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| The administrative
boundaries of the present-day Konin stretch into three geographical regions.
The northern part, situated on a high bank of the Warta River prehistorical
valley, constitutes part of the Mogilno Lake District (Pojezierze Mogileńskie).
The old part of the town (Stary Konin) is located in the fork of the Powa
River valley and the prehistorical valley of the Middle Warta River, in
the place where the latter narrows significantly. The southern territory
on the left bank is part of the Rychwał Hollow. The place had been attracting settlers since the oldest times. The environmental conditions were conducive to economic development. What was also important was the fact that crossing the Warta River was convenient for those who used land transportation routes. Another factor was that Konin was a convenient strategic point on two major water routes along the Warta and Goplenica rivers. The beginnings of the settlement in the Konin territory date back to the twilight of the Old Stone Age, also known as the late Paleolithic Period. It is one of the oldest settlements in Poland, dating back to the tenth millennium before Christ. This period and the one that followed, called the Mesolithic Period (8300 - 4500 B.C.), left behind traces of camps of nomadic hunters. Small groups of people inhabited the Konin territory also in the Neolithic Period (4500 - 1900 B.C.) and the early Bronze Age (1900 - 1200 B.C.). In the late Bronze Age (800 - 650 B.C.) one can already notice distinct concentration of settlement in the territory - dozens of settlements and a few cemeteries for cremated bodies characteristic of the so-called Łużycka culture. In the course of excavation works carried out in one of such settlements, it was been determined that the settlement consisted of eight houses sited in three rows stretching from the east to the west along a dune on the Powa River. At the turn of the fourth century B.C. (400 - 375 B.C.) the density of settlement was also quite considerable. A few dozens of settlements and at least five cemeteries for cremated bodies from that period have been discovered. It is presumed that during this period, called the period of the Roman influence, Konin was one of the strategic points on the "the Amber Trail" associated with Setidava (or Getidava) known from the ancient map by Ptolemaeus, an Alexandrian geographer of the second century A.D.. In the Early Middle Ages, since the sixth century A.D. a new undoubtedly Slavic cultural community began to form in the Polish lands. In the Konin region only a few settlements dating back to the period between the sixth and eight century A.D. have been identified so far. Throughout the ninth and tenth centuries A.D. the territorial basis of the Polish state were shaping. An issue closely related to this process is the one of constructions for defense purposes, or more precisely building fortified settlements, which were the seats of local authorities, economic centers, and the beginning of future towns and cities around which historical sub-towns concentrating tradesmen began to establish. A great role was then attributed to the Valley of the Middle Warta River, which was the river crossing point on trade routes. The fact was undoubtedly a significant incentive for the development of settlement in the vicinity of Konin. In addition, a number of medieval water and land transportation routes met here. The fortified settlement of Konin was constructed in the tenth century in the fork of the Warta and Powa rivers, when strategic routes leading to the center of the state of Gniezno were being established. Unfortunately, as much as 90% of the settlement has been destroyed by the Warta River. In the course of archeological research it has been determined that it used to have two rings of earth-timber embankment of sandwich-type construction and a moat. The layout of the preserved elements allowed to determine the approximate former diameter of the settlement at 100 - 120 meters (328 - 394 feet). Judging by the discovered evidence, the fortified settlement was inhabited between the tenth and twelfth centuries. It was destroyed by flooding caused by the two rivers as well as sudden changes in the shape of their riverbeds, the effect of climatic changes. A similar fate faced many other Polish fortified settlements. This presumably happened at the end of the twelfth or in the mid thirteenth century. The importance of the route leading through Konin is marked by the oldest surviving milestone, founded, according to a Latin inscription, in 1151 by the komes (a high Polish dignitary) named Piotr and placed in the middle of the route between the city of Kalisz and the town of Kruszwica. Presently, it can be found near the St. Bartłomiej's parish church. 
