Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park in Chorzów

Silesia, with its rich history and unique cultural heritage, attracts not only with its industrial landscape, but also with places that reveal and nurture the region's past. One such treasure is Museum of the Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park in Chorzówalso known as the Chorzów open-air museum. Situated in the picturesque grounds of the Silesian Park, this museum offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the history and everyday life of the region's inhabitants hundreds of years ago.

History and establishment of the Museum

The Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum was established in 1975 on the initiative of the Katowice Province authorities and committed historians and ethnographers. The idea was to create a place that would preserve Silesia's material heritage - houses, farm buildings and everyday utensils - for future generations. The first objects came to the museum back in the 1970s, and over the following decades the park was successively expanded.

Today, the open-air museum houses more than 70 historic wooden architecture buildings, brought here from various parts of Upper Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin. Each of them is a unique example of old building technology, but more importantly, they reflect the atmosphere of life in the Silesian countryside and small towns before industrialisation.

Architecture and layout of the museum

Walking through the open-air museum, you can be transported back in time and experience the atmosphere of the old villages. The museum has been organised in a way that resembles the natural layout of a Silesian village. Entering the open-air museum, visitors pass through a gate styled on the historical entrances to rural settlements. Numerous buildings await visitors, including traditional peasant cottages, craftsmen's houses, inns, barns, mills and chapels.

Cottages and peasants' houses is the focal point of the exhibition, and each is different - both in terms of architecture and furnishings. Here you will see interiors from the 19th century, with tiled cookers, wooden benches, hand-woven carpets and everyday implements that perfectly reflect the hardship and simplicity of life at the time.

In addition to the residential buildings, an important part of the open-air museum is the outbuildingsThe museum features barns, granaries and cowsheds. In each of them, you can see old farming tools and equipment used in agricultural work. Interestingly, many of them are still in working order, and during special events at the museum, demonstrations of traditional rural work such as threshing grain or pressing oil are given.

One of the unique objects in the open-air museum is the water mill from Imielinwhich has been transferred to the museum in its entirety. It is a remarkable building that shows how important a role water played in the daily lives of the villagers.

Crafts and former professions

The Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum is not only about architecture, but also a place where you can see what the work of traditional craftsmen was like. The open-air museum houses workshops of various professions - from blacksmith to potter to weaver.

At a number of events, such as ethnographic fairs or craft workshops, visitors have the opportunity not only to admire the work of old craftsmen, but also to try their hand at loom weaving, pot making or blacksmithing themselves. This is a fascinating experience that brings the skills of the past closer and shows how working conditions and daily life were different before the age of mechanisation.

Folk rituals and traditions

In the Museum of the Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park great attention is also paid to folk traditions. Silesia is a region with rich rituals, and the museum seeks to preserve and promote them. Numerous events are organised throughout the year that present traditional Silesian festivals and rituals, both religious and secular.

Highlights include Harvest Festival, the harvest festival which is celebrated with great pomp, just as in the old days. Visitors can admire traditional harvest wreaths, take part in processions and listen to folk songs performed by folklore groups.

Another important event is the Easter at the open-air museumThe event offers a glimpse of what it was like to celebrate this special time in Silesia. The traditional painting of Easter eggs, the blessing of food and old customs such as walking around with a "gaika" are just some of the attractions.

The museum also organises numerous workshops where children and adults can learn how to make traditional Christmas decorations such as spiders and cut-outs, and how to bake Silesian cakes and other specialities.

Nature and landscape

The Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum in Chorzów is located in the picturesque Silesian Park, which is itself a popular recreation area. Surrounded by greenery, the open-air museum is the perfect place for a stroll among historical buildings and beautiful nature.

Walking through the museum grounds, it is worth noting the variety of vegetation, which has been carefully selected to reflect the old Silesian landscapes. In spring you can see orchards in bloom, in summer fields of grain and colourful kitchen gardens, and in autumn, ripe crops in vegetable gardens and orchards.

Nature is an essential part of the whole experience of visiting the open-air museum, and the workshops on ecology and ancient farming methods held here attract nature lovers from all over the country.

Education and workshops

The Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum is not only a tourist attraction, but also an important educational centre. As part of its activities, the museum organises numerous workshops and museum lessons aimed at both children and adults.

The museum lessons, led by experienced guides and animators, provide a practical insight into Silesian culture, old customs and traditions. For example, children can learn what daily life was like in a 19th-century cottage, what tools were used in the fields, and how the ceremonial year in the countryside went.

For older visitors, the museum prepares special thematic workshops, for example connected with old building techniques, handicrafts or traditional Silesian cuisine. Here, visitors can learn how to bake bread, knead butter or prepare Silesian dishes such as Silesian dumplings or modra cabbage.

The Museum of the Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park in Chorzów is a place which takes its visitors back to the past, allowing them to get to know the rich culture and traditions of Upper Silesia better. It is not only a treasure trove of knowledge about the past life of the region's inhabitants, but also a perfect place to relax and unwind surrounded by nature and history. Both culture lovers and families with children will find something for themselves here - from interactive workshops, to spectacular events, to the opportunity to discover for themselves the fascinating world of the Silesian countryside centuries ago.

A visit to the open-air museum is a must for anyone who wants to better understand where they came from and what life was like in Silesia before the industrial revolution.

October 15th, 2024