DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25050#0143
Rebuilding in Ladislaus the Short’s age had been limited to
extending the Romanesque castle, the best-preserved fragment
being the Jordanka Tower. It was Casimir the Great who
undertook construction of a royal residence worthy of the vast,
unified state. Buildings were loosely grouped around an irregular
courtyard, slightly smaller in size than today. The courtyard was
partly encircled with cloisters. The most representative section of
the castle was an imposing tower in its northeast corner called
Hen’s Foot. In the late fourteenth century, in the era of Ladislaus
Jagiello and Hedwig, another Gothic section of the castle, the
Tower known as Danish (Dunska) neighbouring Hen’s Foot was
built, and faced with perpendicular stone fluting. Slightly later, in
the first half of the fifteenth century, the bay window of the
Hen’s Foot assumed its present shape. Nothing was changed for
a hundred years, until the savage fire of 1499 was followed by
reconstruction carried out in quite new, modern forms. A new
residence would have been necessary regardless of the fire, to meet
the ambitions of the Jagiellonian dynasty at the zenith of its
power, ruling over the largest state in Europe, aspiring to the
Imperial crown and widening its cultural patronage. Construction
as begun with the western wing, built around 1504—1507. Until
recently the building was referred to as the Queen’s House, but in
fact it was the palace of King Alexander. The question of
authorship has-also been revised. Royal financial accounts point to
the local builder Eberhard Rosemberg as the main creator of this
section of the castle. Francesco Fiorentino, formerly thought
responsible for the entire wing, arrived in Cracow in late 1501 or
early 1502 and authored the second-floor stonework and the
magnificent bay window. Slightly later, under Sigismund the
Old’s reign, the following buildings were completed: the northern
wing (1507-1516), built by Francesco Fiorentino; the eastern
wing (1524—1529), supervised by Master Benedykt; and the
64. Cathedral towers: Sigismund’s and the Clocktower
136
extending the Romanesque castle, the best-preserved fragment
being the Jordanka Tower. It was Casimir the Great who
undertook construction of a royal residence worthy of the vast,
unified state. Buildings were loosely grouped around an irregular
courtyard, slightly smaller in size than today. The courtyard was
partly encircled with cloisters. The most representative section of
the castle was an imposing tower in its northeast corner called
Hen’s Foot. In the late fourteenth century, in the era of Ladislaus
Jagiello and Hedwig, another Gothic section of the castle, the
Tower known as Danish (Dunska) neighbouring Hen’s Foot was
built, and faced with perpendicular stone fluting. Slightly later, in
the first half of the fifteenth century, the bay window of the
Hen’s Foot assumed its present shape. Nothing was changed for
a hundred years, until the savage fire of 1499 was followed by
reconstruction carried out in quite new, modern forms. A new
residence would have been necessary regardless of the fire, to meet
the ambitions of the Jagiellonian dynasty at the zenith of its
power, ruling over the largest state in Europe, aspiring to the
Imperial crown and widening its cultural patronage. Construction
as begun with the western wing, built around 1504—1507. Until
recently the building was referred to as the Queen’s House, but in
fact it was the palace of King Alexander. The question of
authorship has-also been revised. Royal financial accounts point to
the local builder Eberhard Rosemberg as the main creator of this
section of the castle. Francesco Fiorentino, formerly thought
responsible for the entire wing, arrived in Cracow in late 1501 or
early 1502 and authored the second-floor stonework and the
magnificent bay window. Slightly later, under Sigismund the
Old’s reign, the following buildings were completed: the northern
wing (1507-1516), built by Francesco Fiorentino; the eastern
wing (1524—1529), supervised by Master Benedykt; and the
64. Cathedral towers: Sigismund’s and the Clocktower
136