Open-air museum of Slavs and Vikings in Wolin

The open-air museum of Slavs and Vikings in Wolin is a very unique and extremely atmospheric place. Rarely in Poland can you visit a place so well set and referring to the historical realities that it tells about. The history of this area is also unique. Be sure to visit the Centre of Slavs and Vikings while on Wolin Island. And why? Because here, on the island of Ostrów, located on the strait of Dziwna, near Wolin itself, an early medieval settlement was extremely realistically reconstructed, which stood in front of the historical location of the great city, which was Wolin 1000 years ago.

There are several dozen replicas of cottages in the settlement, to which you can enter and see their modest equipment, gates with ramparts and defensive fortifications, and the harbour quay At the quay, next to the large boat you can also look at a peculiar playground, and not far from the main gate you can enjoy homemade food and drinks - snacks, pajda with bread and bread acid. There is also coffee and tea. We tasted pajda because we love it, but we could not miss a more unique snack, both in the dry version - with cheese and garlic, and sweet, with marmalade or honey 🙂 Here and there at the cottages there are "residents" who deal with crafts. Walking around the open-air museum, discovering its corners and listening to the stories, you get an idea of what Wolin looked like in the past and what life was like here around the 10th century. In addition, a shipyard of historical boatbuilding was established in the area of the Open Air Museum, where replicas of Slavic and Viking plank boats and dugouts are built, there are also workshops of dying professions, such as carpentry, roofing, blacksmithing, pottery or weaving, thanks to which copies of archaeological monuments are made, which were found here in large numbers.

Slavs and Vikings Festival

The Festival of Slavs and Vikings in Wolin takes place every August in the Open-Air Museum. This is a trip to the "darkness" of the Middle Ages, during which you will learn about the culture of early medieval Baltic peoples. The annual gathering of lovers of "living archaeology" gathers more than a thousand warriors, craftsmen, players and reproducers of ancient rites from various European countries. Of course, there is no shortage of tourists thirsty for unusual impressions, and in fact these leave a lasting mark on our memory!

The idea of the festival refers to the texts of the legendary so-called "Jomswiking's Saga", written in the 13th century in distant Iceland. It is about warriors called Jomswikins, who in the 10th century probably lived in the fortified camp of Jómsborg in Wolin. The founder of the castle was a certain Danish king - Harald called Sinozęby. It is highly probable that this epic speaks of real events and that, in fact, a group of Scandinavians lived among the Slavs in Wolin at that time. This is confirmed by numerous Scandinavian finds discovered here by archaeologists.

Accommodation

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Practical information

IV-VI and IX-X 10.00-16.00
VII-VIII 10.00-18.00
Tickets: normal PLN 14,  reduced PLN 11 Guide PLN
50 (approx. 1 hour)
Payment for tickets in cash or by card (souvenir shop only cash)
Parking: free
We visited the open-air museum with a wheelchair, it is possible, but with some difficulties, you must be aware that this place is not smoothed, and the footbridges are not perfect, any natural obstacles give it a climate

Open-air museum of Slavs and Vikings
Island of Ostrów, Recław 37, Wolin
Entrance to the Open-air museum from Recław
www.jomsborg-vineta.com

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What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Miedzyzdroje, distance: 15.1  km
• Wolin National Park, distance: 15.3  km
• Szczecin, distance: 46.3  km
• Kolobrzeg, distance: 72.5  km