Lędziny, a Day Trip

I had read a lot about the city of Lędziny (read: "lendzeeny)" located close to Tychy, where we are staying, and thought of visiting it. Lędziny lies on the hills called Pagóry Jaworznickie, which are a part of the Silesian Upland. Between 1150 and 1160, the village was in possession of Jaksa of Miechów, who later donated it to the Benedictines. Since 1242, it belonged to the Benedictine convent. However, it became a private property in 1555 and was owned by Duke Baltazar Promnitz. In 1742, it was incorporated into Prussia. During the Second Silesian Rising of 1920, it was a bitter battlefield of the Polish people and the Germans. In 1922, Lędziny was within the Polish boundaries.

In the decade 1966-1975, Lędziny was an independent town, but then it was incorporated into the city of Tychy. Its status changed again, when Lędziny, Goławiec, Górki, Hołdunów, Smardzowice were granted together municipal rights and became one administrative unit (“gmina” in Polish). Its next-door neighbors are Katowice, Tychy, Mysłowice, Bieruń, Imielin and Chełm Śląski, which means in practical terms that Lędziny is right in the middle of the Silesian conurbation. All the towns have very good road and rail connections.

We decided to pay a visit to Lędziny one Sunday. It took us about an hour to get to the first point of our visit in the city – St.Clemence Church.

Henryk's Oak (on the above picture, left) was planted in memory of Father Henryk Głuch (parish priest of St. Anne's parish in 1981-1996) in the square in Lędzińska Street, the main city street. There are a few benches around the oak, where you can sit and take a rest for a while.
Lędziny is in Bieruń-Lędziny District in southern Poland, in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. Lędziny, with its area of about 31 square kilometers and 16,000 residents, is a city with a rich history. The city does not have a high-density building area. There are many agricultural fields, forests and industrial areas stretching between the city quarters.

Ziemowit coalmine, Lędziny

Motobikers at Ziemowit Coalmine's slagheap, Lędziny

Ziemowit coalmine's slagheap is popular with quadbikers, Lędziny

At Ziemowit Coalmine, Peace Avenue, Lędziny

Out of 77 companies. Ziemowit Coal Mine is the chief industrial enterprise in Lędziny. We walked along Peace Avenue at the end of our day’s stay in Lędziny and walked up the coalmine’s slagheap to get nice views of the countryside. It was a great experience.

By the way, you can have a bite at Karlik Bistro located near the coalmine entrance. Therefore, if you have no lunchbox with you or if you are thirsty, no problem even here, far from the city center, at 4 Peace Street.

Lędziny is well-known for its parish that is considered one of the oldest on Upper Silesia. The first mention about the parish dates back to the 13th century. The present church was built in 1769 on a small hill called St.Clemence Hill commonly referred to by locals as Klimont.
The church became one of the most characteristic landmarks in Lędziny. The church area is a good vantage point. We saw the tower of Ziemowit Coal Mine from the hill, and when we went to the coalmine’s slagheap, we saw St.Clemence Church from that artificial hill.

According to an old legend, Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius, the Apostles of the Slavs, came on an evangelization mission to Silesia in the 9th century. Many people say that the place where they could have preached the Good News was the hill named Klemensowa Góra (St.Clemence Hill) in Lędziny.

The hill, on which Saint Clemence Church stands, is clearly visible from afar. The Baroque church was built in 1769-1772. It impressed the residents and visitors so much and blended so well with the landscape that its image was even placed in the coat-of-arms of the city, which is not a frequent case in Poland, at least in Silesia.

A view of St.Clemence Hill from the coalmine's slagheap, Lędziny

We saw St.Clemence Hill from the slagheap of Ziemowit coalmine, when we walked up to the top. Great views from there!

Numerous housing projects in Lędziny

A nice view from St.Clemence Hill, Lędziny

My favorite house in Lędziny.

Lędziny is known for its diversified countryside and numerous recreation and leisure opportunities. Even though it is a small city, it is clean and neat and can be very attractive for travelers.

