Building on the hill

Part of Rakoniewice, near the stadium of the Sokół Sports Club, is called Winnica (Vineyard). The name sounds pretty strange today, bearing in mind that there is only a pine wood here today; however, we know from historical sources that vine was really grown in this area.

At the top of the hill there is a mysterious house. Actually, it is a ruin; however, one can notice traces of very interesting architecture. The huge cellars under the building show that this was the place where wine was pressed from the local grapes. When the vineyards were liquidated, the building served as "dom wydbankowy" (retirement home) where old and workers of the estate of count Czarnecki lived.

According to the Dictionary of Dialects of Western Greater Poland (Kębłowo region), the word wydbanek means lifelong maintenance.

Sources:

• Rakoniewicki Magazyn Informacyjny, 1997, Issue 6, p. 10