Two-route Mannerist pilgrimage park that gives its visitors an air of serenity - Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park 905
What and Why
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park (Polish: Sanktuarium pasyjno-maryjne w Kalwarii Zebrzydowskiej) is a beautiful and serene Mannerist, or late Renaissance, architectural and park landscape complex and pilgrimage park, built in the 17th century CE as the Counter Reformation in the late 16th century CE. During the period due to the movement Catholic Europe started building a large number calvaries, which sort of represent Christ's life.
This particular calvary was modelled after Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, Yerushaláyim) and the churches and monuments were largely built and designed by Mannerist architects from Italy and Belgium and hence the park architecture brims with a minimalist feel. The park is so famous that the late Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II, né Karol Wojtyła) visited Kalwaria Zebrzydowska several times on the pilgrimages he made to Poland. He is now immortalised by the main statue outside the main basilica, for his contribution to Poland.
Toponymy
The Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park was established in 1600 CE by Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, voivode of Kraków for Franciscan Order (Latin: Ordo Fratrum Minorum) friars. The town surrounding the park eventually took the name.
The word Kalwaria leads of course towards Calvary, which comes from its Latin vulgate of Calvariæ. Calvariae refers to Golgotha (Hebrew: גולגולת, Gulgōleṯ), meaning skull and is a site immediately outside Jerusalem where Jesus (Hebrew: יהושע, Yehoshua) was crucified. The word calvariæ derives through its Greek word κρανίον (kraníon), which actually means the skull or cranium, perhaps in reference to it as an execution site. Recall a similar site in Banská Štiavnica where we blogged earlier.
See
Holy Mother Basilica (Bazylika Matki Bożej)
The main starting point of the park. A basic basilica built in the early 17th century CE. To be frank nothing major of note. There is a small cloister on the side of the basilica which contains a small souvenir shop.
Jerusalem (Jerozolima)
The park, named Jerusalem (Jerozolima), is established by Zebrzydowski around a small hill and was modelled based on an old map of Jerusalem drawn in chalk, with location and slopes following as much as they could according to the Bible. The park consists of 42 chapels modelled and named after the various important biblical places in Jerusalem, in a way to recite the various biblical stories, especially related to Jesus's crucifixion.
There are two main paths as shown in the map above - the red one which goes clockwise is called the Jesus path (Dróżki Pana Jezusa) devoted to Jesus Christ and the other one in blue going anti-clockwise is called the Holy Mother path (Dróżki Matki Bożej) devoted to Holy Mary (Aramaic: מרים, Maryam). The two paths are largely similar except for some minor deviations with the green monuments common to both paths. The blank circles represent ancillary monuments or objects. During this journey we took the Holy Mary path, following a tour that is organised at the hour daily, although it was narrated in Polish.
We joined this group of pilgrims, as above, and let us follow this path roughly and describe some of the more elaborate monuments.
Church of the Crucifixion (Kościół Ukrzyżowania), Monument 36, was the first sacred building to be built in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and is one of the more elaborate buildings in Baroque style. Interestingly the location of the building is called Golgotha. Next to it is called a Strip Chapel (Kaplica Obnażenia) which looks a bit like huge kennel, no disrespect.
Herod's Palace (Pałac Heroda), Monument 26, represents the style of the architecture from the Flemish and Italian Renaissance. The location of the chapel is a result from biblical context regarding its distance from Golgotha.
Just opposite to this is the Chapel of the Second Fall (Kaplica Drugiego Upadku), Monument 32, where Jesus fell the second time carrying his cross to Golgotha.
A very stylish monument in Monument 31 is Saint Veronica's Chapel (Kaplica Świętej Weroniki), Monument 31. Saint Veronica (Koinē Greek: Βερενίκη, Vereníky) gave him Jesus her veil when Jesus was carrying the cross so that he could wipe his forehead. Jesus accepted the offer, and when he returned the veil the image of his face was miraculously captured on it. The resulting relic became known as the Sudarium, as depicted in the statue. The Gospel does not have any mention of Veronica though.
There is a monument with a strange metallic roof called the Chapel of the Heart of Mary (Kaplica Serca Maryi), Monument 29.
Pilate's Town Hall (Ratusz Piłata), Monument 24, is one of the first of the chapels to be built and again it is located according to the Bible. The Town Hall of Pontius Pilate (Latin: Pontius Pilatus) is one of the most magnificent chapels of the road complex in the park and is located in the area called Mount Moria (Górą Moria).
House of Caiaphas (Dom Kajfasza), Monument 22 and the Cenacle (Wieczernik), Monument 20, are two small chapels that follow the biblical locations. Joseph ben Caiaphas (Hebrew: יוֹסֵף בַּר קַיָּפָא, Yōsēf bar Qayyāfāʾ) was the Jewish high priest who, according to the Gospels, organised a plot to kill Jesus.
The cenacle (Latin: cēnāculum) is traditionally held to be the site of the Last Supper, and also the temporary residence or meeting place where the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.
The unassuming hut, Chapel of the Congregation of the Apostles (Kaplica Zgromadzenia Apostołów), Monument 16 celebrates the Assumption.
Cedron Bridge (Most na cedronie), Monument 13, was simply built to ensure the pilgrims to cross the river, known as the Cedron, but is much revered during pilgrimage as it provided a much need walkway.
Church of Saint Mary in Brody (Kościół Grób Matki Boskiej), Monument 8, is one of the best constructions in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, using early Baroque to build a quasi-reliquary for the original Tomb of the Mary. This is located at the Olive Hill (Górą Oliwna).
Chapel of the Triumphant Apostles (Kaplica Apostołów Triumfujących), Monument 8, is a Dutch Mannerist chapel embedded around a cluster of chestnut trees.
Getting There and Around
There is an hourly bus from Kraków main station which reaches Kalwaria Zebrzydowska in just about 3/4 of an hour. From the bus station it is a pleasant ten-minute hike up a fairly steep hill to the main basilica. To complete one of the paths at a gentle pace without major worshipping, it will only take you approximately around an hour and a half. A great pleasant walk. An unmissable day-trip afar Kraków (blogged in Kraków).
UNESCO Inscription
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a breathtaking cultural landscape of great spiritual significance. Its natural setting – in which a series of symbolic places of worship relating to the Passion of Jesus Christ and the life of the Virgin Mary was laid out at the beginning of the 17th century – has remained virtually unchanged. It is still today a place of pilgrimage.
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