Poland: A Brave, Cultured Nation

If one had any doubt as to the scenographer’s architectural inspiration for the sets of “The Wizard of Oz,” look no farther than the last Renaissance towers, steeples, castles and churches of Krakow, one of Poland’s most beautiful and well preserved cities.

Krakow stands intact despite World War II and the fact that the Nazis saw it as the future capital of their northern province. Hitler so quickly overwhelmed the Polish forces that little was destroyed. Despite all odds, the indomitable Polish spirit has revived this striking gem in western Poland, and the vibrant energy is palpable. Some 200,000 students descend upon the ancient universities yearly, and thriving crowds of tourists throng the old town and Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter.With more than 600 years of architectural history extant, one is immediately struck by the many shapely, domed towers piercing the skyline. Though the Russian influence is apparent in the onion-like resemblance, these turrets have a distinctive middle European influence, with greater elaboration of detail and flamboyance in silhouette. In fact, if anything could be said of the Slavic style in Poland, it would be its influence for more flourishes, more curves, more color, more carving and a sentimental attachment to the romantic images of flower garlands and curvaceous nymphs, dragons and mermaids. In Krakow, more is more—and maybe more is even not enough.

One sees these flourishes framing the windows and doors and cresting their roofs. Most of the city’s residential areas surrounding the old town are 19th-century and, though still quite stately in their neoclassical “comme” Rococo architectural style, most are in shabby dishabille, with paint peeling off sun-shot, pitted, cracked plaster walls. Rather than the romantic detritus of Italy or France, these buildings are grim reminders of the war and Soviet occupation.

The Main Square is the largest medieval square in Europe, with an arcaded market featuring stalls that have sold wares since the 1500s. Impressive vaults and intricate spans of ironwork shelter the hawkers and buyers. Planted in one corner is the formidable St. Mary’s church, whose mismatched pair of towers (a familiar sight here in Krakow) feature that Oz-like imaginative crowning, out of which appears every hour on the hour a trumpeter who follows the bell-ringing with a trumpeting of the Polish anthem. The vendors sell tourists locally handmade items such as carved wooden kitchen utensils and Christmas ornaments, color foil beaded necklaces and headbands, decorated gingerbread, crocheted lace linens, stick candies and acres of fur coats, hats and throws. The design of such goods weighs on the elaborate side, harkening back to the more-is-more “Mittel-European” sensibility. This market is a potpourri for the eyes.

The Wawel Royal Castle complex, with its spectacular Renaissance courtyard, rather gloomy royal chambers, and cathedral, is a must-see (although the king chose to move out of this castle and build a newer palace in roomier Warsaw—I could not agree with him more!). However, we did enjoy a wonderful orchestral concert in the castle courtyard. It is easy to understand why the Polish people are so enthusiastic and proud of their classical music heritage, attending and applauding chamber ensembles, soloists, operas, musicals and symphonies.

The cathedral within the Wawel Castle walls is a Whitman sampler of architectural styles spanning from the Medieval through the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods. It has hosted the crowning of 87 kings and queens and the burials of almost as many. Its darkened, black, marble interiors are punctuated by giant silver altars. Without a doubt, the Catholic churches, which shepherd over an astonishing 95 percent of all Polish people, harbor the lion’s share of the decorative arts, paintings, sculptures and, for that matter, the gold leaf. Most impressive—especially in terms of the exquisite water gilding of real gold—was the Church of St. Bernardine at the foot of Wawel Castle. Twisted columns of gold surmounted by bronze Doré angels clasping onto broken marble pediments, all flanking a canopied, gold-gilded helix, whose fluffy, silver-plated lamb sat happily at its center—needless to say—are astounding.

Warsaw was but an indistinct farming community when King Sigismund III Vasa, wishing to geographically centralize the capital from a political point of view and escape the claustrophobic, hemmed-in world of Krakow, relocated his monarchy and started to build the kind of expansive modern palaces that could represent the sophistication of his regime and compete with the likes of St. Petersburg and Versailles. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the king, noble families and wealthy burghers built Baroque, Rococo and neoclassical palaces to easily rival other European capitals to the point where Warsaw was dubbed, “The Paris of Central Europe.”

For three months during the Nazi retreat at the end of World War II, the Germans systematically and methodically dynamited and burned every building in Warsaw. It was then that Warsaw was leveled, as the supposed Russian allies of Poland stood by on the other side of the river and complicitly watched and allowed the genocide and destruction to happen.

Eisenhower, touring the rubble of Warsaw, said that no European city was more extensively destroyed. Yet to the credit of the proud and indomitable Polish people, they chose to rebuild Warsaw, even under Soviet domination. Referencing the paintings of Canaletto and thousands of photographs, drawings and reminiscences of all Polish people, and by general consensus, the people of Warsaw agreed to rebuild the city exactly as it was on August 31, 1939, the day before the Nazis invaded Poland.

So what you see architecturally, including interiors, decorative design, towers, floors, walls, Baroque sculptures, Rococo flourishes, Medieval paintings—all that you see is an exact replica.

When you see Warsaw, and its excellent condition, the ancient city walls, the atmospheric old town, the magnificent Baroque and powerful neoclassical palaces, you can’t fathom that this is a re-creation. This is no Disneyland fabrication. This is the heart, spirit and perseverance of a deeply committed, passionate nation who under no circumstances would ever let external forces diminish their soul or crush their courage. A country that can claim Europe’s first constitution, elected kings and a revered democracy, and that has endured invasion from the Swedish, the Danish, the Austrians, the Prussians, the Germans and the Russians.

Although its people have been architecturally, artistically and culturally influenced by these occupations, there remains a strength in their more modern architecture, their graphics (Polish poster art is internationally revered) and their extraordinary capabilities as craftsmen. I would highly recommend a visit to this brave, cultured nation.