I. the Archaeological Investigation in Gliwice – an Introduction

I. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION IN GLIWICE – AN INTRODUCTION In reconstructing the medieval and post-medieval walls as part of the nationwide “Millennial” project of townscape of Gliwice, we have to rely on assorted research organised on the eve of the 1000th anniver- sources: written accounts, the iconographical record sary of Poland in the 1960s. Studies were continued and, increasingly, evidence from archaeology. These during the 1960s and the 1980s and helped identify can help us clarify various questions related to the the site of the Racibórz Gate. In recent years, an in- functioning of the city in the past. Despite the rela- vestigation was undertaken next to the parish church tively limited archival resources available,1 many of All Saints and a series of archaeological watching elements of its infrastructure are now relatively well briefs led by development projects within the historic understood based on many years of study of the urban district of Gliwice were completed. plans and development, and from the evidence gained The history of Gliwice has been reconstructed from archaeological and architectural research. from written, iconographical and archaeological Although the status of archaeological research evidence. carried out in Gliwice has been discussed at more Gliwice is at present one of the principal cities length by H. Wojciechowska (1995) and M. Fur- of Upper Silesia. It lies in an unremarkable central manek (2001; 2004), the intensification of urban area of the Silesian Highlands, within the geographic development projects over the last decade accompa- mesoregion of the Katowice Highland, in the basin of nied by archaeological investigation, mostly rescue the middle and the lower Kłodnica River (Fig. 2). excavations, brings forward new evidence relevant The origins of the town commune go back to for tracing the city’s past history. the 13th century. The oldest district, dating from the Even in the period before the Second World War, Middle Ages, is easily identifiable in the townscape the city and its surrounding area were under active of modern Gliwice. Although the exact date of the conservator activity. The result of which was the town’s incorporation is unknown, it would have discovery and recording of a number of archaeologi- taken place in the second half of the 13th century, cal features, most of which were lost to the urban before 1276 (Horwat, Jedynak 1986, pp. 47–48). As development of Gliwice after the war (Fig. 1). evidence for this date, we have a document associated The rebuilding of the historic Old Town district with the sale of the village of Sobiszowice in which was accompanied by more intensive archaeologi- Gliwice is referred to as civitas . The founding of the cal-architectural work, mostly of an ad hoc nature. town is attributed to the initiative of Duke Władysław During the 1950s, a study was conducted of the city of Opole who took over the Duchy of Opole-Racibórz in 1246. This hypothesis is also confirmed by the fact 1 Very few source documents and iconocraphiciconographical that the same duke granted town charters to a dozen- resources survive to reconstruct the buildings of the medieval odd other centres in Upper Silesia. and modern periods of Gliwice. They include the city’s urbaria A much-discussed point, relevant for the process from 1534 and 1580/96, the oldest townscape by F.B. Werner of the formation of the chartered town, is the pre-in- (18th century), the painting from 1626 commemorating the city’s rescue during the Thirty Years’ War (now in the All corporation status of the Stare Gliwice [Old Gliwice, Saints’ Church), and its 19th century copy held by the Museum Alt-Gleiwitz] district (Barciak 1995; Horwat, Jedy- in Gliwice. There are, also, some maps and plans of the town, nak 1986, p. 48). Its position outside the later city th none of them earlier than the 18 century. centre suggests the relocation of an older settlement 7 INTRODUCTION Fig. 1. Location of the Old Town district in Gliwice. Critical analysis M. Furmanek to a new site. However, new input from archaeologi- In 1482, the divided city once more became one cal research is needed to resolve this matter. and, and after 1492, with some diplomatic effort, it During the 13th century, Gliwice was part of the passed to Duke John II Dobry of Opole. After his Duchy of Opole, and after a time, of the Duchy of death in 1532, and the extinction of the Opole line Bytom-Koźle. In 1334, the land of Gliwice was of the Silesian Piast, Gliwice passed into Austrian sold to Duke Leszek of Racibórz. Two years later Habsburg rule, which continued until 1740. In 1558, the Duchy of Gliwice was formed, ruled by Duke the Emperor Ferdinand leased the city and its village Siemowit. After his death, the town was ruled by holdings to Friedrich Zettritz. In the late 16th century, Bolesław, the last of the Bytom-Koźle line of the the townspeople of Gliwice purchased the rights of Upper Silesian Piast dukes. In the period 1370–1482 sovereignty over their city and its village holdings for Gliwice was divided into two parts and remained 27,000 thalers, legitimizing its status as a free royal under the rule of the Piast dukes from the Cieszyn city. Unfortunately, in 1601 a great fire destroyed and the Oleśnica line (Horwat, Jedynak 1986, pp. almost all of its timber buildings. 