The symbolic gathering is part of a broader programme of events tied to this nationally significant commemoration.
Coinciding with the parliamentary session, a major historical exhibition will open to the public, showcasing key documents from Poland’s past.
The exhibit draws on a vast range of archival materials and will offer a chronological journey through Polish history.
The show is called "Sleepless Heads that Bear the Crown: Princes, Kings, Leaders, Heroes. 1,000 Years of Polish Statehood in Documents from the State Archives." It will later travel to other cities across the country.
Krystian Cieślak, speaking for the State Archives, said visitors will have a rare opportunity to see extraordinary items of Polish written heritage – from medieval parchments and royal seals to 20th-century political documents, brought together in a coherent narrative.
The collection includes early Piast-era manuscripts, documents from Polish uprisings and personal letters penned by major figures such as military leaders Tadeusz Kościuszko and Jan Skrzynecki.
Highlights of the exhibition include the seal of King Władysław Jagiełło from 1389, a manuscript by King Jan III Sobieski, and the oldest featured item: a 1153 deed issued by Duke Mieszko III the Old, son of Bolesław the Wrymouthed, founding a Cistercian monastery in Łekno – the first for the order in Poland.
The artefacts have been drawn from the Central Archives of Historical Records, the Central Archives of Modern Records, and 15 regional State Archives, including those in the cities of Białystok, Gdańsk, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław.
The exhibition is curated by Julia Wesołowska of the State Archive in Poznań, and is structured into 10 thematic sections.
These include "At the Dawn of the Polish State," featuring the 1153 monastery deed and a reproduction of a drawing by Jan Matejko of Bolesław the Brave; "The Period of Fragmentation," showcasing a 1317 town charter for Lublin and a 15th-century depiction of Saint Hedwig of Silesia; and "The Crown of the Kingdom of Poland," with Jagiełło’s seal, and Poland’s only preserved record book of a king’s deputy from 1440–1447.
Further sections cover topics such as the elective monarchy, the partitions of Poland, the Second Republic, World War II, the communist era, and modern developments like Poland’s accession to NATO and the European Union.
The final section, titled "Toward the Second Millennium," features materials related to the 1966 celebrations of Poland’s Christianisation.
Paweł Pietrzyk, Director General of the State Archives, emphasised the emotional and civic power of these materials. "These documents give us a pulse of historical events," he said. "They reflect the decisions and burdens of rulers, generals, and political figures whose actions shaped Poland’s place in Europe. We want visitors to feel that the archives are not just repositories, but a shared cultural legacy – our collective story."
Visitors will also be able to scan QR codes linking to thematic collections curated by professional archivists on the official archival website, szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl.
These online materials include royal menus, photographs from the Polish-Soviet War, photographs and letters from the Solidarity movement in August 1980, and images of Pope John Paul II.
A virtual version of the exhibition is also being developed.
The Polish lower house of parliament, the Sejm, has officially designated 2025 as the Year of the Millennium of the First Kings’ Coronations.
Historical records indicate that Bolesław the Brave was crowned Poland’s first king on April 18, 1025, in Gniezno Cathedral. His coronation was a pivotal moment that affirmed Poland’s independence and raised its status in medieval Europe. However, his reign was short-lived; he died on June 17, 1025.
His son, Mieszko II, was crowned later that year on December 25. Mieszko’s reign was turbulent, marked by conflicts that eventually forced him into exile in 1031.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP