Culture of Kraków

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Kraków is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Poland.^[1] It was named the European Capital of Culture by European Union for the year 2000. The city has some of the best museums in the country and several famous theaters. It became the residence of two Polish Nobel laureates in literature: Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz, while a third Nobel laureate, the Yugoslav writer Ivo Andric also lived and studied in Krakow. It is also a home to one of the world’s oldest universities, the Jagiellonian University of Kraków.

Contents 1 Museums and National Art Galleries 2 Selected Festivals 3 Theatres 4 Music 5 Cultural Centres 6 Nightlife 7 Some artists from or living in Kraków 8 See also 9 References

[edit] Museums and National Art Galleries

• Wawel Castle on Wawel Hill - National Art Collection. Wawel is the former residence of three dynasties of Polish monarchs. Royal Chambers feature art, period furniture, Polish and European paintings, collectibles, and an unsurpassed display of the 16th-century monumental Flemish tapestries. Wawel Treasury and Armory features Polish royal memorabilia, jewels, applied art, and 15th to 18th century arms. The Wawel Eastern Collection features Turkish tents and military accessories.
• Kraków National Museum, the richest museum in the country with multiple branches in downtown Kraków:
  
  • The Main Building (at 3 Maja St). . It is the chief venue for temporary exhibitions. The gallery of the 20th century Polish art (upstairs) houses nearly 500 works by Polish modern artists.
    

    

    "Lady with Ermine," by Leonardo da Vinci.
  • Czartoryski Museum and Arsenal, world-famous for Leonardo's painting of Lady with an Ermine. The museum has other old masters on display including a dramatic landscape by Rembrandt.
  • Manggha, Centre of Japanese Art and Technology ^[2]
  • Stanisław Wyspiański Museum ^[3]
  • The Gallery of the 19th Century Polish Art in Sukiennice, with the collection of some of the best known paintings and sculptures of the Young Poland Movement.
  • Jan Matejko Manor ^[4]
  • Emeryk Hutten Czapski Museum ^[5]
  • Józef Mehoffer Manor ^[6]
• Kraków Museum of History
  Divisions :
  • The Main Building (at Main Market Square, Rynek Główny 35), devoted to the history of the city and its citizens with collections of maps, documents and city stamps, scepters and rings of Lord Mayors, guild objects, portraits of nobility, and the Kraków's famous Christmas cribs.
  • Town Hall Tower
  • Barbican
  • Krzysztofory Palace
  • Szołayski Museum ^[7]
  • The Silesian House ^[8]
  • History of theatre in Krakow museum ^[9]
  • Jewish Museum at the Old Synagogue
  • Hipolit Manor ^[10]
  • Celestat, the Residence of the Sharpshooters’ Society ^[11]
  • Artistic Salon of the District of Zwierzyniec ^[12]
  • Museum of National Remembrance at "Under the Eagle Pharmacy" ^[13]
  • History of Nowa Huta Museum ^[14]

• Collegium Maius Museum of the Jagiellonian University. The 15th-century Collegium Maius is the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University featuring ancient lecture rooms, communal halls, former professors’ quarters, library and treasury with the Gothic sceptres of rectors and the golden ‘Jagiellonian globe’. The exhibits include medieval science instruments, old globes, paintings, collectibles, furniture, coins and medals. (See also: Collegium Novum)
• Wieliczka Salt Mine, in continuous operation since the 13th century ^[15]
• Cathedral Museum ^[16]
• Museum of Archaeology ^[17]
• Polish Aviation Museum
• Archdiocesean Museum ^[18]
• Museum of Independence ^[19]
• Armed Effort Museum (by appointment only)^[20]
• Museum of Ethnography ^[21]
• Museum of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University ^[22]
• Museum of Geology of the Polish Academy of Sciences ^[23]
• Czartoryski Library ^[24]
• Museum of the Home Army (AK) ^[25]
• Museum of Photography ^[26]
• Museum of Natural History ^[27]
• Museum of Zoology ^[28]
• Rydlówka Manor: museum of the Young Poland movement ^[29]
• The Cricoteka Centre for Documentation of Tadeusz Kantor Art ^[30]
• Museum of Urban Engineering ^[31] a.k.a. Transportation Museum ^[32]

[edit] Selected Festivals

• International Jazz Festival (April)
• International Film Festival (May)
• Juwenalia Student Festival (May)
• Lajkonik Parade (June)
• Enthronement of the Cock King (June)
• Wreaths (Wianki) Midsummer Festival (June 24)
• Summer in Krakow Festivals (June, July)
  • Summer Jazz Festival ^[33]
  • Jewish Culture Festival (June 25 - July 3)
  • Festival of Military Bands
  • Street Theater Festival
  • Music in Old Krakow
  • Krakow Jazz Festival
• International Summer Festival of Organ Music (July - August)^[34]
• Folk Art Fair (August)
• International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music
  (September 16 - 29)
• Organ Music Festival (October)
• Zaduszki Jazz Festival (November)
• Festival of Animated Film ^[35]
• Christmas Market ('till December 26)
• Kraków szopka Nativity Cribs Festival (first Thursday of December)
• New Year's Party at the Main Square (December 31)

[edit] Theatres

Kraków is the home of many renowned theares. The most notable are:

• National Stary Theatre, a.k.a. The Old Theatre ^[36], at 1 Jagielonska St.

• Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, at 1 Sw. Ducha Square
• Bagatela Theatre ^[37], at 6 Karmelicka St.
• The Ludowy Theatre, a.k.a. The People's Theatre ^[38], at os. Teatralne in Nowa Huta
• Groteska Theatre of Puppetry ^[39], at 2 Skarbowa St.
• Scena Stu Theatre ^[40], at 16 Krasinskiego St.
• Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Nowa Huta

[edit] Music

Cracow Opera House, performing operas and operettas, is also in charge of the Summer Festival of Opera and Operetta. Capella Cracoviensis runs the Music in Old Cracow International Festival — venue for performers from everywhere in the world.

Music organizations and venues include: Kraków Philharmonic, Sinfonietta Cracovia (a.k.a. The Orchestra of the Royal City of Kraków), The Polish Radio Choir of Kraków, Organum Academic Choir, Mixed Marian Choir Association (Mieszany Chór Mariański), Krakow Academic Choir of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow Chamber Choir, Amar Corde String Quartet, Consortium Iagellonicum Baroque Orchestra of the Jagiellonian University, Brass Band of T. Sendzimir Steelworks, and Camerata Chamber Orchestra of Radio Kraków.

[edit] Cultural Centres

• Nowa Huta Cultural Centre, at Aleja Jana Pawła II 232
• International Centre of Culture, at Rynek Główny 25
• Old-Town Staromiejskie Cultural Centre for Youth, at ul. H. Wietora 13/15
• Białoprądnicki Manor Cultural Centre, at ul. Papiernicza 2
• Catholic Centre, at ul. Wiślna 12
• Rotunda Cultural Centre, at ul. Oleandry 1
• Jewish Cultural Centre, at ul. Meiselsa 17
• Teranga Centre of African Culture and Art, at ul. Kalwaryjska 48
• Kurdwanów Nowy Cultural Centre, at ul. Witosa 39

[edit] Nightlife

There are over a hundred pubs and bars in the vicinity of the Kraków Market Square alone, most in the cellars of historic buildings, each with its own intimate character and atmosphere. Many of the establishments are devoted to live music as well. Jazz clubs include: Klinika 35 Blues Club, Harris Piano Jazz Bar, Jazz Club U Muniaka, Pod Jaszczurami Club, Kornet Jazz Club, U Louisa, Rotunda Orlik Club and Piec Arts Club. Popular places to drink, eat, and enjoy, are situated also in the nearby Kazimierz quarter.

Friday and Saturday nights are the high points of the entertainment week. Live entertainment fits all tastes. Jazz remains very popular and there is no lack of places for fans of rock, modern pop, ballads, including classical music. A number of restaurants in the centre of Kraków can seat more than 100.

[edit] Some artists from or living in Kraków

Wisława Szymborska, Ewa Demarczyk, Tadeusz Kantor, Nigel Kennedy, Sławomir Mrożek, Krzysztof Penderecki, Zbigniew Preisner, Maciej Maleńczuk, Zbigniew Wodecki, Adam Marczyński, Marcin Świetlicki

Among Jazz musicians with bands are: Reiner Trio, Beale Street Band, Boba Jazz Band, Aleksander Glondys Quartet/Quintet (formerly: Al’Mad), Jazz Band Ball Orchestra, Janusz Witko Quartet, Mr. Bober's Friends, Cracow Swing Quartet, Old Metropolitan Band, Marek Bałata Jazz Singer, Andrzej Cudzich, New Bone, Sebastian Bernatowicz, Jan Pilch, Karolina Styła, Overtime, Piotr Domagała, Ryszard Styła, Jorgos Skolias

Kraków Klezmer groups include: Kroke and The Cracow Klezmer Band.

Selected Folk bands: Students Highlanders' Ensemble "Skalni", Nowa Huta Song and Dance Ensemble, Highland Folk Group Hamernik, Children's Highland Folk Group Mali Hamernicy, Krakowiacy Song and Dance Company, and Folk Dance Group Krakowiak

[edit] See also

• Events in Krakow

[edit] References

1. ^ Kraków, the cultural capital of Poland
2. ^ Manggha, Centre of Japanese Art and Technology
3. ^ Stanisław Wyspiański Museum
4. ^ Jan Matejko Manor in Krzesławice
5. ^ Emeryk Hutten Czapski Museum
6. ^ Józef Mehoffer Manor
7. ^ Szołayski Museum
8. ^ The Silesian House
9. ^ “At the Sign of the Cross” House: History of Theatre Museum
10. ^ Hipolit Manor
11. ^ Celestat, the Residence of the Sharpshooters’ Society
12. ^ Artistic Salon of the District of Zwierzyniec
13. ^ Museum of National Remembrance at "Under the Eagle Pharmacy"
14. ^ History of Nowa Huta Museum
15. ^ Wieliczka Salt Mine tourist route
16. ^ Cathedral Museum
17. ^ Museum of Archaeology
18. ^ Archdiocesean Museum
19. ^ Museum of Independence
20. ^ Armed Effort Museum
21. ^ Museum of Ethnography
22. ^ Museum of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University
23. ^ Museum of Geology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
24. ^ Czartoryski Library
25. ^ Museum of the Home Army (AK)
26. ^ Museum of Photography
27. ^ Museum of Natural History
28. ^ Museum of Zoology
29. ^ Rydlówka Manor: museum of the Young Poland movement
30. ^ The Cricoteka Centre for Documentation of Tadeusz Kantor Art
31. ^ Museum of Urban Engineering, homepage,
32. ^ About Transportation (Urban Engineering) Museum at cracow-life.com
33. ^ Summer Jazz Festival official website
34. ^ Summer Festival of Organ Music
35. ^ Festival of Animated Film info at culture.pl
36. ^ National Stary Theatre (a.k.a. The Old Theatre)
37. ^ Bagatela Theatre
38. ^ The Ludowy Theatre a.k.a. The People's Theatre
39. ^ Groteska Theatre of Puppetry
40. ^ Scena Stu Theatre