Polish Researchers are undertaking extensive documentation of one of the country’s most remarkable medieval monuments: the 14th-century ducal tower in Siedlęcin. The project combines archaeological expertise with advanced digital technology to preserve the tower’s unique architecture and rare wall paintings, which include the only surviving in situ medieval depictions of the legend of Lancelot du Lac.
Built around 1313, likely on the initiative of Henry I, Duke of Jawor, the tower once stood as both a residence and a defensive structure. It was constructed on a rectangular plan, measuring 20 by 14.5 metres, with six levels including a basement, three residential floors, and a battlemented walkway. Surrounded by a moat and defensive wall, it overlooked a key crossing of the Bóbr River, controlling an important communication route between Lusatia, the Czech lands, and northern Poland.
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
Over the centuries, the tower was altered. A fire in 1575 led to the rebuilding of its upper storeys and roof, new windows were cut in the 16th century, and bay latrines were added. Yet despite these changes, it remains one of the best-preserved residential towers in Poland.
Its greatest treasures, however, are within. On the second floor, the great hall preserves a cycle of polychrome paintings from 1320–1330, created by artists from the Swiss-German border region. The central panel shows St Christopher carrying Christ across the water — an image of courage and loyalty that resonated strongly with medieval knights. Even more remarkable are the adjacent panels: the world’s only medieval wall paintings still in their original place that depict episodes from the legend of Sir Lancelot.
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
These images show Lancelot defeating the evil knight Tarquin, kneeling before King Arthur, riding with Queen Guinevere, and ultimately holding her hand — in the left hand, a medieval symbol of sinful love. Together, they provide a rare glimpse of how Arthurian romance was visualised in Central Europe during the Middle Ages.
Reconstructing the Past
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
Since 2008, archaeologist Dr. Przemysław Nocuń and his team from the Jagiellonian University’s Institute of Archaeology have been studying the site in detail. Excavations uncovered fragments of the tower’s original defensive perimeter, a stone bridge, and sections of the moat. They also revealed a complex of later buildings — a 15th-century gate tower, a manor house from the turn of the 16th century, and a kitchen block with cellar storage.
Equally striking were the discoveries inside. The ceilings of the tower, the oldest wooden ceilings in Poland, were subjected to dendrochronological analysis. “We identified not only the years but even the seasons when the trees used in construction were felled,” Dr. Nocuń explained. Timber for the ceiling above the ground floor was cut in spring and summer 1313, while the beams for upper floors were felled between 1313 and 1315. “Remarkably, in one ceiling’s infill, we found reused ladders and scaffolding elements made from wood felled in late 1312 and 1313. There is no other building in Europe where the construction process has been so precisely reconstructed.”
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
Archaeologists also found fragments of hypocaust heating ducts, medieval stove tiles, and a surviving fireplace — evidence of how the residents combined comfort with defence in this fortified home.
A Digital Future
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
This year’s documentation project, led by Professor Radosław Palonka of the Jagiellonian University, is part of the university’s flagship programme Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation. Working with the “Prince’s Tower in Siedlęcin” Association, the team is creating a complete 3D record of the tower.
“The goal of digitizing the tower in Siedlęcin is to thoroughly document the unique medieval paintings and precisely inventory the tower’s architecture, including all the structures within,” said Prof. Palonka. “This work serves not only to record the current state of the paintings and tower, but also to enhance the visibility of individual fragments through specialised software analysis, often revealing details invisible to the naked eye or even advanced photography. I wanted to highlight the significance of this monument to a wider audience and emphasise the Jagiellonian University’s role in researching such an important and valuable site.”
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
One outcome is the creation of an HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) database — a three-dimensional model of the tower with layered historical information. Alongside showing the tower’s present condition, it will also digitally reconstruct lost elements, based on archival materials and archaeological traces.
Engaging the Community
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
The tower’s preservation is not just a scholarly project. The “Prince’s Tower in Siedlęcin” Association, founded by staff and alumni of the Jagiellonian University along with local residents, has worked for 15 years to maintain and promote the site. Volunteer camps are organised annually under Poland’s “Together for Heritage” programme, and Siedlęcin is the only site in Poland supported by the French REMPART network, which coordinates heritage volunteering at more than 200 historic sites.
Prof. Palonka stresses the importance of such initiatives: “In our society, the importance of cultural heritage is relatively low. Building awareness can be achieved through volunteer programmes that engage both young and old. After years of working with scientists, universities, and museums, volunteers often become excellent specialists and help spread a different narrative about the need to protect cultural heritage.”
Photo courtesy PF UJ Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation
With its rare Arthurian wall paintings, precisely datable medieval construction, and role as both a residence and a fortress, the ducal tower of Siedlęcin stands out as one of the most important monuments of medieval secular architecture in Central Europe. Through the combination of archaeology, advanced digital recording, and community engagement, researchers are ensuring that its legacy — both architectural and artistic — is preserved for generations to come.
