Sowno: Discover Renaissance Art and Local History

Sowno’s history is reflected in works of art, memorials and accounts of a former hunting residence. Travellers who also consider cultural interests when choosing a destination will find several historical perspectives here: from Renaissance works in the church to a memorial to fallen soldiers in the town centre. The history of present-day Sowno also includes Podlesie.

Renaissance Art in Sowno’s Church

St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Sowno contains a historic altar and a pulpit with sculptures, as well as a bas-relief of the court jester Mikołaj Hinze. Nuremberg woodcarvers created the Renaissance altar and the pulpit, with polychrome wooden sculptures, in Peter Schultz’s workshop. The altar was brought to the village church in Sowno in 1720. For a closer look at local history, it is worth considering these details as part of a connected artistic history: they link the creation of the works in the 16th century with the altar’s later arrival at the church. The court jester’s relief adds another historical figure to the church’s furnishings.

The details about the church offer a specific cultural focus for planning your trip, without reducing Sowno’s history to a single building. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Sowno, this focus can be a useful guide: it shows what kind of local history you can explore here. The works of art, their creation and their later history are at the centre of it.

Podlesie and the Former Hunting Residence

Podlesie is now an integral part of Sowno and is linked to the history of Duke Jan Fryderyk’s hunting residence from the second half of the 16th century. The wooden residence has not survived, but historical furnishings from it are now in St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Sowno. The former residence and the surviving objects are thus part of a shared local history, but they are not the same thing: the building itself no longer exists.

An impression of the former residence is preserved in an account by Augsburg art collector F. Hainhofer, who visited the palace in Podlesie. According to his account, the building had two storeys, a chapel on the ground floor and rooms above. A tower also rose above the roof. This description offers a historical perspective on the residence, while the church in Sowno, with the furnishings housed there, preserves another part of its history.

A Memorial in the Town Centre

In the centre of Sowno, at a road junction, a memorial commemorates German soldiers who fell on the fronts of the First World War. This memorial site offers a different perspective from the church art and the history of the hunting residence. Together, these subjects show that Sowno’s local history is connected both with individual historical objects and with the remembrance of people.

Stargard as a Distinct Cultural Highlight

The wider destination of Stargard offers additional cultural attractions that relate specifically to Stargard. St Mary’s Church and the medieval town walls were recognised as a Monument of History by an ordinance of the President of the Republic of Poland dated 17 September 2010. The town walls are among the few examples of medieval fortifications in West Pomerania preserved almost along their entire length, with defensive gates and bastions. A museum exhibition in Stargard covers the city’s history from its founding in the 13th century to the beginning of the 18th century.

Walking routes and events offer further distinct experiences there. The “Stargard – Pomerania’s Jewel” walking route passes through the Old Town and is about three kilometres long. The red cycling route “Through the Drumlins of the Stargard Region” runs from Stargard via Lipnik, Zieleniewo, Morzyczyn, Grzędzice, Żarowo, Rogowo and Lubowo, and back to Stargard. The Historical Festival “In the Land of the Griffin” is intended for whole families, history enthusiasts and people who want to spend an active weekend in June. These offerings relate to Stargard and complement the picture of Sowno with a distinct cultural and visitor experience of their own.

Discover more destinations: Chociwel, Oświno, Morzyczyn, Żukowo, Pęzino, Granica, Insko, Brudzewice.

Back to the wider travel guide: Stargard.