The Polska #30 - Więzienie w Łęczycy

#Poland #Travel #urbex I stumbled upon the Łęczyca prison somewhat by accident; passing through while returning from one of my many trips. The prison is surrounded by a high wall, approximately 4-5 meters high, but its main building – a massive four-story structure – is still visible from afar. I stopped to admire the colorful graffiti covering much of the prison walls. On an impulse, I pulled into the parking lot and took a dozen photos. Many adventures begin this way – purely by accident… A thick rope hanging loosely from the walls caught my attention. After a moment's reflection, I decided that climbing the fence using it was beyond my physical capabilities. I adhere to the principle that there are three ways to enter any locked building: upstairs, downstairs, and "by request." Experience has taught me that this third method is usually the most effective. I walked around the prison and encountered construction workers on one of the streets. They were busy carrying planks, stacking bags of cement, and doing all the other things construction workers usually do. Their construction site happened to be right next to the prison walls. That's exactly what I was looking for! "Gentlemen, what are you doing here?" "We're building. Why are you asking?" "Is the prison behind you locked?" "Yes, locked." "Do you have a secret entrance to it? That door, for example, behind that dump truck?" Conversation is the most primal, often underestimated method of getting answers to various questions. If people talked to each other, I think the world would be a much simpler place. "You can't get in through that door." "Oh. I see. And how do I pay?" "That's a different story!" We had a good laugh. I felt like I'd become a curiosity because the men were taking a cigarette break. I don't smoke, which unfortunately somewhat disrupted the budding integration. "This prison is... you know... people would rather leave than go in..." "I know, I know. But since it's closed anyway, I'd like to take a few photos there. I'll give you a hundred." "A hundred?" "Yes, a hundred. Gentlemen, let me through that door, and I'll be back in 30 minutes." You know... it's not like I wanted to try anything. I ask simple questions, and I like simple answers. And that's the answer I received. "You won't succeed. We even advise against it. There are CCTV cameras and alarms, the entire facility is guarded." "Maybe you gentlemen know who owns this prison now?" "Try the District Office. They should know something." And so, a week later, in a polite and lawful manner, I returned to Łęczyca. This time, I was well prepared for the tour. Remember: usually, all you have to do is ask. Ask and ask. The history of this place – the Łęczyca Prison – began in the late 13th century. It was then that the first buildings associated with the future Dominican Monastery appeared within the newly founded town of Łęczyca. Traces of these first, oldest structures are today buried deep in the earth. But just a few decades later – around 1341 – a brick church and surrounding stone and brick monastery buildings were built on this site. Around the same time, King Casimir the Great (he of the eradication of "Wooden Poland") built the Royal Castle in Łęczyca nearby. Both structures – the monastery and the castle – became part of the defensive walls surrounding the entire city. The monastery developed rapidly and soon became one of the most important places of its kind not only in Masovia but also in all of Poland at that time. The importance of this place on the map of our country is evidenced by the fact that it was from Łęczyca that the first Polish traveler, Benedict the Pole, set off towards the Asian Karakorum Mountains. He traveled as far as Mongolia during his expedition and was the first to return to Europe with information about the empire of Genghis Khan, which had been built there decades earlier. Remarkably, these medieval monastery buildings have survived to this day. The Łęczyca Penitentiary was built "above" the old part of the monastery. The oldest rooms (walls, floors, cellars) are now located INSIDE the prison. This is clearly visible in some of the cells – they are crowned with medieval arched vaults and exceptionally thick walls… You can read more on my blog: https://40latidopiachu.pl/2022/09/26/...