Wierszalin
Wierszalin | |
|---|---|
Abandoned village | |
 House in Wierszalin | |
  Wierszalin Location within Poland | |
| Coordinates: 53°11′47″N 23°42′16″E / 53.19639°N 23.70444°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Podlaskie |
| County | Sokółka |
| Gmina | Krynki |
| Population | 0 |
Wierszalin is an abandoned village in the administrative district of Gmina Krynki, within Sokółka County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus.[1]
History
[edit]The village (also called a hamlet, a colony, or a town) was founded in a forest near Stara Grzybowszczyzna by Eliasz Klimowicz, a Polish-Belarusian Orthodox cult leader. He wanted Wierszalin to be the "New Jerusalem" and a capital of the whole world.[2] The village's name, Wierszalin, originated from the Slavonic word sovershilos ("it is accomplished").[3]
Klimowicz's followers: Ilja Iwaniuk, Józef Miron and Michał Miniuk, started raising wooden houses and a shed for pilgrims. By the mid-1930s, tens of people decided to settle in Wierszalin.[4] Eventually, the village's population would reach a number of a couple hundred.[5]
Paweł Wołoszyn attempted to construct a wind farm that would supply the village with electricity. His plans failed due to a lack of wind near Wierszalin. An attempt to produce hydroelectricity also failed. Klimowicz planned to build a church, a hospital, a flower shop, a school, and monasteries at every edge of Wierszalin. The Polish government did not allow the construction of a church.[4]
People started leaving Wierszalin after Klimowicz was arrested by the Soviets in October 1939.[3] During the Second World War, the Germans demolished two houses in Wierszalin and rebuilt them in Ostrów Południowy and Leszczany.[6]
Up to the 1960s, at the crossroads near Wierszalin stood a cross with a Cyrillic transcription.[4] The last person living in the village was Borys Wołoszyn, a son of Paweł.[7][8] Reportedly, he was also Klimowicz's last believer.[2] A few buildings remain in Wierszalin. People interested in Klimowicz pay visits to the village.[6] Its territory belongs to the Krynki Forest District.[5] A historical theme park was created there.[9] Memorabilia from Wierszalin are stored in the Museum of Icons in Supraśl.[3]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). To search: Select "Miejscowości (SIMC)" tab, select "fragment (min. 3 znaki)" (minimum 3 characters), enter town name in the field below, click "WYSZUKAJ" (Search).
- 1 2 Horsztyński, Edward (2016-02-06). "Ilja, prorok z Sokólszczyzny". isokolka.eu (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- 1 2 3 Chmielewski, Jerzy (2023-01-17). ""Prorok" Ilja. Historia prawdziwa (cz. 11)". czasopis.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- 1 2 3 Pawłowski, Roman; Słobodzianek, Tadeusz. "Żywot proroka Ilji czyli krajobraz po końcu świata". labodram.home.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2016-10-01.
- 1 2 Dąbrowski, Kamil (2020-03-13). "Osada Wierszalin. Zobacz jak wygląda tajemnicza miejsce w sercu Puszczy Knyszyńskiej!". Podlaskie24 (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- 1 2 Węgłowski, Adam (2019-11-07). "Imperium proroka Ilji na Podlasiu". National Geographic (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ↑ Mierzyńska, Anna (2004-08-05). "Koniec świata w Wierszalinie". Gazeta Współczesna (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ↑ ""Wierszalin. Wyprawa do Stolicy Świata" - reportaż Doroty Sokołowskiej i Wiesława Szymańskiego". Polskie Radio Białystok (in Polish). 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ↑ Sieradzki, Waldemar (2014-02-14). "Wierszalin". krynki.bialystok.lasy.gov.pl (in Polish).
