CULTURE
Settlement
Setting aside the
valley's natural beauty, our Biebrza, has a long and diverse past of
historical influences, coming from many different cultures and religions.
The feared Teutonic Knights and the pagan tribes of Jacwing left traces of
the life in Middle Ages. Settlers originating from Russia, Lithuania and
the Mazowsze province colonised Biebrza Marshes since the
15th century. The 16th century bought the Jewish
culture to the valley of Biebrza. It just takes a closer look to find
evidence of all these nations, which are still present in today's
language, religion and customs.
More about the history of Jew's sztetls on the web pages:
http://www.radzilow.com
http://www.szczuczyn.com
http://www.wizna.com
Traditions Still
Living
Located in the Southern Basin of the Biebrza Valley near Wizna, the
small village of Wierciszewo is definitely worth a visit. Local farmers
have to ferry their cattle across the waters of Biebrza similar to their
ancestors of the past. If you never have seen cattle swim across a river,
check out the small villages of Dolistowo or Brzostowo. This is all that
remains of the once thriving rural community that once inhabited our
Biebrza. Folk customs that still thrive here in Biebrza include,
embroidering, basket weaving, religious cross smiting and carving. The
women of Lipsk, according to past custom use wax to decorate eggs for
Easter every year. Many places (Janow, Korycin, Goniadz) continue the art
of handy-crafts using double fabricated loom machines. These specialized
pieces of textile art were made for altars in churches as well as for
banquet tables and ornamental purposes in manors. Later, by rich peasant
families these pieces of fabric symbolised the brides'
dowries.
Osowiec Fortress
The Osowiec Fortress complex is arguably the most important monument of the Biebrza Valley. The Tsar for defence against the Germans erected this huge fortification complex, situated in the difficult to access marshes. Osowiec Fortress consists of four sub-complexes forming a quadrangle at the junction of the lower and middle basin. Complex Two, the ruins near Osowiec village and Complex One, where is located Museum of Fortress can be visited by tourists with a guide. Complex One is open only to Poles, with the exception of foreigners who have a proper military pass, acquired at the Ministry of Defence in Warsaw.
Sites Worth a Visit While Passing Through the
Biebrza Valley:
- Augustowski Canal. The construction of
the Augustowski Canal first started taking place in the year 1824. The
main idea behind the construction of this hydrotechnical achievement was
to avoid Prussian taxes. The Canal connects the Vistula and Niemen
catchment areas. At the villages of Dębowo and Sosnowo, the sluice complex
can be an interesting place to pass away the time.
- Wizna was a metropolitan centre of the early Middle Ages. The beginning of the present town of Wizna can be view on its outskirts where a huge mound of dirt is standing; this is a former site of a medieval stronghold.
- The wooden churches in Jaminy and
Stara Kamienna constructed in 1780 and 1610
respectively.
- The old wooden Orthodox Church called
"Molenna" in Gabowe Grady.
- Old wooden wind mills in Dolistowo,
Zabiele, Suchowola and Kamienna Stara.
- Water mills at the towns of Goniądz and
Karwowo.
- Jaglowo is one of the oldest most
preserved villages of the Biebrza valley. Here one can view cows crossing
the waters of Biebrza, and some of the traditional wooden architectures of
its past times.
- Many isolated villages possess
traditional wooden buildings with wooden crane wells, chapels, and metal
roadside markings, which have an unforgettable charm, so rarely found in
modern times.
A.Wiśniewski, BPN
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