lower Silesia, Poland
Henryków is a village in Lower Silesia centered around a large Cistercian monastery surrounded by tall stone walls and featuring architectural elements from multiple construction periods. The complex includes several buildings arranged around courtyards that reflect the monks' daily routines and work spaces.
The monastery was founded in 1227 by Cistercian monks and quickly became a major center for education and agriculture in the region. The monks shaped the village and its surroundings for centuries through their religious and economic activities.
The Book of Henryków, created in the monastery during the 13th century, holds the earliest written sentence in the Polish language. This document shows how people here started recording their own language at a time when Latin dominated written texts.
The village is best explored on foot, as the main sites are close together and most paths feature old cobblestone surfaces. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow time for a slow walk through the monastery complex.
The monastery library holds manuscripts that show how Polish speakers began distinguishing their language from Latin and how scribes attempted to record their native tongue. These documents remain invaluable today for scholars studying the origins of written Polish.
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