FUNDACJA HISTORYCZNA
About this project
Viking Fortress in the middle of Warsaw
Welcome!
The first goal is to expand the place. We are planning to build another hut in our stronghold, repair the pavements and renew the palisade.
Warriors house:
The first half of the hut will be a chamber which contains all the basic tools and equipment used for living in the 10th century. There will be a place for reconstructed trunks used while travelling, a bed with pallet, kitchenware, items related to the cult of the old gods, tool reconstructions, clothes and many more…
We want it to be a living open-air museum where visitors can enter to feel the history of the Vikings with all their senses.
The hut which has the measurement of 3,5m x 7m will be built maintaining historical standards.
The second half of the hut will be insulated and isolated from moisture – it will be used as a warehouse for books of the "Jomsborg Open Library", a storeroom for fragile things and a sleeping place for the person on duty. Since the location is over 3km from the center of Warsaw, the stronghold is being monitored 24/7 – even when the temperature drops beneath zero degrees Celsius.
A place where the hut will be buildt. We already gathered some materials.
The hut will be built with linden wood bought in a befriended lumber mill. We already have the tools to build, as well as the workforce – meaning all of the members will help building it. Substantive support and missing pieces (e.g. electrical rights) will be provided by befriended highlanders who helped us before with our first stronghold in Rynia over the Zegrzyński Lagoon.
This part of the project will proceed if we gather 32.450zł. If we gather 39.500zł though, the hut will have 5m x 6m and will additionally have an exhibition concerning reconstructions in Poland and the rest of the world.
The idea of the project is to gather the resources for materials needed to perform the most important renovations.
Probably everybody interested in early middle ages reconstruction has heard of Jomsborg. According to history it was a fortified stronghold situated on the island Wolin and staffed by Viking warriors fighting for Bolesław Chrobry.
The modern Jomsborg was built in 2003 in Rynia over the Zegrzyński Lagoon. In 2010 earl Einar (Stanisław Wdowczyk, the founder of the place) decided to relocate the whole stronghold to Warsaw’s district called Żoliborz. The fortress is home for the Jomsborg Viking Hird.
Jomsborg Viking Hird
Einar during Live History Lessons for children
Wiking Long House - inside.
Tawern Valhalla and Kram (shop).
Process of building of a Long House
This is how we were building Hird House.
This is how it looks now. On the right - a smithy. Work in progress.
Fortress during the Festival in 2010
Since the beginning until today we hosted thousands of reenactors from around the world and tens of thousands of ‘civil’ visitors. We visited dozens of festivals in Europe, built (and had to hand over to the museum in Borg, Norway) a genuine drakkar. We played in a movie called ‘Stara Baśń’ as well as in a music video of the band ‘Manowar’, hosted CD Project Red and youtubers from around the world while the promotion party of the game ‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’.
Stara Baśń w reż. Jerzego Hoffmana - Jomsborg
Witcher Geralt and a group of Youtube influencers in our fortress - renamed for the event to Kaer Trolde
One of the LARP's we hosted.
A camp in front of the Fort during one of the festivals.
Jester/Juggler - Maximus Heraticus - one of hirdmembers and his show
BATTLE!
Because for conquering gold with a sword, raking villages and invasions there are paragraphs in the Penal Code…
But seriously :
We maintain the stronghold with the dues of all of the members, the organization of historical picnics, living history lessons and integration parties for companies. Every active member works hard to keep the 2000m2 place in good shape.
We want to open up on ‘Nonprofit’ projects, organize events for children from orphanages, hospices, SOS Children Villages and those who profit from social assistance. Additional means will allow us to do that.
The first part of the project will be executed after gathering 32.450zł but if we reach 39.500zł we will also be able to open the library. Access to books about Vikings and Slavic is very limited by availability of old editions as well as the price. We want every visitor to be able to get acquainted with our book collection for free and rent it for a symbolic amount of money.
Building the hut will also allow us to start a collaboration with craftsmen and open a series of workshops about weaving, blacksmithing, sculpture and ecology. There will also be a place to put up our visitors and to store tools and materials.
Weaving Workshop
Woodworking
Our next goal is to exchange the platforms around the main square in Jomsborg. It was built at the same time the whole fortress arose but still is the most weather-exposed element. The length of the whole construct adds up to over 110m and the exchange cost lays at 9.000zł.
For material, we will use the remaining wood from building the hut and the wood we will buy if our gathering reaches 32.450zł but will not exceed 39.500zł. A part of the wood in the old platform might be reused after drying and cutting the boards so we don’t want to estimate the price for it separately. In the stronghold nothing goes to waste and whatever can be reused – will be reused.
In this part of the renovation there will be no additional workers besides our own members. We have built the old platform, so we know how to rebuild it again 😊. Also, we do have the necessary tools.
We already started!
If we gather additional 9.000zł we will renovate the palisade. It is one of the Jomsborgs’ representations – especially because there is no such construction anywhere else in Europe.
At present the palisade consists of 508 3,8m long logs thrust 60cm deep into the ground. Unfortunately, some kind of vermin have infested the wood and would not disturb us – if not for the advancing erosion they are causing. To find out what is lurking inside we need an 2000zł expertise and subsequent 7000zł for insecticides. Some parts of the palisade can’t be rescued any more so whatever will be left from the gathering – will be used to buy new logs.
Why it’s worth to support us
- With our work and involvement, we keep the existing stronghold in efficiency
- It will remove a big part of the problems we’re facing with the renovation which will allow us to focus on development and promotion
- We will be able to expand our social activity e.g. on live history lessons for orphanages
- We are a group of enthusiasts who follow the rules of ecology and respect for mother nature
- We want to spread the awareness about the origins of the polish state
Contact
1. Our Facebook page: WAROWNIA JOMSBORG
2. Our website: WIOSKAWIKINGOW.PL
3. Our members fanpage: JOMSBORG VIKING HIRD
Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/JomsborgVikingsHird