The settlement center located within the Piast patrimony in Giecz is one of the so-called central places, whose prominent political and social role, already during the reign of Bolesław the Brave, is confirmed by a record in the Polish Chronicle by Gallus Anonymus, which places it on the elite list of the great strongholds of this ruler. What was the basis for the special significance of the Giecz center in the structures of the Piast realm? What functions did the dynasty attribute to it? An attempt will be made to answer these questions based on the results of recent archaeological work, a new perspective on archival research outcomes, and the verification/clarification of the dating of noticeable changes in the spatial and functional organization of the developing settlement in the pre- and early Piast periods. The issues related to the earliest material manifestations of cultural changes associated with the Piasts' integration into the Christian cultural sphere will also be addresse