Zamosc - Its Market Square, Town Hall Tower, Arcades & Armenian Tenant Houses

 Read the first part of the article Zamosc - The Pearl of Renaissance - Town and Its History.

Zamosc's town square is beautiful, it was designed according to Italian patterns. It was built as an ideal square 100*100 m and it is surrounded by the arcades, therefore Zamosc is also called "The Town of Arcades". Arcades was an important feature of every Italian "piazza" (market square), the give a shade against a hot sun or a rain. They also lead to the shady interiors, beer-gardens, stores or wine-shops in the cellars.






Arcades at town square - click at the image to see it magnified

The so called Great Market Square in Zamosc (below) is worth to see from many reasons. One is a splendid Town Hall Tower. The Tower is situated not in the middle of the Market Square, but in one of the house frontages according to Zamoyski's will. Zamoyski did not want the Town Hall to dominate over his palace situated nearby.




View for the Town Hall Tower at the Zamosc Great Market Square from the Salt Market.


Zamoyski welcomed people from all around the world. Zamosc became a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural town. In 1585, Zamoyski brought Armenians. In 1588 he brought Sephardic Jews from Lwow who had originally come from Italy and Turkey. This was a bit unusual because the majority of Jews in Poland were Ashkenazi. In 1589, Zamoyski brought Greeks from Kaffa. The Armenians, Greeks, Jews were granted a privilege according them the same rights as all the other residents. They were able to own property anywhere in the town, their safety and complete religious freedom were guaranteed. Zamosc had churches and temples of many religions and denominations, among them Jewish synagogues and orthodox churches of Russian or Greek rites. Below is a beautiful picture of some of the Armenian tenant houses on the market square.



View for the Town Hall Tower at the Zamosc Great Market Square from the Salt Market.


Zamoyski even founded the Academy that became a pride of the town. This academy called "Zamosc Academy" served as a public school preparing for the state service. This was the third academy established in Poland, after Jagiellonian University in Krakow and Wilno Batory's University.

Photographs done by Basia Samulak





St.Catherine Church from XVII century



Check the next article Zamosc during the World War II & its Surroundings

Check all the 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 the guidebook (I have it myself and it is very helpful)
The Rough Guide to Poland by Mark Salter, Jonathan Bousfield



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