The peninsula projecting into Lake Bnińskie (and called Szyja by archaeologists) was the site of a long-standing settlement three times. At the turn of the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, people of the Lusatian culture used the natural defensive settlement in its southern part (which at the time was an inshore island). The second period of intensive settlement of the peninsula was the 940s, when a strongly fortified early Piast stronghold was erected – it was used (with a break of 160 years) until the beginnings of the 13th c. In the mid-13th c., a dwelling on a mound was erected at the base of the peninsula to become home to castellans until Bnin was granted a municipal charter based on the Magdeburg rights between 1386 and 1395.

In 2020 the Kórnik Library’s collections were supplemented with new documents connected with the beginnings of the Protestant parish in Bnin. The present article presents the time of formation and the first years of functioning of evangelical community in Bnin, which was one of the biggest communities in Greater Poland (excluding Poznań) for more over 150 years. After a brief introduction, the following part describes upon mentioned sources the establishing of community and construction of the first Lutheran church in Bnin with its buildings. Finally, the annex contains biographies of the first five pastors in Bnin and source edition of these documents.