EN
In the earlier literature, it was commonly assumed that strongholds were church centres. This was due to a belief in the rapid progress of Christianity in Poland and the significant role of Mieszko I in the process. However, more recent studies on the strongholds and religious architecture have shown that such views were too optimistic. The number of churches erected under Mieszko I was much smaller than it was previously assumed. In fact, the process of the Christianisation of the population in the second half of the tenth and the eleventh centuries was long and arduous. This is particularly evident in Kujawy – a region that is peripheral, yet lies near the heart of the Piast domain. There were few construction projects related to the development of church structures in the eleventh century in the region. What is more, people in Kujawy held firm to their tribal traditions, and their deep-rooted beliefs are most evident in the funeral rite. It appears therefore that this was a time religious dualism in the Piast governance.