Plock History

History of
Plock Province

Perched on a high cliff over the Vistula, Plock, seen from the other side of the river, still evokes its illustrious past. One of the oldest settlements in Poland and the capital of Mazovia since the 11th century, it was the residence of kings between 1079 and 1138 and the first Mazovian town to get its municipal charter (in 1237). A castle and fortified walls were built in the 14th century and the town developed until the 16th century as a wealthy trading center.
An omen of disasters to come was the flooding of the Vistula in 1532, when half the castle and part of the defensive walls slid into the river. The wars, fires, and plagues which tormented the town during the following centuries brought its prosperity to an end.

Plock never regained its former glory and failed to develop into a major city
After WW II, Plock became a significant industrial center; a gigantic oil refinery and a petrochemical plant were built here which supply most of the nation's needs, but this altered the town's character and brought heavy pollution. Plock is not worth a special journey though it can be a convenient stopover if you are passing this way.

Things to See
The only vestiges of the castle are its towers: the Clock Tower (Wieta Zegarowa) and the Noblemen's Tower (Wieta Szlachecka). The adjoining 16th century Benedictine abbey has recently been totally reconstructed and houses the Mazovian Museum (Museum Mazowieckie), the most interesting place in town. It has exhibits on the history of the town and the castle, but the Art Nouveau (Secesja) exhibition is the highlight. It's the best collection of Art Nouveau in Poland.

Information from POLAND the lonely Planet

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Last Modified: Friday, 09-Oct-1998 07:30:27 MDT