Lake Długie and the Węsiory Stone Circles

Lake Długie near Węsiory in Kashubia is a quiet, forest-fringed lake in itself, but on its northern shore lies something exceptional: a burial ground of the Goths and Gepids with stone circles and barrows nearly two thousand years old. It is one of the highlights of the Kashubian Stone Circles Trail — a lakeside walk here comes with a dose of archaeology.

The lake and the circles

The burial ground lies about 1.5 km south of Węsiory village, on a high hill above the north-western shore of Lake Długie. It was founded in the 70s and 80s AD, when Goths and Gepids arrived in Pomerania from what is now southern Sweden, and remained in use until the 3rd century. Three stone circles and part of a fourth survive, along with about 20 barrows. The largest circle is 26 metres across, made of boulders about 1.5 metres high; some circles have a single stone stele at their centre.

What to see

• The stone circles, with boulders set upright at regular intervals — the stones were lightly worked so that their smoother face points inward.
• The barrows, with circular bases from 4 to 16 metres across, sometimes topped with steles.
• The Court Circle — the largest, in the upper part of the site, and the only one without burials.
• Lake Długie itself, with wooded shores at the foot of the hill.
• A reconstructed Gothic settlement in Węsiory, which hosts concerts, pottery workshops, combat shows and so-called Gothic feasts.

Did you know?

Unlike at other Gothic cemeteries, the dead in Węsiory were buried inside the stone circles. Excavations in 1956 covered 3 circles, 16 barrows and 110 burials, both cremations and inhumations, and the finds went to the Archaeological Museum in Gdańsk. The circles are thought to have been places for tribal assemblies, known as things, where disputes were settled and sacrifices made. The digs at Węsiory inspired Zbigniew Nienacki's 1960 young-adult novel "Skarb Atanaryka" (Athanaric's Treasure).

Tripto tip

Węsiory lies in Sulęczyno municipality (Kartuzy county), on regional road 228. An easy trail of about 3 km leads to the circles and the lake; allow 1–1.5 hours for the walk and the circles. Stay on the marked paths, do not climb on the stones or move them — this is an archaeological site. The lake shores are wooded, so do not expect a developed beach; bring comfortable shoes and insect repellent. The light on the hill is often at its best in the late afternoon.