Legnickie Pole

Introducing Legnickie Pole

The small village of Legnickie Pole (leg-neets-kyeh po-leh), or ‘Legnica Field’, holds its place in folk history due to the great battle of 9 April 1241. Silesian troops under the command of Duke Henryk Pobożny (Henry the Pious) were defeated by the Tatars. The duke was killed and beheaded; the enemy stuck his head on a pole and proceeded to Legnica, but failed to take the town. In the absence of his head, the duke’s wife, Princess Anna, identified his body by the six toes on his left foot.

Henryk’s mother, Princess Hedwig (Księżna Jadwiga; see p327), built a small commemorative chapel on the site of his decapitation, later replaced by a Gothic church. The church now shelters the Museum of the Battle of Legnica (Muzeum Bitwy Legnickiej; 076 858 2398; adult/concession 4.50/2.50zł; 11am-5pm Wed-Sun). The modest exhibition features weapons, armour and a copy of the duke’s tomb – the original is in the National Museum in Wrocław – in the nave on the ground floor, and a miniature model of the battle (commentary in German and Polish only) on the 1st floor.

Across the road from the museum is the former Benedictine Abbey. Its central part is occupied by the Church of St Hedwig (Kościół Św Jadwigi), a masterpiece of Baroque art dating from the 1730s and designed by Bohemian architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, who also did the sublime Minorite church in Eger in northern Hungary. Inside, the vaulting has splendid frescoes by Bavarian painter Cosmas Damian Asam. The fresco over the organ loft shows Princess Anna with the body of her husband after the battle.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009