The story of this place
Founded in 1382 in Częstochowa, the Pauline monastery of Jasna Góra guards the Black Madonna, an icon whose scarred cheek — said to be a sabre slash from a 15th-century raid — has made it an object of devotion for six centuries. In 1655, during the Swedish 'Deluge' that overran most of Poland, a small garrison and monks held the fortified monastery against a far larger Swedish army for 40 days; the improbable defence rallied the nation and the Madonna was crowned 'Queen of Poland.' Under communism it became a quiet centre of resistance, drawing vast pilgrimages. Each year hundreds of thousands still walk for days to reach the shrine, Poland's spiritual heart.