Archaeological Open-Air Museum "Carpathian Troy" in Trzcinica

Carpathian Troy is an archaeological open-air museum located in Trzcinica in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, operating as a branch of the Podkarpackie Museum in Krosno. The site is situated on the grounds of one of the oldest fortified settlements in Poland, dating back to the early Bronze Age. The construction of the open-air museum, which took place between 2007 and 2009, was initiated by Jan Gancarski, director of the Podkarpackie Museum, with financial support from the EEA Financial Mechanism. Carpathian Troy aims not only to protect and showcase local heritage but also to educate and popularize archaeology. The facility opened after its original inauguration date was postponed due to a flood that damaged many structural elements. The open-air museum stands out for its architectural reconstructions of defensive ramparts, gates, and houses, reflecting settlement concepts from centuries past, including the reconstruction of two gates from the Bronze Age and early Middle Ages, as well as over 150-meter-long defensive ramparts. The complex also includes an archaeological park that features an early medieval Ottomány and Slavic village. It houses educational pavilions, exhibition halls, and spaces for workshops and events, such as the archaeological festival "Two Faces," which attracts tourists and history enthusiasts. Carpathian Troy is not only a reconstruction site but also a place for researching historical settlements, with traces of the Mierzanowice and Otomani-Füzesabony cultures; the exhibits confirm their influence on regional development. Interestingly, in the early Middle Ages, Trzcinica was a center of local power, and the fortified settlement is considered one of the oldest West Slavic defensive structures in Poland, making it an important point on the country's archaeological map.