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CHECINY |
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Five kilometres south of Jaskinia Raj along the Kraków road (at the
end of the #31 bus route), the little town of CHECINY makes for an
interesting historical diversion. A sleepy provincial town nestled
peacefully at the foot of the overlooking hill, and focused around a
characteristic open square, the town looks and feels like the kind of
place where nothing much has or is ever going to happen. Though there's
not a great deal to see, as often, an awareness of historical context
lends places like this their peculiar aura of poignancy mingled with
charm. For centuries Checiny, like many towns in the surrounding area,
was a typical Polish shtetl , with Jews making up more than half the
population. The Jews are gone now, but the buildings they created remain
- synagogue, merchant houses, cemetery - in silent testimony to their
age-long presence. Look carefully at some of the houses on and around
the square, for example, and you can still see the spot on the doorpost
where the mezuzah ripped out by the Nazis once sat.
On one side of the square stands the Parish Koscíól sw. Jozefa (St
Joseph's Church), an unremarkable place notable mainly for its organ,
built in the 1680s and still functioning with the help of its intricate
original mechanical action. A short walk along ul. Dluga is the former
synagogue , a characteristically solid brick structure with a two-tiered
roof built in the early seventeenth century. Like many former synagogues
this is now a cultural centre, but as with all too many other former
Jewish places of worship, a few decorative features apart there's been
little attempt to preserve anything of the original features of the
building, the main prayer hall now functioning as a weekend disco
complete with glittering lights illuminating the empty frame of the Aron
Ha Kodesh. More encouragingly, the place has recently acquired a sign
that at least indicates its previous function.
If you're feeling reasonably fit it's worth scrambling up the hill
behind the square to the imposing castle ruins perched at the top
(Tues-Sun 9am-6pm; 1zl). Completed in the 1310s for King Wladyslaw I and
remodelled three centuries later, following major destruction by the
Swedes, this strategically significant outpost was eventually allowed to
slide into ruin. All that remains today is the polygonal plan of the
outer wall, the main gate and a couple of towers, which you can wander
around freely. What really makes the trek up worthwhile is the excellent
views over the surrounding countryside, with Kielce, and on a clear day,
the Swietokrzyskie Mountains visible in the distance. Scrambling down
the hill right of the castle brings you to the evocative Jewish cemetery
, crumbling and overgrown, but with a fair number of carved tombstones
still in evidence.
For an overnight stay you're limited to the rudimentary youth hostel at
ul. Bialego Zaglebia 1 (tel 041/315 1068); or the Franciskanski Osrodek
Rekolekcyjny , ul Franciskanska 10 (tel 041/315 1069,
fran@kielce.opoka.org.pl ) in Fransiscan monastery buildings in triples
or multi-bed dorms. For a bite to eat, about your only option is the bar
at ul. Lokietka 26, a short way down the hill from the Rynek, a local
beer- and vodka-swiller's haunt that provides the bare culinary minimum.
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