Albrecht Homestead in Swołowo
Swołowo, a small Pomeranian village near Słupsk, is a place you’ll fall in love with instantly. It owes its unique look to a cluster of half-timbered houses and outbuildings set around a lovely pond. The village, one of the oldest and best preserved in the entire region, has been dubbed the “capital of the Chequered Country”, the name referring to the characteristic architecture popular in this part of Pomerania. Swołowo also boasts the title of the European Cultural Heritage Village.
The tourist heart of the village is the Albrecht Homestead, for three centuries owned by a wealthy family of Pomeranian peasants. Since 2002 it has been administered by the Museum of Central Pomerania. Thanks to the passion, commitment and ideas of its employees, the old, dilapidated farm has regained its former glory.
In the homestead, visitors learn about the everyday life of a 19th-century Pomeranian village. They can see the interiors restored to their prewar decor, while the cinema room upstairs shows films on local culture and traditions.
The farmyard looks as if the owners have just stopped their daily activities. The barn is full of hay and grain, and scattered around is antique farm machinery (all working!), a chaise, rack wagon and sleigh. The barn again provides shelter to animals: sheep, geese, chickens, horses, which are especially popular with the youngest visitors from the city. It also contains a small shop selling handicraft, and upstairs is a workshop where you can see how traditional products are manufactured.
The old orchard and market garden have also regained their beauty. At the back, the renovated Pod Wesołym Pomorzaninem (Merry Pomeranian) inn serves local delicacies. It is also a venue for mega popular culinary mini festivals, such as the autumn contest for the best Pomeranian liqueur.
The Albrecht Homestead is more than a museum; it is a vibrant centre of culture where you can choose from a wide range of folklore events, training sessions, open-air artistic workshops, concerts, festivals and picnics. For the youngest visitors there is a programme called “Zagroda Dziecięca” (Children’s Farm) combining fun with learning. On several summer Sundays, children learn about the life in old and modern villages, entertained by educators, ethnographers and artists.
The reconstruction of the old homestead is just the beginning of efforts to rescue Swołowo’s unique character. The idea of restoring other homesteads has already been developed to re-create an old bread house, cottage, carpentry and smithy. More educational facilities are also planned.
The efforts of the museologists from Słupsk have been appreciated as their project was nominated for the main award in the 2nd contest Poland Even More Beautiful. Seven Miracles of EU Funds in the Rural Tourism category.
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