Gmina Sadlinki
Location of the commune (gmina)
Sadlinki Commune (Gmina Sadlinki) is one of the six communes of Kwidzyn County. The village of Sadlinki, located in the centre of the commune, is the seat of the local authorities. Administratively, the commune lies within the borders of Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the south-western part of Kwidzyn County. From the north it borders the Town and Commune of Kwidzyn, from the east – Gardeja Commune, from the south – the communes of Grudziądz and Rogóźno, both situated in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, and from the west – Nowe Commune. The western border of Sadlinki Commune is constituted by the Vistula River.
Character of the commune
Sadlinki is typically agricultural. There are 738 farms. Cultivated land forms 54% of the area of the commune. This region can boast clean air and extraordinary nature, because a significant part of the commune – as much as 35% – is covered with forests. Due to the convenient location of this region and its friendly microclimate formed by resinous woods, more and more inhabitants of neighbouring towns, villages and communes settle here. Individual housing construction has developed on a large scale here in the last few years. On the territory of the commune there are 198 registered businesses. Most services offered by them are connected with selling food, general construction works, transportation and manufacturing; there are also two sand mines.
Brief outline of the history of Sadlinki Commune
In the early Middle Ages there was probably a small settlement in Sadlinki, and the name of this locality may derive from the Prussian noun “sadil” meaning “the seat”, from a Prussian man called Zcedel or is a simplified Slavic name of the type: Siodło (saddle) - Siedle (settlement). In 1346 Sadlinki was the bishop’s estate, and in the 15th century the local manor was destroyed. In 1662 the estate became the property of the Prussian elector. From 1954, Sadlinki was the seat of the Communal National Council. Sadlinki Commune was established on 1st January 1973.
Historical sources show that in the past the commune was clearly of the Early Polish character. Settlers from the area of the Crown as well as foreigners, mostly the Dutch, came here eagerly. These people drained the land taken away from the Vistula, adapting it to the needs of developing agriculture. The toil of those days is seen in a form of still existing channels that regulate hydrographic conditions. The most important of these are the Sadliński, Olszański and Palemon channels.
Historical architecture
Monuments are undoubtedly the most enduring traces of the past, its traditions and historic events related to Sadlinki Commune. The objects included in the Register of Historic Monuments on the territory of the commune and worth seeing are:
- The detached building in Kaniczki, erected in the second half of the 18th century as part of a T-shaped homestead rebuilt around 1800. The house has wooden ceilings with decorative endings protruding from exterior walls.
- Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland located in the centre of Nebrowo Wielkie, built in the years 1746-1747 in the place of a former 17th-century church. It is a baroque structure built with cross brickwork on a brick pedestal.
- Chapel of St. Adalbert in Nebrowo Wielkie, built in 1928 in the neo-baroque style, bricked, oriented, of a rectangular plan, with a pentagonal presbytery and a sacristy adjacent from the south.
- Historic, richly decorated pulpit from the 18th century, located in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Sadlinki, depicting biblical Samson carrying a cup decorated with bas-reliefs of the Evangelists. Its canopy is adorned with a sculpture of a pelican feeding its nestlings with its own body.
The commune in numbers
Sadlinki Commune consists of 13 villages: Białki, Bronisławowo, Glina, Grabowo, Kaniczki, Karpiny, Nebrowo Małe, Nebrowo Wielkie, Olszanica, Okrągła Łąka, Rusinowo, Sadlinki, Wiśliny, and it covers the area of 112.26 km2. The commune is inhabited by 5,858 people, 2,006 of which are residents of Sadlinki.
Education
The following educational institutions operate on the territory of the commune: the School Complex in Sadlinki, including the Henryk Sienkiewicz Primary School and John Paul II Junior High School, the School Complex in Nebrowo Wielkie, which consists of a primary school and a junior high school, the Public Kindergarten in Sadlinki and the Public Communal Library in Sadlinki. The educational institutions of Sadlinki are characterised by intensive development, raising education standards, qualified staff and very good educational and sports facilities.
Transport
Sadlinki is crossed by the railway line No. 207 connecting the village with nearby towns and cities: Kwidzyn, Malbork, Gdańsk, Grudziądz and Toruń. An additional means of communication here is a private bus line of the Bus Transportation of People and Drayage. The territory of the commune is crossed by three regional roads of the total length of 25 km. They run along: Kwidzyn – Sadlinki – Gardeja, Sadlinki – Bronisławowo and Bronisławowo – Okrągła Łąka. Moreover, there are 37 km of district and about 50 km of local roads.
Fire prevention in Sadlinki Commune
Fire safety of the inhabitants of the commune is guarded by 5 voluntary fire brigades. These are: OSP (Voluntary Fire Brigade) Bronisławowo, OSP Kaniczki, OSP Nebrowo Wielkie, OSP Olszanica and OSP Sadlinki. 150 active volunteer firefighters work in them. In 1995 the OSP Sadlinki unit, by virtue of the decision of the Chief Commandant of the State Fire Service, was incorporated into the National Emergency and Fire System. It means that in the event of threats on a larger scale, the unit can be used on the entire territory of Poland. The units operating in Sadlinki Commune are provided with specialised rescue and fire-fighting equipment not only for extinguishing fires, but also removing the effects of strong wind or floods. OSP units have one heavy, four medium and three light armoured vehicles. Volunteer Fire Brigades served and still serve an important function in social and cultural life of the local community. Members of OSP are the initiators and organisers of numerous local celebrations and cultural events.