Polish Researchers are undertaking extensive documentation of one of the country’s most remarkable medieval monuments: the 14th-century ducal tower in Siedlęcin. The project combines archaeological expertise with advanced digital technology to preserve the tower’s unique architecture and rare wall paintings, which include the only surviving in situ medieval depictions of the legend of Lancelot du Lac.
Built around 1313, likely on the initiative of Henry I, Duke of Jawor, the tower once stood as both a residence and a defensive structure. It was constructed on a rectangular plan, measuring 20 by 14.5 metres, with six levels including a basement, three residential floors, and a battlemented walkway. Surrounded by a moat and defensive wall, it overlooked a key crossing of the Bóbr River, controlling an important communication route between Lusatia, the Czech lands, and northern Poland.
Over the centuries, the tower was altered. A fire in 1575 led to the rebuilding of its upper storeys and roof, new windows were cut in the 16th century, and bay latrines were added. Yet despite these changes, it remains one of the best-preserved residential towers in Poland.
Its greatest treasures, however, are within. On the second floor, the great hall preserves a cycle of polychrome paintings from 1320–1330, created by artists from the Swiss-German border region. The central panel shows St Christopher carrying Christ across the water — an image of courage and loyalty that resonated strongly with medieval knights. Even more remarkable are the adjacent panels: the world’s only medieval wall paintings still in their original place that depict episodes from the legend of Sir Lancelot.
These images show Lancelot defeating the evil knight Tarquin, kneeling before King Arthur, riding with Queen Guinevere, and ultimately holding her hand — in the left hand, a medieval symbol of sinful love. Together, they provide a rare glimpse of how Arthurian romance was visualised in Central Europe during the Middle Ages.
Reconstructing the Past
Since 2008, archaeologist Dr. Przemysław Nocuń and his team from the Jagiellonian University’s Institute of Archaeology have been studying the site in detail. Excavations uncovered fragments of the tower’s original defensive perimeter, a stone bridge, and sections of the moat. They also revealed a complex of later buildings — a 15th-century gate tower, a manor house from the turn of the 16th century, and a kitchen block with cellar storage.
Equally striking were the discoveries inside. The ceilings of the tower, the oldest wooden ceilings in Poland, were subjected to dendrochronological analysis. “We identified not only the years but even the seasons when the trees used in construction were felled,” Dr. Nocuń explained. Timber for the ceiling above the ground floor was cut in spring and summer 1313, while the beams for upper floors were felled between 1313 and 1315. “Remarkably, in one ceiling’s infill, we found reused ladders and scaffolding elements made from wood felled in late 1312 and 1313. There is no other building in Europe where the construction process has been so precisely reconstructed.”
Archaeologists also found fragments of hypocaust heating ducts, medieval stove tiles, and a surviving fireplace — evidence of how the residents combined comfort with defence in this fortified home.
A Digital Future
This year’s documentation project, led by Professor Radosław Palonka of the Jagiellonian University, is part of the university’s flagship programme Academic and Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation. Working with the “Prince’s Tower in Siedlęcin” Association, the team is creating a complete 3D record of the tower.
“The goal of digitizing the tower in Siedlęcin is to thoroughly document the unique medieval paintings and precisely inventory the tower’s architecture, including all the structures within,” said Prof. Palonka. “This work serves not only to record the current state of the paintings and tower, but also to enhance the visibility of individual fragments through specialised software analysis, often revealing details invisible to the naked eye or even advanced photography. I wanted to highlight the significance of this monument to a wider audience and emphasise the Jagiellonian University’s role in researching such an important and valuable site.”
One outcome is the creation of an HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) database — a three-dimensional model of the tower with layered historical information. Alongside showing the tower’s present condition, it will also digitally reconstruct lost elements, based on archival materials and archaeological traces.
Engaging the Community
The tower’s preservation is not just a scholarly project. The “Prince’s Tower in Siedlęcin” Association, founded by staff and alumni of the Jagiellonian University along with local residents, has worked for 15 years to maintain and promote the site. Volunteer camps are organised annually under Poland’s “Together for Heritage” programme, and Siedlęcin is the only site in Poland supported by the French REMPART network, which coordinates heritage volunteering at more than 200 historic sites.
Prof. Palonka stresses the importance of such initiatives: “In our society, the importance of cultural heritage is relatively low. Building awareness can be achieved through volunteer programmes that engage both young and old. After years of working with scientists, universities, and museums, volunteers often become excellent specialists and help spread a different narrative about the need to protect cultural heritage.”
With its rare Arthurian wall paintings, precisely datable medieval construction, and role as both a residence and a fortress, the ducal tower of Siedlęcin stands out as one of the most important monuments of medieval secular architecture in Central Europe. Through the combination of archaeology, advanced digital recording, and community engagement, researchers are ensuring that its legacy — both architectural and artistic — is preserved for generations to come.
Subscribe to Medievalverse
Related Posts