Results of archaeological-architectural tests in the Olsztyn Castle, in the district of Częstochowa, carried out in the years 2013–2017 in the lower castle
Authors: Hadamik Czesław 
Published: January 2024

The general purpose of the tests, which were usually of an exploratory nature, were localization and preliminary identification of the stone structures in the area of the lower castle, the former functioning of which was confirmed by analysis of historical 16th and 17th sources, as well as by interpretation of the relics of the walls visible on the surface of the area or marked on the basis of topography of the area. One of the elements of the tests was complete exposing of the earlier unknown lower storey of the of the so called well-tower, an originally very tall room, where the castle well was functioning in the early decades of the 17th century. Appropriate decoding of the information contained in both, the written sources and in the currently existing historical topography of the Olsztyn castle was very important for interpretation of the uncovered fragments of its stone structures. Combined with results of the field investigations, it allowed precise interpretation of the discovered relics of the objects, the location of which had been disputable until then. In the course of the tests carried out in 2013, the foundations of three no longer existing original buttresses the remnants of which are visible in the eastern wall face of the curtain wall, separating the main court from the lower castle, were uncovered and documented, and the original dimensions of the buttresses were identified on the plan of the building. In 2015, during the 1st stage of the sampling tests, relics of the northern section of the eastern encircling wall of the lower castle were uncovered revealing on its outer side a small room, perhaps a lavatory, situated next to the bath located there in the 16th century. During the 2nd stage, relics of three base courses of the piers of a flyover leading to the main courtyard and the upper castle were uncovered, as well as fragments of the relics of the main gateway of the castle. During the 3rd stage, GPR and sampling tests were carried out within the area of the well-tower and of the front part of the castle cave, the former castle cellars. In 2016, the buried eastern room of the well-tower, in which the upper fragment of the carved shaft of the well was discovered, was completely uncovered. The depth of the exploration reached 10 m. Originally, the well-room was a very high hall with no intermediate floor, only with internal porches connected by stairs or ladders used for communication within the building or defence. There was also a court excavation made in the area of the well-tower vestibule and a fragment of the threshold of the entry to the cellars made in the cave. In 2017, exploratory drilling of the western fragment of the main gateway relics was made, revealing a fragment of its south-west corner, a buttress added to the corner and a fragment of the southern wall of the building, the so called tower, the eastern edge of which was added to the buttress. The tests will be continued. Archaeological inventories are planned within the area of the castle are planned in 2018.