Court Linden

People weren't hanged by the leg or the neck. Evil spirits weren't frightened by its presence, nor were drums made from its trunk. And while all this sounds colorful, the reality was completely different... Which doesn't mean it was any less interesting.

One thing is certain: If the judicial linden tree from Lower Szklarska Poręba could see, hear, and tell stories, many a novel would undoubtedly be written.

The judicial linden is, above all, a natural monument and a symbol of ancient law. These trees usually grew near courthouses, where the local law was enacted by the mayor or lord of the land. In winter, people sat in the linden to settle social disputes, and when spring arrived, it was more pleasant to sit under its spreading branches. Judges' tables and seats, usually made of stone, were sometimes placed under the linden trees.

Lime trees were also planted in front of houses. They provided protection against lightning and were considered trees endowed with magical powers. On Pentecost, linden branches were used to decorate churches, houses, farmyards, and fences. In pre-Christian mythology, they were considered sacred trees because they were associated with the goddess Freya, the guardian of life, the goddess of happiness, fertility, love, truth, and magic.

It's worth stopping by and putting your ear to the old trunk. Who knows, maybe you'll hear whispers of the past from within?