Sarbinowo

In the footsteps of the Knights Templar

Sarbinowo is a place whose existence once hung on by a mere thread. Over the course of the centuries the Baltic Sea edged closer and closer to the village, overwhelming the land metre by metre. Rescue came in 1910 with the construction of a stone-concrete retaining wall. Since its very beginnings it has been used as a walkway, and the extension carried out in recent years has changed it into a wide promenade.

There are far more reasons to visit Sarbinowo. They include the neo-Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary built in 1856, boasting a 19^th century organ. You can hear for yourself how it sounds in the summer during the Koszalin International Organ Music Festival.

Before the church was constructed, however, the Battle of Sarbinowo had put it on the map.

In 1758 the Prussian army fought the Russian army, and the temple which had earlier stood at the site where the church now stands was partially destroyed. It was most likely founded by the Knights Templar, with Sarbinowo having belonged to them until 1312.

When the Pope dissolved the Knights Templar, the church was assumed by the Order of St. John. In the 16^th century it was taken into Protestants hands. Finally, almost a hundred years after the battle which brought the temple’s golden era to an end, a neo-Gothic church was erected in its stead.

A must-see place while visiting Sarbinowo is the half-timbered fisherman’s cottage from 1804. The building is covered with a characteristic thatched roof made of braided cane and twigs filled with clay mixed with sawdust and wood chips. Inside the building you can find a feast for the palate – an inn is run here now.

Despite Sarbinowo modest size, it does have its own public transport; a three-wheeled vehicle resembling a combination of a chopper and horse-drawn carriage leaves at the bus terminal. You can go by three-wheeler (“Trajka”) to local attractions such as the Hortulus Gardens in Dobrzyca, or (on the 15^th August) to the festival accompanying the church fair.