We would like to invite you to the Museum of Polish History for an open lecture entitled "The Royal Residence. Ostrów Lednicki w świetle badań archeologicznych", which will be delivered by Dr Andrzej Kowalczyk. The event accompanies the Polish History Museum's temporary exhibition "1025. The Birth of the Kingdom".

The castle functioning on an island on Lake Lednica was one of the most important places of the state of the first Piasts. A stone palace was erected there - a building combining the function of a residence and a chapel. Researchers mention it as one of the places where the baptism of Mieszko I may have taken place.
Due to the fact that few early medieval written sources have survived to date to bring us closer to the times of the first rulers of Poland, scientists derive their knowledge of this period by conducting specialised archaeological research. Such research, combining various disciplines, has been conducted at Ostrów Lednicki for over 60 years.

The Museum of the First Piasts is responsible for preserving and processing the priceless artefacts that have been found. Dr Andrzej Kowalczyk, director of the local museum and co-curator of our exhibition "1025. The Birth of the Kingdom", will tell us how much we can learn about the first kingdom from the monuments preserved in Ostrów.

About the leader
Andrzej Kowalczyk is a doctor of archaeology who has been associated with the Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica for almost 20 years. He has been its director since 2024. He has conducted research at many archaeological sites in Poland. In his scientific activity, he combines various research methods - also underwater and aerial archaeology. He is the initiator and manager of the research "Project Lednica - together for saving monuments".
In addition, he has managed scientific projects subsidised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Local Government of the Wielkopolska Region, such as: "Anthropopressure and archaeological heritage. Example of Lednicki Park Krajobrazowy" and "Between Land, Water and Air. The example of the Lednicki Landscape Park". As a curator, he has prepared over a dozen exhibitions. He is co-author of the exhibition "1025. The Birth of the Kingdom" currently on display at the Museum of Polish History.