THE CASTLE IN BYDLIN

The village of Bydlin was first mentioned in 1120. In 1388 Bydlin obtained town rights, which he then lost in 1540.

At the top of the hill here, in the thick forest we find large fragments of the walls of the building, which has been going through turbulent centuries. It was probably built in the 14th century as a watchtower within the framework of strengthening the border with Silesia. It consisted of a tower, a residential building and a courtyard adjacent to them. In the first half of the 16th century, Bydlin became the property of Boners, and the building, which lost its fortifications, was converted into a church. In the era of the Reformation, around 1570, the new owner - Jan Firlej, turned the church into an Arian church. In 1594, Nicholas Firlej, the son of John, restored the former character of the church, giving it the name of the Holy Cross. In 1655 the church destroyed the Swedes. Eight years later, it was rebuilt, but still plundered by foreign troops, was finally abandoned at the end of the 17th century. It fell into ruin, which accelerated the demolition of the peripheral wall from which the stone served as building material.

In addition to the ruins mentioned above, there are numerous trench traces from the First World War. Here, the Legionnaires in 1914 fought a battle that went down in history as the Battle of the Krzywopłoty. There are graves of fallen soldiers in the nearby cemetery.

From Bydlina we go further. By Kolbark and Jaroszowiec we reach the road Wolbrom-Olkusz and following it we are approaching Rabsztyn.