According to project manager Dawid Iwaniec, the Carpathian Troy museum will be the first major tourist attraction in the region and is expected to contribute to development on both the regional and local level in the district of Jasło.
"We are expecting tens of thousands of tourists here every year. Moreover, 20 people have so far been employed in the Open Air Museum, and numerous new jobs will be created within catering and accommodation to provide visitors with basic services", Iwaniec said.
4000 year old settlement
The village Trzcinica in south-eastern Poland has been a location for archaeological research and excavations for 20 years. Remains of a defensive settlement dated to the Bronze Age, as early as 2100 B.C., have been found here, as well as an early medieval stronghold. The latter consists of a central court and three wards, which together cover an area of more than 3.5 hectares of land. All parts of the stronghold were defended by earthworks, which in some places are still as high as 10 metres. More than 160 000 artefacts have been discovered on the site.
In October 2007, works began to turn the archeological site into a tourist-friendly open air museum. The majority of the costs were covered with a €1.7 million grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The 8 hectares large complex today consist of the stronghold and an archeological park of the settlement with reconstructed villages, including cottages, earthworks and gateways, and a modern exhibition pavilion.
Major flood damage caused delayed opening
The Carpathian Troy museum was scheduled to open in July 2010, but a major flood occurred just before the opening and put the museum and a wide area surrounding it under 1-2 metres of water. The flood severely destroyed the area of the archaeological park. Considerable damages to façades, floors, and furniture made it necessary to postpone the opening ceremony until June next year.
The Carpathian Troy Open-Air Museum is a branch of the Subcarpathian Museum in Krosno.
Photo: The Carpathian Troy Open-Air Museum.