Piast Oak

There are many old trees in the Walcz area, including oaks, but the most famous is an oak that actually ended its life almost a century ago. This oak was for many, many years the most magnificent tree in the Walcz area, and was even considered the second largest tree in East Prussia. Its girth was 743 cm. During a storm in 1897, the oak lost one of its main branches, which broke off from the trunk at a height of about 10 meters. On January 9, 1902, another strong windstorm knocked the tree down completely. This tree, which had survived for 800 years, did not resist the destructive effects of nature. Not only was the standing stately oak an object of interest to local residents, Also after that gale, which caused the great tree to collapse, it continued to be a favorite walking destination and meeting point for city residents, before and after the war. It was recognized as a natural monument. For many years, successive generations tried to protect this dignified tree: fences were erected, canopies were put up, it was injected with preservative preparations - but it was not possible to preserve the oak in a satisfactory condition, successive decades brought damage to the wood mass, the oak slowly but effectively deteriorated, and now little remains of it. This oak still lives in memories and is one of the symbols of Walcz.