Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: manierystyczny zespół architektoniczno-krajobrazowy oraz park pielgrzymkowy (1999)

• Authors: FURMANIK BARBARA

Title variants

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park (1999)

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park, is a cultural landscape located south of Kraków, which dates back to the first half of the 17th century. It is notable among European Calvaries for its distinctive architectural features, for the skilful amalgamation of religious devotion and nature, and for the uninterrupted tradition of the mysteries enacted here. The sacral complex, embedded in the surrounding landscape, consists of: a basilica with a monastery, a number of churches, chapels, and other architectural structures, all connected by alleys, that had been built in successive stages from the 17th until the beginning of the 20th century. Criteria: (ii), (iv) The landscape and people of the pilgrimage park in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Nowadays, visitors coming to the Pilgrimage Park in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska can feel they have moved in time and space to a place where nature intermingles with art — the architecture of the Bernardine monastery and of the churches and chapels standing along the paths to Calvary merges with the picturesque landscape of hills covered with forests, fields, and meadows. Historians, art historians, biographers of the Zebrzydowski family, and other researchers of this place have for centuries focused on its history and transformations, and the richness of the works of art that can be found in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, not only architectural art, but also decorative art and the interior furnishing of the Calvary buildings. Speaking of the Pilgrimage Park in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, it is also necessary to look at the landscape which provides a magnificent setting for the complex of churches and chapels, that tries to imitate the layout of Jerusalem, and to the people who have shaped this landscape for centuries, appearing in it for a brief moment during their visits or having lived there for their entire lives. The history of the Calvary complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska goes back to the late 16th and early 17th century, when Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, inspired by stories of people who went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem at that time, but also, as legend recounts, affected by a dream in which he saw a cross on the top of Żar Mountain looking out from his castle on Lanckorońska Mountain, decided to build a chapel there, modelled on the Golgotha chapel in Jerusalem and dedicated to the Holy Cross. He also built a monastery, which he handed over to the Order of Friars Minor — the Bernardines. An idea also emerged to enrich the local landscape with elements based on the topography of the Holy Land (such as Golgotha, the Mount of Olives, Zion, Mount Moriah, and the Kidron River) and build a Calvary with the Stations of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, and later also the Path of the Mother of God. This unique coalescence of sacrum with nature in the form of a Calvary complex, also referred to as “Zebrzydowska Jerozolima” [Zebrzydowska Jerusalem], was the first complex of this type in Poland and provided the inspiration for many imitators. A monastery building and a number of churches and chapels of high artistic value, designed by Paweł Baudartha, were erected over a dozen years. The work of Mikołaj Zebrzydowski was continued over the following centuries by expanding the extent of the Calvary, building new chapels, enriching the artistic decoration of the interiors and the architectural programme, and, from the early 20th century, by focusing mainly on renovation and conservation works in order to maintain the place in good condition. However, it is necessary to point out that the complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is not merely a cluster of over forty churches and chapels situated along paths. It is a well-thought-out and carefully designed composition of a vast landscape park. The Calvary paths, leading to the series of buildings, were determined as cuttings through woodlands or in the form of multi-row avenues in an open landscape. The uneven topography of this area enabled the creation of views linking particular elements of the Pilgrimage Park and with the surrounding landscape. The Bernardine monastery and the Church of Saint Mary of the Angels, situated prominently on a slope of Żarek Mountain, are the dominant features of the surrounding area. Visible to pilgrims from afar, they invite and at the same time inspire awe. Equally important in the perception of the complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, alongside its history and composition, is the role of people in it. It was man who created this place for himself and new generations to come. Pilgrims have travelled to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska since the moment it was established in the early 17th century in order to worship God. They worshipped Him during the Passion Play organised in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska during Holy Week, adoring the painting of Our Lady of Kalwaria who is regarded as having miraculous properties, celebrating the August indulgence ceremonies of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or by individual prayer. This tradition has been maintained continuously for centuries up to this day and the Holy Week and Marian processions are some of the finest religious ceremonies in Poland. The people of the Calvary are also the people who have lived here for many centuries, both the Bernardines and men from the nearby towns and villages. In today’s world of rapid change and the pressure of civilisation, a number of questions arise. Does love for this place and respect for its sacrum still exist and are they capable of defending it against change? Does the way up Golgotha still require a contemporary pilgrim to make an effort and share his suffering with Christ carrying his cross, or is it a recreational walk? The areas surrounding the Calvary complex are changing and so are the needs of both the local people and pilgrims. The pride of the local community, arising from the fact that they live in a place that is so important, can be set against the difficulties involved in the regular religious ceremonies, which attract hundreds of thousands of people. Their desire for a comfortable and modern life clashes with restrictions imposed by the monument inspectors who wish to protect this valuable historic site. The expectations of the contemporary pilgrim necessitate modifying the transport, accommodation, and service infrastructures to ensure safety along the avenues going to Calvary. Despite all this – despite the passage of time, despite the wars that have taken place, and the changing lifestyles – for five centuries the Pilgrimage Park in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska has striven to remain unchanged and to resist the signs of modern times. This was confirmed by the description in the entry of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This refers to the site as unique on a worldwide scale, as an exceptional union of sacrum with nature, and an example of a large-scale landscape complex that combines natural beauty and landscape design with the spiritual values of Calvary, mystery plays and the principles of Baroque art, which found their expression in a complex of churches and chapels embedded in the landscape. It is hoped that the Calvary created by man for others as a place to worship of God, who became Man, a place that still attracts thousands of pilgrims from around the world, will continue unchanged as it lasts and serves future generations.

Keywords

PL

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska; park pielgrzym¬kowy w Kalwarii Zebrzydowskiej; historia i kompozycja Kalwarii Zebrzydowskiej; Lista światowego dziedzictwa UNESCO; walory Kalwarii Zebrzydowskiej

• Publisher: Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• Journal: Ochrona Zabytków
• Year: 2017
• Issue: Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.
• Pages: 113-118

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

FURMANIK BARBARA

• Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• National Heritage Board of Poland

Identifiers

ISSN

0029-8247