view of Grodzka Street from Plac po Farze (Po Farze Square/Former Parish Church Square)
Grodzka Street is one of the most originally preserved streets in Lublin. Both its course and its name have not changed since medieval times. In the middle of its length, the street opens onto Po Farze Square. The street's width, preserved in its authentic form, was dictated by its original function (a former trade route). The street was paved in the late 18th century.
Plac Po Farze - a square in the Old Town of Lublin created after the demolition of the parish church of St. Michael the Archangel. In 1936-1938, the foundations of the church were unearthed, at which time remnants of rib vaults, among other things, were found. For many years, the outlines of the foundations could be seen in several places in the Square After the Fara. In 1991, the square was given its current name.
The square is named after the first parish church of St. Michael the Archangel, known as the Fara, built within the city walls. According to legends, in the 13th century, it was erected by Leszek Czarny (Leszek the Black) in gratitude for his victory over the Yotvingians. In the 15th century, a massive tower visible from 5 miles away in Lublin was added to the west. Due to the poor condition of the building, the parish was demolished in 1857 by order of Lublin Governor Albertov. Much of the church's furnishings were moved to what was then the Cathedral, and today's Lublin Archcathedral. A mock-up of the church and a reconstruction of its foundations can now be seen in the Square after the Fara. It is the result of revitalization work carried out in the early 21st century.
The area of the current Po Fara Square was settled very early. During archaeological research and supervision, objects and movable relics of the Funnel Cave culture were discovered here, dating back to 3200-2500 BC. The next traces of settlement in the area are related to the early medieval period. In the southeastern part of the square, relics of four half-timbered huts were discovered, one of which, exposed in its entirety, was 4x4 meters in plan. Residential buildings existed here between the 9th century and the first half of the 11th century. In the 12th century, the square had a cemetery with the characteristics of a Christian church necropolis. Perhaps burials began here even earlier, in the second half of the 11th century. Due to the nature of the cemetery, it is reasonable to assume that in the 12th century, or perhaps as early as the second half of the 11th century, a church stood on the square. It could have been a wooden church or a small brick church. Relics of this church have not survived, while relics of another church have survived to the present.