After the fortified settlement had been destroyed, its inhabitants moved
to the upper parts of the territory, which today are known as the village
of Stare Miasto. This is where in the twelfth century a new fair-based
settlement formed. It is this settlement that is commonly recognized as
the beginnings of the town of Konin. Here, in the first half of the thirteenth
century, St. Peter and Paul's Romanesque church was built. Consequently,
burying the dead in the vicinity of the church began.Yet the town of Konin was probably founded in a different place, which today is called Stary Konin. The foundation took place only in the second half of the thirteenth century. In 1283 Prince Przemysław II decided that the towns of the "Kalisz district" should apply the same municipal law as the one applicable in Kalisz - "First of all, we wish that our town of Konin introduced the same law as they have " (i.e. the residents of Kalisz). It should be assumed that at that time Konin became a town based on municipal law. The town developed gradually until the year 1331 when it was burnt by the Teutonic Knights. According to the preserved evidence provided by witnesses, they also burnt the "castrum" (a fortified site). This is the evidence of the existence of some defensive structure in Konin. The first years of Kazimierz the Great's reign (1333-1370) saw the initial stage of the construction of a stone castle situated east of the town (today the western part of Plac Zamkowy - Castle Square), as well as the construction of defensive walls and two gates - Kaliska and Toruńska. The gates were disassembled in the nineteenth century. However, the medieval layout of the town remained. Konin had under its jurisdiction the villages of Czarków and Borzetowo, which later became known as Przedmieście Kaliskie. Konin was a royal town and as such represented the center of royal goods and valuables as well as the center of the Konin county. The town was frequently visited by kings and governed by their chief councilors. Out of three churches constructed in that period, only one still exists today - it is a gothic St. Bartłomiej's parish church. Other buildings in the town were made of wood and often caught fire easily (e.g. in 1473). The town had its parish school and hospital. The local authorities were headquartered in the town hall situated in Town Square (presently Plac Wolności - Liberty Square). The population reached 15,000 people. The residents lived from craft, trade, and farming. Only at the end of the sixteenth century the first brick house was erected in the then Town Square by Jan Zemelius (Zemełka), a royal doctor and the Mayor of Konin. In the seventeenth century the population dropped to a few hundred residents, including a small Scottish colony. In 1631 Reformers' church and monastery were founded in Przedmieście Garncarskie. Originally, the two buildings were made of wood. However, in the years 1727 and 1733 respectively, the church and the monastery were strengthened with brick constructions. The Swedish invasion of 1656 was a great disaster for the town. As the result of the warfare, the castle, the Church of the Holy Cross, and over one hundred other buildings were destroyed by fire. Before the reconstruction was over, Swedish army led by Charles XII again completely burnt the town in 1707. At the end of the eighteenth century the population of the town was about 800 residents, 23% of whom were Jews, residing mainly in the then Plac Zamkowy. From the south, the town could be reached through two bridges, while in the north the village of Czarków was connected with Konin by nine bridges with causeways between them. During the Prussian annexation the town began to develop gradually. The layout of buildings became orderly and a new town hall, which still exists today, was built in 1803. Moreover, a large group of craftsmen of German origin settled in Konin. During the nineteenth century the town was still developing. Many brick houses were constructed, including a new county governor's headquarters built in 1828 (presently the Office of the Town Authorities at Plac Wolności). The population was growing; in 1810 Konin had 1,840 residents and in 1870 already 6,159. Evangelicals, mostly of German origin, comprised 8% of the town population. In the years 1853-1854 they erected a new Neo-Gothic church in Kolska Street, enriched with a tower in 1872. In 1909 the number of residents was already 8,071. 50% of the number were Jews, who played a vital role in the development of the town. Around the year 1825 a brick synagogue was constructed (converted in the oriental style in the 1880s) and around 1845 a Jewish school appeared near the synagogue (both buildings, situated in the present Mickiewicza Street, today house a library). At the turn of the twentieth century the town spread towards the north - Przedmieście Słupeckie (presently Wojska Polskiego Street), where a few industrial plants set up - as well as towards the south - Przedmieście Kaliskie. After Poland had regained independence in 1918, a railroad track form Poznań to Warsaw became operational in 1922. A new station in the village of Czarków influenced the development of a new town district. Large-scale land-improvement work was carried out, including filling old riverbeds with earth in the territory south of St. Bartłomiej's Church. During World War II Konin did not suffer much destruction. However, the Nazis murdered almost the whole Jewish population of about 8,000 living in the Konin county. After the war, as a result of industrial development and a consequent inflow of people, the size of the town grew rapidly. Many new residential districts were established, both north and south of Starówka (Old Town Square). Today the population of Konin is about 83,000 residents. by Krzysztof Gorczyca, MA |
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