Johanna and Friedrich Schleiermacher Park, Lędziny

Shopping mall in Lędzińska Street, Lędziny

The housing estate of about 400 Finnish cottages is another characteristic landmark of Lędziny. The cottages are in the area surrounding Jesus the King Church, in Clemence Szewczyk Street, Waryńskiego Street, Lewandowska Street and in Boleslaw Chrobry Square. They were built in the late 1940s. The houses reached Poland in two ways. The first was a direct purchase from Finland, and the second was trade with the USSR, which received those houses from Finland as war reparations, and then sent them to Poland in exchange for coal.

Monuments in Lędziny

Jesus Christ statue at the entrance to the church cemetery, Lędziny

The houses in the Finnish district were supposed to last for 25 years. Many houses are still standing today, and many of them were reconstructed, redesigned, and new rooms and roofs were added. Overall, the cottages are in good condition and specialists say they can last for 200 years.

Finnish houses became a panacea for housing problems in post-war Silesia, where new settlers came to work in the coal mines after World War II, before the era of large panels, simple and quick-to-build houses dominated the landscape. The Finnish house estate stood out not only with the characteristic architecture of the cottages, but also with their black color. It was not a result of a deliberate design, but simply a lack of colored paints. The houses were painted with engine oil, hence the black color. All the houses looked almost the same, as old city residents recalled, and since there were no fences or numbers on the houses yet, you could easily knock at a wrong door and frighten the residents.

There are three hiking trails located here:

• The Szlak Krawędziowy GOP (GOP edged hiking trail) from West to East, 78 km long,
• the Jan Kudera Trail from Błędów through Goławiec and Górki to Bieruń Stary, 21.5 km long,
• the Hołdunowski Trail, leading from Ławki through Hołdunów to Imielin, 22 km long.

The name "Plac Farski" refers to the centuries-old history of this area. It used to belong to the rectory building, the so-called "Parish". It was a place linked with St.Clemence Church. This is from where the settlement sprang.
Farski Square looks very nice and cozy. There is also a multimedia fountain, but since it was autumn, the fountain was closed and covered with tarpaulin. We also admired the city clock tower and the city library.
We approached the famous old church bell that stands in the middle of the square. The inscription on the memorial plaque reads,
This bell was cast in bronze around 1540. For almost five centuries it preached the Glory to God and accompanied the inhabitants of Lędziny in good and bad times.
The last time it resounded in 2003 from the bell tower of Saint Anna in Lędziny.
The bell with a new heart found its new place in Farski Square. It is a witness to the history of the city and its inhabitants.

The story about the old church bell on the memorial plaque contains the image of the 1540 bell and starts with our Lady's prayer in Latin and in Polish, AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM BENEDICTA TU.
ZDROWAŚ MARYJO, ŁASKI PEŁNA, PAN Z TOBĄ, BŁOGOSŁAWIONAŚ TY.

The main town square has dimensions of about 55 x 35 m. It is closed from the north by a new frontage with a dominant clock tower with a passage on the ground floor. During the recent renovation - “Revitalization of the historical center of Lędziny – Farski Square” – an amphitheater was created in the form of concrete benches that are used as seats on clear days. A fountain was installed in the central part of the square. In addition to the fountain, a stone belfry for the medieval bell, dating back to 1540, one of the oldest in the Silesian Province, was built. On the upper level of the square, an open-air scene was made. It was named "The stage under the linden trees". This is where different concerts, meetings with artists, and children's performances take place. The whole composition of the square is completed by rows of lanterns and benches. The busy Lędzińska Street was limited by adding a row of trees and recreating a stone wall and a historic gate.

Entrance Gate to Farski Square, Lędziny

Festival Stage, Farski Square, Lędziny

We admired the clock tower and the library building that stands in the main square, especially the inscription above the entrance door of the city library.

Inscription at the entrance door of the City Library in Lędziny

The inscription in German reads, Bewahre, Gott, vor Unglück dieses Haus und alle, die da ziehen in und aus. -
Save, God, this house and all those who move in and out of it from misfortune.

Houses in Lędziny

We liked numerous old brown-brick houses built in Silesian style.

We also managed to visit several churches in the city.

Visiting Christ the King Church, Lędziny

Christ the King Church, Lędziny

St.Anna's Church, Lędziny

Our Lady's Holy Rosary Church, Lędziny

Holy Trinity Church, Lędziny

Like in every city, there are graffiti on the walls of fences in Lędziny. They are all connected with soccer fans and represent soccer fan symbols.

Graffiti in Lędziny

Travelling to Lędziny