48–50). An important event in the medieval history When the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) broke of the town was the Hussite incursion of 1430. The out, the city, ruled at the time by the Habsburgs, was armies led by Sigismund Korybut, pretender to the dragged into the armed conflict (Fig. 2). In mid-Au- Bohemian throne, and by Dobko Puchała (Puchalla), gust of 1626, an attempt by Protestant troops led by invaded and wrought destruction on Gliwice. For Ernst von Mansfeld to storm the town was unsuccess- a time, the town continued as a Hussite centre in ful; however, it suffered heavy damage. In gratitude Upper Silesia. In 1431, Gliwice was recaptured by for its loyalty and staunch resistance, Ferdinand II Duke Konrad the White of Oleśnica-Koźle. After reconfirmed the earlier privileges of Gliwice and in 1475, real power in Gliwice was exercised by the 1629 granted the town a new coat of arms. The city armies of the Hungarian King, Matthias Corvinus. came under the control of the Kingdom of Prussia in 8 INTRODUCTION Fig. 2. The Siege of Gliwice, c. 1629. A painting from All Saints Church in Gliwice the wake of the Silesian Wars and the Seven Years’ of a number of corn mills. Up until the 17th century, War that were fought by Austria and Prussia between the cloth trade was another important activity (Pio- the years 1740 and 1763. trowska-Andruszków 1986). During the early period, the main source of eco- The end of the 18th century brought an increased nomic prosperity for Gliwice was commerce based on development of heavier industry, especially metallur- local production. The trade in hops and brewery pro- gy. In 1796, the first blast furnace for smelting iron, duction played an important role in the economic life fuelled with charcoal, went into operation at nearby of the town. Malt houses or breweries are mentioned Królewska Huta [Königshütte, now Chorzów]. in the oldest surviving documents. A reference from The newly developing industry attracted an influx 1339 mentions one friar John, a brewer of Gliwice of people and resulted in changes in the urban plan as (Barciak 1995, pp. 38–39). From the Middle Ages the town expanded gradually to occupy the suburban onwards, the town became an important distillery area (Radziewicz-Winnicki, Małusecki 2002). In the centre in Upper Silesia. 19th century, the administrative differences between The surrounding villages were also involved in the city and its suburbs were abolished. The main non-agricultural activity. We have written refer- communication axis and, at the same time, the high ences (from 1276) to a fulling mill, a public house, street of the city (today’s Zwycięstwa Street) linked a slaughterhouse and a shoemaker at Sobiszowice. the Market Square with the railway station. The his- In 1286, the village headman of Ostropa was granted toric district of the Old Town survived through all the right to run a public house with a brewery. There this change but surrendered its function as the city’s was fish farming in the fishponds at Ostropa, Stare administrative centre to a new downtown district Gliwice, and in the town itself. There is also evidence [today’s Śródmieście]. 9 INTRODUCTION URBAN LAYOUT AND INFRASTRUCTURE Gliwice was founded on a small elevation sloping ha making it a medium-sized urban centre in Upper towards the Kłodnica River, taking advantage of the Silesia (Fig. 3). area’s naturally defensive features, such as marshes The main buildings of the communal town were and lakes to the north-east. Next to administrative the Town Hall and the parish church of All Saints and legal privileges, the chartered town was provided (Radziewicz-Winnicki, Małusecki 1999). The found- with a distinctive urban plan – sub-oval in shape, ing of the parish and its central church is placed in the its long axis aligned north-west to south-east – with second half of the 13th century (Barciak 1995, p. 42). a nearly square market as its centre. The Market The original patron of the parish church is no longer Square was the focal point within a regular grid known, its present-day name appears in the written of streets, two issuing from each corner. Another sources only after 1467 (Furmanek 2003).

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