University of Silesia in Katowice

Memories from the research expedition in Fulda

The essential part of the expedition under the “Back to mobility” programme for educational and academic staff I have spent in Fulda. Apart from the realisation of the programme goals, i.e. carrying out research, preparing subsequent publications, and establishing closer cooperation with research centres, I have had a possibility of discovering this unusual city and meeting interesting, curious about the world people.

An invaluable experience was the opportunity to conduct classes for the students of the Faculty of Theology in Fulda. A greater part of the youth comes from African countries (Kenya, Congo, Uganda) and Central and Eastern Europe (Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland).

During my stay in the city, I lived in a divinity school, which is located at the former Benedictine monastery right behind the Fulda Cathedral. The divinity school combines baroque and modern architecture as it has an antique refectory and a modern chapel from 1968. On the other hand, the Fulda Cathedral is the burial place of Saint Boniface and is one of the most important relics in the city.

Fulda is dubbed as a “baroque city.” Most of the relics date back to the 18th century, but their origins date back even to the 8th century when Saint Boniface arrived in the city. I look on the very stay in the city as an extra value to my research expedition.