Stary Olkusz Hillfort

Less than 3 km west of Olkusz town centre lie the remains of a medieval stronghold: a deep moat, two rings of earthen ramparts and the ruins of the Gothic Church of St John the Baptist. This is where the town's story begins – before Olkusz moved to its present site, it stood here. The hillfort is still a puzzle for researchers, and the old location lives on in the name of the Stary Olkusz ("Old Olkusz") district.

History: a stronghold of silver and lead

The stronghold was circular, about 80 m across. Nobody knows exactly when it was built; it is thought to date from the 12th century. It was probably destroyed at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries during Polish-Bohemian fighting in the period of feudal fragmentation, and at about that time, in the late 13th century, the town moved around 3 km east. Archaeological excavations in the burnt layer turned up arrowheads, crossbow bolts, spurs, pottery fragments and many objects made of local silver and lead, dated to the 13th and 14th centuries.

A church on the ashes

Probably still in the 14th century, the Gothic Church of St John the Baptist, surrounded by a cemetery, was built on the site of the burnt stronghold. In the 16th century it was turned into a chapel, which survived until the 17th or 18th century – sources differ. The walls and crypts of the church remain, and in 1937 a monument with a cross and a plaque recalling the church's history was placed on the wall of the former chancel.

Saved from the spoil heaps

In the 1960s the Society of Friends of the Olkusz Land saved the hillfort and the church walls from being buried under spoil heaps from the local zinc and lead mine. At that time the 16th-century altar from St John's was moved to the Basilica of St Andrew in central Olkusz, where it can still be seen today. Traces of medieval mining survive near the hillfort.

Tripto tips

The hillfort is open land with no tickets or visitor facilities, and it can be rather neglected, so wear sturdy shoes when the grass is high or after rain – the ramparts and moat are steep. 30–45 minutes is enough to walk around the ramparts and ruins. Combine the walk with a visit to the Basilica of St Andrew, home of the altar from Stary Olkusz. The site lies on the "Hillfort and Open-Air Museum" cycling route, making it a good target for a short bike ride from the centre.