Skajboty (German: Skaibotten)
A Polish village in the Barczewo Gmina, Olsztyn Powiat, Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship.

Village Profile

Skajboty

Location:
The village of Skajboty is located in the western part of the Barczewo Gmina, away from main transport routes. While the village is small, the surroundings are remarkable for its extraordinary landscape, history and culture. The size, nature and the spirit of the village are worth preserving and cherishing.

Basic information:

Area: 1095 ha

Population: 242 (as of 31.12.2008, according to the General Register)

Major roads: powiat road Barczewo – Silice.

Institutions: there are no institutions in Skajboty (schools, kindergartens, post office, etc.)

Cultural and sports activity: There is a local community centre with a library situated in premises provided by the Church in the Skajboty chapel. The association Nasze Skajboty (Our Skajboty) has been recently formed in the village.

Location and environment: Skajboty is located in a forest area, in the immediate vicinity of Lake Linówko and Lake Bogdańskie. Post-glacial landscapes, which tourists find so appealing, as well as old and mysterious woods make it an attractive place for living, leisure and rest.


History

Skajboty was found by Henryk from Łajs, the founder of Barczewo and a brother of Jan, the founder of the city of Olsztyn. The Skajboty incorporation charter was signed on 11 November 1362. On 27 May 1487, the village was sold to monks by Sophia, the single heiress and Michael Schayboth’s widow. Initially, the village had the area of 60 łans (ca 1,039 ha).

It was named after the estate leader Balthasar Skaiboth, who played a prominent role in the Thirteen Years’ War. Over the centuries, however, the name evolved from Skaiboth to Skaibutis, Skaibutai, Scayboth, Scayboten, Schaywoten, Schaywoth, Scaibot, Scaiboth, Skaybotten, Skajwot and Skaibotten, to eventually take its modern form — Skajboty.

According to the 1656 census, the village had 50 łans, 20 landlords, one sołtys (head of the village), three free tenants and one inn. Apart from the 50 łans belonging to tenants, there were 10 łans belonging to nobles, with 3 Chełmno landlords, and 8 łans left uncultivated.
First records from 1656 show that there used to be an inn in Skajboty.

Skajboty are associated with Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus had the Warmian villages repopulated after the devastating period of Polish-Teutonic wars as the economic administrator of the Warmian charter in the early 16th century, in 1516-1521. According to the available documents, Skajboty was populated by Nicolaus Copernicus three times: twice in 1517 and once in 1519, with Copernicus visiting the village two times.
From the very beginning, Skajboty was settled mostly by people of Polish descent. Below are the data on languages used by the population of Skajboty around 1910

Village Polish German Masurian
Skaibotten/Skajboty 540 100 -

Natural and cultural environment

Landscape values - Skajboty is a picturesque village, situated between lakes and forests in the Warmian region in the Barczewo gmina. Our forests are inhabited by such species as the elk, wolf, deer, roe deer, wild boar, fox, hare, blackbird, jay, partridge, crane (with their summer nest sites in our area), stork, mallard or hoopoe.
We border Lake Bogdańskie, surrounded by the Olsztyn Lakeland Nature Park (Strefa Chronionego Krajobrazu Pojezierza Olsztyńskiego). There is the Kiermasz Canal crossing our village. There is the scenic Lake Linówko, connected with a pond in the village centre. The entire area abounds with field ponds and swamps, forming a natural habitat for wildlife.

Skajboty

Climate - the village has predominantly a lowland deciduous forest climate, with a moderating influence of the lake, which is favourable for living, sightseeing and leisure.

Groundwater and surface water - Lake Bogdańskie located in the immediate vicinity of the village.

Soils, minerals, geological formation - predominantly class IV (4) soils, large part of the area is forested. No other types of minerals.

Roads, accessibility- powiat and gmina roads, arterial and internal roads, very poor surface and no hard-surfaced roadsides in the case of arterial roads, internal roads require hardening.

Neighbourhood - close to the Barczewo gmina office, the Olsztyn powiat office, in the immediate vicinity of large forest units and Lake Bogdańskie


CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
Public space architecture – There is a pond in the village centre, contributing to the charm of the entire village, along with the neighbouring gmina areas. Rural architecture values, sights – a small village with a peculiar spatial planning climate. There is a well-preserved, particularly impressive chapel with a small belfry, standing in the village centre. It is made of red brick, with a square floor plan. Pinnacles with metal crosses are topped with a flèche and a cross with a flag and 1897 date-mark. There are also old Warmian brick cottage houses.

 

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