DOI issue:
Nr. 2
DOI article:Artykuły
DOI article:Pajor, Piotr: Dwa chóry katedry krakowskiej niezrealizowane w pierwszym dwudziestoleciu XIV wieku*
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.71007#0227
Dwa CHÓRY KATEDRY KRAKOWSKIEJ NIEZREALIZOWANE W PIERWSZYM DWUDZIESTOLECIU XIV WIEKU 221
Two Chancels of the Cracow Cathedral Unaccomplished
in the First Two Decades of the 14th Century
During the archaeological research conducted by
Zbigniew Pianowski and Janusz Firlet in the 1980s
and 1990s, under the eastern section of the Cracow
Cathedral remains of foundation walls were
discovered: they were newer than the Romanesque
cathedral, yet older than the existing Gothic church.
The remains form the shape of two chancels,
undoubtedly abandoned at an early construction
stage. At the older stage, plans were made to
construct of a small polygonally enclosed chancel
surrounded by a three-sided ambulatory featuring
chapels; such a layout had by then been applied only
in the Uppsala, Halberstadt, and possibly Poznań
cathedrals, so a model for the Wawel one may be
found among the three. However, in the course of
the second stage, the design was altered for a more
extensive, single-nave chancel closed with a straight
wall, perceived as of a non-cathedral type (though
applied in Olomouc, Paderborn, or Chełmża), yet
widely popular in Central Europe. Its Cracow
precedence can be found in the monumental chancel
of the Dominican Church.
The sources testify to the fact that the Ro-
manesque Cathedral survived until 1306 when it was
devoured by a fire. The construction of the current
church was launched in 1320. Thus both above-
mentioned projects must be dated to the short period
between the two events. Additionally, Bishop Mus-
kata was in exile during most of that period, while a
lot of political turmoil was witnessed in relation to the
consolidation of the reign of Władysław I the Short
both in Cracow and throughout Poland. It seems,
however, that it was the Cracow Duke who initiated
the construction of the ambulatory chancel, the
project initiated possibly after the suppression of the
Cracow burghers' revolt in 1312. Moreover, it may
have been supported by Archbishop Jakub Świnka.
The reasons for abandoning the projects remain
unknown. The second one was most likely started
several years later, possibly only upon the return of
Bishop Muskata to Cracow in 1317. The foun-
dations laid at that stage were almost entirely reused
during the construction of the chancel preserved in
the Cathedral up to this very day.
Translated by Magdalena Iwińska
Two Chancels of the Cracow Cathedral Unaccomplished
in the First Two Decades of the 14th Century
During the archaeological research conducted by
Zbigniew Pianowski and Janusz Firlet in the 1980s
and 1990s, under the eastern section of the Cracow
Cathedral remains of foundation walls were
discovered: they were newer than the Romanesque
cathedral, yet older than the existing Gothic church.
The remains form the shape of two chancels,
undoubtedly abandoned at an early construction
stage. At the older stage, plans were made to
construct of a small polygonally enclosed chancel
surrounded by a three-sided ambulatory featuring
chapels; such a layout had by then been applied only
in the Uppsala, Halberstadt, and possibly Poznań
cathedrals, so a model for the Wawel one may be
found among the three. However, in the course of
the second stage, the design was altered for a more
extensive, single-nave chancel closed with a straight
wall, perceived as of a non-cathedral type (though
applied in Olomouc, Paderborn, or Chełmża), yet
widely popular in Central Europe. Its Cracow
precedence can be found in the monumental chancel
of the Dominican Church.
The sources testify to the fact that the Ro-
manesque Cathedral survived until 1306 when it was
devoured by a fire. The construction of the current
church was launched in 1320. Thus both above-
mentioned projects must be dated to the short period
between the two events. Additionally, Bishop Mus-
kata was in exile during most of that period, while a
lot of political turmoil was witnessed in relation to the
consolidation of the reign of Władysław I the Short
both in Cracow and throughout Poland. It seems,
however, that it was the Cracow Duke who initiated
the construction of the ambulatory chancel, the
project initiated possibly after the suppression of the
Cracow burghers' revolt in 1312. Moreover, it may
have been supported by Archbishop Jakub Świnka.
The reasons for abandoning the projects remain
unknown. The second one was most likely started
several years later, possibly only upon the return of
Bishop Muskata to Cracow in 1317. The foun-
dations laid at that stage were almost entirely reused
during the construction of the chancel preserved in
the Cathedral up to this very day.
Translated by Magdalena Iwińska