Zamosc - The Pearl of Renaissance - Town and History
Zamosc is an amazing town. It has several characteristics which make it really unique not only in Poland but even in the world. Zamosc is one of the most
outstanding examples of Renaissance architecture in Europe. It was founded in 1580 by Jan Zamoyski (Zamojski), a powerful magnate, the great crown
chancellor and hetman. Zamoyski chose a site for the town and also designed it. Zamosc was built since scratch as a fortress town in less than twenty years!
Zamosc is also called "Padua of the East".
Within the defensive walls there was the founder residence, a university, a few churches and temples, courts, other public buildings and tenement
houses. Another uniqness of this town is its multinational atmosphere. Zamosc is famous for its Armenian tenement houses, but it attracted also Greeks,
Jews, Germans, Italians, English, Dutch and more. Zamosc was included on the list of the World's Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1992 for its significant
historical and artistic value since this is one of the classical monument of Renaissance urban layout in Europe.
Zamosc Cathedral & the Pope monument in the front (click inside the photograph to see it magnified).
Zamosc cathedral under invocation of Lord's Insurrection and St Thomas Disciple (pw. Zmartwychwstania Panskiego i sw. Tomasza Apostola) is one of the most
beautiful temples in Polish architecture. It was erected as a collegiate church and it functioned as it till 1992. The outside of the church did not change
too much through the centuries. The basilican church designed according to Italian plan was erected at the end of XVI century. The presbiterium and the main
altar were originally built in Renaissance style (slender shape, tall altar and pillars). the altars are equipped with rich baroque altars and paintings of
Italian and Polish masters. On the cathedral graveyard there is a monument of the pope, John Paul II. By the way - it is very common to see in Poland churches built originally in the Renaissance (Gothic) style
but with the interior from a different epoch, mainly Baroque. The most beautiful chapel is the Zamoyski's chapel - with hetman Zamoyski and many members of his family buried there
as well as some other prominent figures - artists or university professors.
Cathedral's Belfry.
Zamosc' Cathedral belfry was built in XVIII century. It is equipped in one of the biggest bells in Poland.
Sculpture of Madonna - next to the Catheral.
In Poland Madonna cult is very strong. This beautiful figure of Madonna (above) was made in 1966.
Zamosc is definitively one of the towns which should be visited. Unfortunately it is situated outside of the main roads in the present time since
it is so close to the Easter boarder, although originally it was created on the crossroad linking Western and the Northern Europe with the Black Sea. Originally
Zamosc was not created as a frontier town, but the Polish boarders changed and Poland as a state became shifted to the West, especially after World War II.
Photographs done by Basia Samulak
Read the second part of the article about Zamosc - Its Market Square, Town Hall Tower, Arcades & Armenian Tenant Houses.
Check all articles devoted to Travel to Poland, check also links to external sites devoted to
travel and hotel sites.
Check
Zamosc on the map of Poland
and a
satellite picture with main roads. For more information check also the Official website of Zamosc.
I recommend Eyewitness Travel Guide to Poland (Eyewitness Travel Guides) by Teresa Czerniewics-Umer, Malgorzata Omilanowska, Jerzy S. Majewski, DK Travel Writers
This comprehensive book about Poland, showed below, may also be useful for you:
The Rough Guide to Poland by Mark Salter, Jonathan Bousfield
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