Czech and Moravisn architectonic patterns in the area of Polish grounds in early Middle Ages. Facts and myths

Abstract

Since the beginning of 20^th century there has been a deep conviction existing amongst archaeologists, historians and art historians concerning inseparable connections of Polish oldest pre-Romanesque and Romanesque buildings with Czech and Moravian architecture. Indicating a number of obvious, as they seem, analogies and implementing existing written sources, southern inspirations of Polish builders of early Middle Ages are regarded as a fact. However, secondary, even fragmentary analysis of construction available today and their relics make us doubt in incontrovertible existence of dependences between the objects under discussion, at least as far as central architecture is concerned. Connoting, e.g. instances of churches in Wrocław, Niemcza or in Gromnik, as well as examples of lay monumental architecture (or rather their relics) i would like to signal the necessity of considering the problem of formal dependences common for the objects in discussion once again and in consequence also Premyslid and Piasts architecture of early Middle Ages period. The article purpose is not to present new conception concerning origin of the oldest Polish mortared objects, but subjecting the problem to critic and reflection on the statements obligatory so far, which have not always been based on undisputed source arguments. The problem requires further research and the text above can be regarded only as a starting point to it.