The village belonged to the Krokowski family from the XIIth century to 1772. From the end of the XVIth century to the mid-XIXth century, Krokowa was the center of Calvinism in Gdansk Pomerania, and at least until the mid-XIXth century, regular Evangelical-Reformed services in Kashubian were held here. After the extinction of the Polish line of the family at the end of the XVIIIth century, Krokowa passed into the hands of the Germanized line using the surname von Krockow.
Krokowa
Around 1300, the first wooden chapel was built in Krokowa by Piotr Krokowski. Subsequent descendants of the family rebuilt the church, but the greatest changes were introduced by Wawrzyniec Krokowski, who in 1498 built the first brick church with a wooden turret in Krokowa. The current neo-Gothic church was built in the years 1833-1850 by the foundation and design of Charles Gustav Adolf von Krockow, on the same plan as the Rotterdam cathedral. Until 1945 it was an evangelical church. Saint Cross, and from 1946 the Catholic church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The interior of the church is neo-Gothic and consists of: a brick altar, a baptismal font, a pulpit, a choir and a baroque processional crucifix. The crypt contains stone tombstones of the von Krockow family.
Another local tourist attraction is Lisewo, a knight’s settlement founded in the XIVth century, on the road to Gdansk. At the turn of the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries, the estate passed into the hands of the Krock family.
The Palace and Park Complex in Krokowa
Lisewo
Near Lisewo there is the Valley of the Three Mills, whose name comes from the mills located there from the XIXth century. The place is included in the Natura 2000 network. It is a heavily carved part of the valley with reverse erosion. Particularly noteworthy are the alder and ash riparian forests found here, as well as numerous spring communities, calcareous meadows and thickets. It is worth knowing that this area is the northernmost site of foothill plants. The area also includes the upper part of the Czarna Woda River, which sources are located in the “Zrodliska Czarnej Wody” nature reserve.
The Three Mills Valley
The Three Mills Valley also has a dense network of forest roads available for hiking. When hiking through the Polchowko forest complex, you can encounter interesting landform features and many watercourses, springs and seeps. In summer, the forest provides shelter on hot days, and in autumn it is a great place to pick mushrooms and undergrowth fruits. Numerous ponds in the Three Mills Valley encourage fishing enthusiasts to relax by the water.
The mill complex is located south of the village of Lisewo in the picturesque valley of the Czarna Woda River. Already in the XVIIIth century, there were three mills in the valley. The mills preserved to this day date back to the end of the XIXth century, but were built in the places where earlier structures were located.
Currently, the mill complex in Lisewo belongs to a private owner.
Domatowo
Domatowo is a small town 12 km away from Krokowa. There are numerous erratic boulders nearby, the most popular of which are the Devil’s Stone (the name comes from a local legend resulting from its characteristic features) and the God’s Foot.
Kłanino
Klanino is another settlement near Krokowa that is worth visiting when exploring the area. It is a village with a long history, dating back to 1285, when the name “Clein” appeared in the list of knights’ estates. The episcopal visitation from 1600 mentions the manors of the Klaninski, Letowski, Sulicicki, Lubocki and Vibasch families in Klanino.
Sulicice
Sulicice is a village mentioned many times in sources in the years 1180-1220, it was first owned by the Sulis knightly family. Later it was the family nest of the famous Kashubian nobility, the Suliciki family. In the XVIIIth century, it came into the possession of the Krokowa line of Pieszcz.
Świecino
Swiecino is less than 6 km from Krokowa, and its history is so rich that it is worth a visit. On September 17, 1462, a battle took place here between the Polish army and the Teutonic Order, ending with a Polish victory. Currently, for several years, it has been a tradition to reconstruct this battle on nearby fields.