Donated to the local community, it was a place where youth gathered to hold patriotic celebrations.

History

In the south-eastern end of the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, in direct vicinity of the border with the Śląskie voivodeship, there is a battlefield from the times of Kościuszko Uprising that entered the history books as Battle of Szczekociny, and took place in June 1794 on the fields of the following villages: Chebdzie, Rawka, Wywła, Przybyszów and Moskorzew. In the 19th century, the site along with the mound was donated by the then owners — count August Potocki with his wife Maria — to the community of Moskorzew. In 1917, during the patriotic demonstration held to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of death of Kościuszko, four trees were planted next to the mound, of which only one has survived to present times — a white poplar 25 m high, declared a natural monument. In 1918, the site was within the Kieleckie voivodeship, and then Częstochowskie voivodeship; finally, as part of the new administrative division of the country, part of the battleground along with Szczekociny was incorporated to the Śląskie voivodeship, and part with "Kościuszko Mound" to the Kieleckie voivodeship (currently Świętokrzyskie). Since 2012, the process of acquisition of the mound along with land and the access way from a private owner has been carried out, ended with purchase of the site by the Marshal Office of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, and covering it with legal protection (entry to the register of monuments).

Description

The earthen structure was built in the form of a small pyramid without top, and with rounded corners. Currently, it is covered with grass and there is a high, metal cross on its top. Just next to it there is a magnificent tree, the only one which has survived since inter-war planting, and a metal composition of stylised scythes.

The structure is accessible. It can be accessed with a tourist route delimited by activists of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society (PTTK) from Kielce and Częstochowa. It leads from the market in Szczekociny to the village of Chałupki, to the "Mound of Prussians" (battlefield) to Wywła, "Grochowski Mound" and further on through "Kościuszko Mound" to the church in Moskorzew, where injured were left after the battle.

Compiled by Dariusz Kalina, 22.12.2014.

Bibliography

• Karta ewidencyjna zabytków architektury i budownictwa, „Kopiec Kościuszki”, compiled by D. Kalina, mps w archiwum Wojewódzkiego Urzędu Ochrony Zabytków w Kielcach i Narodowego Instytutu Dziedzictwa w Warszawie.
• Bauer K., Blaski i cienie insurekcji kościuszkowskiej, Warszawa 1982.
• Gill G., Kopce w krajobrazie kulturowym Polski, Warszawa 2006.
• Herbst S., Z dziejów wojskowych powstania kościuszkowskiego 1794 roku, Warszawa 1983.
• Nocuń B., Bitwa pod Szczekocinami. Moja opowieść na Kopcu Kościuszki na Chebdziu, [in:] Na włoszczowskich drogach historii. Materiały z sesji naukowych odbytych w Gruszczynie, Ludyni, Olesznie, Włoszczowe poświęconych dziejom powiatu włoszczowskiego, ed. D. Kalina i G. Dąbrowski, Włoszczowa-Krasocin 2012, pp. 278-288.
• Zahorski A., Naczelnik w sukmanie, Kraków 2001.