Tourism
Sadlinki Commune is attractive to tourists. It has landscape protections areas. The Sadlinki Landscape Protection Area is distinguished by its geographical and natural values, and diversified with seepage spring areas, streams and so-called clay pits abundantly overgrown with forest vegetation. A valuable asset here are also forests with a predominance of conifers. Moreover, there are noteworthy protected plants – they are under strict or partial protection. An educational path, 2.8 km long, was delimited on the territory of the Sadlinki Landscape Protection Area. Visitors can learn about the functioning of a forest ecosystem and some of the issues of ecology, forestry and water management. Due to significant geographical values of this terrain, the path allows you to admire the elements of both natural and anthropogenic landscape. On the territory of the commune, in the village of Glina, there is a lake with the area of 6.3 ha, adjacent to protected areas. To ensure effective protection of natural values of this territory, an ecological site was created. In Nebrowo Wielkie we can admire the beautiful panorama of the Vistula River overlooking the town of Nowe. Sadlinki Commune also has a Mennonite trail. Following it, you can see numerous traces of the presence of this culture which settled in the Zulawy Region in the Lower Vistula Valley. There are post-Mennonite buildings and cemeteries. One of the larger Evangelical-Mennonite cemeteries is located on the outskirts of the village of Okrągła Łąka, in a forest. There are 169 gravestones occupying the area of 67 ares. It is dated back to the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Bicycle paths
The best means of transport to reach all interesting sites of Sadlinki Commune is a bike. Every fan of this form of recreation will appreciate several dozen kilometres of bicycle paths along the Lower Vistula Valley, running across the villages: Grabówko – Grabowo – Olszanica – Sadlinki – Okrągła Łąka – Rusinowo and the Euro Route R1: Grabówko – Grabowo – Kaniczki – Wiśliny – Nebrowo Wielkie – Glina – Rusinowo.
Events held in Sadlinki Commune
In Sadlinki Commune there are recurring events organised annually for local residents and all the people who wish to have a nice time among many attractions. There are numerous cultural events offered in the commune, including first of all the “Our Christmas” Regional Carol Contest in Sadlinki, which has been taking place for 9 years now in January in the School Complex in Sadlinki. By virtue of the superintendent of education’s decision, it was included in the Regional Calendar of Events. Students of primary and lower secondary schools take part in the contest, and each year the average number of participants is between 170 and 200 people. An equally important event is the Nebrowo Plum Stew Festival organised in Nebrowo Wielkie by the local Country Housewives’ Club. Plum stew from the Lower Vistula region is fried in September or October from ripe plums of all local varieties. The process of frying begins with the preparation of copper boilers, wooden paddles for stirring, and making a fire which is fuelled with hardwood. Next, plums without seeds are put into the boilers. The plums are simmered without sugar for 2-3 days, 8-10 hours a day, until the mixture thickens, while keeping the tradition of preparing this delicacy. Summer holiday is the time of the International Plein Air Painting Workshops held in the School Complex in Sadlinki in the second half of August. The project is overseen by the “Kontrasty” (Contrasts) Painting Enthusiasts’ Association from Kwidzyn and the headteacher of the School Complex in Sadlinki.
Country Housewives’ Clubs in Sadlinki Commune
One of the oldest and most numerous community organisations in Poland formed on the initiative of women are Country Housewives’ Clubs. In Sadlinki Commune local traditions are preserved by eight Country Housewives’ Clubs. These are the clubs from: Bronisławowo, Glina, Kaniczki, Karpiny, Nebrowo Wielkie, Okrągła Łąka, Olszanica and Sadlinki. After the war, virtually every village had a Country Housewives’ Club. The clubs operated at Agricultural Circles, contributing to the provision for the needs of the local community. The currently reactivated Country Housewives’ Clubs represent Sadlinki Commune in numerous tournaments, competitions and reviews, often very successfully. Hand-made decorations, diverse dishes and delicious cakes and syrups are the result of great involvement of the women associated in Country Housewives’ Clubs. Cultural and entertaining events and outdoor festivals organised in various villages provide an opportunity to taste and admire the work of the housewives. Some of the clubs offer special dishes or cakes, typical only for a particular club. The specialty of the club from Nebrowo Wielkie are: fried plum stew entered into the Regional Products List called “Plum Jam from the Lower Vistula Valley” and tasty doughnuts. At various tournaments and culinary reviews, the club from Sadlinki – apart from the statutory dishes – can boast a dish of duck prepared in different ways. Delicious cheese cakes and zucchini in vinegar are the showcases of the Country Housewives’ Club from Glina. Ravioli with cabbage and mushrooms always accompany the members of the club from Okrągła Łąka. Sirloin with mushrooms, potato doughnuts and tasty pea soup prepared for various festivals and meetings are typical dishes of the club from Bronisławowo. The calendar of permanent annual events in Sadlinki Commune also includes the events held by every of these clubs. Each year women from Kaniczki organise a carnival ball for children. Also Women’s Day is solemnly celebrated. Moreover, Country Housewives’ Clubs organise trips for children, provide entertainment on Children’s Day, and offer adults New Year’s Eve celebrations and dance parties. The main objectives of Country Housewives’ Clubs are providing cultural and entertaining events, integrating the community and engaging the locals in joint activities. This form of social organisation enables the residents to exchange experiences and shape their culinary, manual and artistic skills. The clubs have their seats in local community centres situated in their villages.
D. Piszczewiat