The hillfort in Drezdenko, along with Nakło, Ujście, Czarnków and Wieleń, constituted an element of the defensive system located along the Noteć river and aimed at defending the country of the Polans from attacks initiated by the Pomeranians.

History

The hillfort in Drezdenko functioned in the early Middle Ages. At that time, it was characterised by double defensive walls and an additional third rampart, heaped on the north-west side. Drezdenko, referred to as Drzeń in that period, was a castellan’s stronghold located in the Polish-Brandenburg borderland. In the 14th century it was incorporated into Brandenburg. In the Middle Ages, a castle was erected within the settlement. It existed until the early 17th century. When a fortress was built in the north-east part of the town, the castle gradually fell into disrepair and was completely demolished in the early 20th century. Currently the post-stronghold and castle area is occupied by residential and commercial buildings, an orchard and wastelands and there is no trace of the hillfort rampart on the surface. 

Description

Location of the heritage site

The hillfort was established at the narrowing of the Toruń-Eberswalde ice marginal valley, in the area of convenient passage through the floodplains of the Noteć river from the south to the north. 

The hillfort (the so-called Castle Peak [Góra Zamkowa]) is located in the former meander of the Obra river, currently floodplains of the power plant near Bledzew, and occupies a triangular promontory descending steeply towards the floodplains. The area is wooded and administered by the National Forest Holding. 

The hillfort in Drezdenko, for the first time marked on a plan in 1740 next to a drawn fortress, belonged to lowland structures with double defensive walls encircling the entire complex. Additionally, it was reinforced with a third segmental rampart on the north-west side.

Progress and findings of archaeological fieldwork 

Excavation works were carried out by Edward Dąbrowski in 1967, while the surface penetration took place in 1988 and 2017. A small number of fragments of ceramic utensils was found in the course of those surveys. The levelling out of the hillfort and introduction of new buildings caused the erasure of its own landscape form, therefore identification of the site is difficult. Due to the historical value and most probably the preservation of the remnants of the castle and earlier cultural layers underneath the surface, the hillfort deserves appropriate care and presentation as a tourist site.  

The hillfort should be available all year round, which is facilitated by the presence of a public road nearby. 

compiled by Dr Krzysztof Garbacz, National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Regional Branch in Zielona Góra,21-11-2017

Bibliography

• Sczaniecki M., Zajchowska S. (ed.), Ziemia Lubuska, Poznań 1950, pp. 284-285, 289 (fig.);
• Hensel W., Studia i materiały do osadnictwa Wielkopolski wczesnohistorycznej, vol. 1, Poznań 1950, pp. 190-191.
• Dąbrowski E., Przeszłość Drezdenka w świetle badań archeologicznych z 1967 roku, “Zeszyty Lubuskie”, 1970, issue 7, pp. 27-34;
• Kurnatowska Z., Łosińska A., Perspektywy badań nad wczesnym średniowieczem ziemi lubuskiej, [in:] Leciejewicz L., Gringmuth-Dallmer E. (ed.), Człowiek a środowisko w środkowym i dolnym Nadodrzu. Badania nad osadnictwem pra- i wczesnodziejowym, “Spotkania Bytomskie” 2, Wrocław 1996, p. 167, no. 21.