Rosettes against a Backdrop of History
At the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, eight decorative rosettes were placed on the pavement on Wyszyńskiego Street, making reference to the most important dates in the history of Świeradów-Zdrój.
The rosettes consist of granite blocks taking the form of a circle one metre in diameter, on each of which a low relief has been carved. An outer circle is formed from several lines of alternating granite and basalt stone.
The low reliefs are the work of Maciej Wokan.
● 1st rosette – 12th century – FLINS
The Legend of Flins
The Legend of Flins is a story of a Slavic god worshipped by Lusatian pilgrims settled nearby. Flins took the form of a man holding a burning torch and bearing a small lion upon his shoulder, from which the Lusatian Serb name Lawjenc derives. The cult survived long years, with its greatest rites being observed on St. John the Baptist Night. A priest clad in a white robe performed together with a rooster, a bird associated with the cult of the sun and fire.
The cult of Flins initially blossomed on Landeskrone, a hill at Görlitz in Germany, but was to be subdued by Germans in the course of 'Christian missions' of conversion, with the statue being thrown into the river Spree. Soon afterwards, Lawjenc was fished out and a new shrine was set up in Działoszyn not far from Bogatynia. The trackers did not give up, however, and the new site of the 'godless cult' was discovered. The Lusitian people had two options: to adopt the religion of the enemy or to flee. While a majority chose the new religion, another group fled, taking with them the golden figure and settling on Wyrwak hill in the vicinity of Mirsk. They changed location several times, before moving finally into the Izerskie Mts. not far from the sources of the river Kwisa. The Lusitians, continually beset, concealed Flins in a deep mountain cave somewhere in the slopes of Mt. Biały Lwiniec, not far from Świeradów. The entrance to the cave was buried with rock debris, and has most likely remained hidden through to the present. Flins is seen today as a good deity bringing his followers success and prosperity.
● 2nd rosette – 1524 – CZYŚCISAKWA TAVERN
The Name of the Town
The settlement that is today Świeradów was mentioned for the first time in 1524 under the name of Fegebeutel, on account of the tavern built by the road running from Mirsk to the Czech side. A literal translation of the word into Polish gives the name 'Czyścisakwa' – 'the place where your bag will be cleaned'.
● 3rd rosette – 1572 – HOLY SPRING
● 4th rosette – 16th century; 20th century – FRESHWATER PEARL MUSS
● 5th rosette – 1768 – OLD SPRING HOUS
● 6th rosette – 1909 – IZERSKA RAILWAY
● 7th rosette – 1933 – RADON MINERAL WATER
● 8th rosette – 2008 – ŚWIERADÓW-ZDRÓJ SKI&SUN GONDOLA LIFT
