The first edition of Kraków Fortress Days is over!
From 10th September till 18th September, Kraków inhabitants and lovers of tourism beyond the beaten track can take part in a new event in the city’s calendar. This new event – Kraków Fortress Days – was organised as part of European Heritage Days’ 30th anniversary. The great festival of the Kraków Fortress is an ideal opportunity to discover the unusual heritage of the capital of Małopolska.
This year’s motto of the Days is: ‘Connected by heritage’. This means cultural heritage – a repository of objects, values and knowledge inherited from former generations that creates a sense of identity and connection between the past and the present.
In the case of the Kraków Fortress, historical and technical heritage is present in virtually all buildings that witnessed the birth of the modern world in which we live. Many years had passed before old defensive walls began to be perceived as more than just defensive walls. They eventually became appreciated for their potential, and for their greenery, architectural beauty, harmonious integration into the environment and the fact that they can tell a story of ages past. Fortunately, many objects were renovated and can still function for the benefit of society. Today, many of the former military buildings serve completely different purposes than those originally planned, functioning as seats of museums, cultural and educational institutions, sports, research and medical centres, and business entities. Many of them are situated in the beautiful environment of the old greenery, whereas others offer beautiful views of Kraków and its surroundings. They are managed both by the Kraków City Commune and by scientific institutions and NGOs that revive the memory of the distant past of the buildings in which they operate. Each of them tells a different part of the story that comprises over 100 years of the history of Kraków and Poland. It is a multidimensional story of the world in which our ancestors lived and about which young people learn in history lessons.
The fortress is an extraordinary monument worth knowing because of its historical, cultural, ecological and utility value. Therefore, we invite you to visit the Kraków Fortress and to discover its secrets. From 10th to 18th September, during the anniversary European Heritage Days, we will follow the fortress trail with guides and listen to lectures by specialists; there will also be workshops for children and adults and competitions with prizes. The detailed programme of events will soon be published on the website!
The motto of this year’s European Heritage Days is: ‘Connected by heritage’. Its meaning corresponds very well with the unique historic value of the Kraków Fortress. We must keep in mind that the fortress is not only a group of objects, but also a repository of values and knowledge inherited from former generations that create a sense of identity and connection between the past and the present.
Today, many of the former military buildings serve completely different purposes, functioning as seats of museums, cultural and educational institutions, sports, research and medical centres, and business entities. They are situated in the beautiful environment of the greenery, whereas others offer picturesque views of Kraków and its surroundings, thus being attractive places for recreation and tourism beyond the beaten track.
The fortifications of the Kraków Fortress have permanently grown into the city landscape. Therefore, it is very important to bring back the fortress heritage to the memory of inhabitants and to invite them to make use of it, thus giving it a new life.
Participants of Kraków Fortress Days can take part in almost 50 free events: lectures, workshops for children and adults, field games, concerts and many other attractions.
The theme of the events attracts the interest of those who have a passion for discovering the secrets of Kraków or are journeying into this field for the first time. Those who missed the great celebration in the Kraków Fortress are invited to come next year. But this is not the end! Further events related to the fortress will soon take place. We invite you to follow our page!
The partners of the Kraków City Council, the main organiser of the project, are: the Council Building Administration, the City Green Administration, the Kraków Museum, the Museum of Photography, the Home Army Museum, the Podgórze Cultural Centre, Fort 49 ‘Krzesławice’ Youth Cultural Centre, the Kościuszko Mound Committee, the Centre for Documentation of Deportations, Expulsions and Resettlement in Kraków, the Polish Heritage Foundation, the Pełna Życia [Full of Life] Foundation, the Przyjaciel Konika [A Horse’s Friend] TKKF Centre, and the Małopolska Society of History Lovers ‘Rawelin’.
Programme of Kraków Fortress Days 2022
Saturday, 10th September
4:00 p.m. | ‘Fort 49 ¼ ‘“Grębałów” – a significant monument’ – a lecture by Waldemar Brzoskwinia and a guided tour of the fort
- 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘An experimental fortification hybrid: sightseeing of the Borek Fort’ with guides: Krzysztof Wielgus, Tomasz Jamróz-Piłsudski (guided tour in groups)
- 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | A photo opportunity (historical photo cutout boards)
- 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ‘A fortress cat’s dreams’ – a field game for families with children
- 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘A flying fortress’ – modelling workshops for children
- 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ‘Fort Borek: the gate of epochs’ – a lecture by Krzysztof Wielgus, an expert in defensive architecture
- 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | ‘From Polish Legion marches to the music of American pilots’ – a concert of the Military Orchestra in Kraków
Museum of Photography MuFo – Rakowicka
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ‘All secrets of MuFo Rakowicka – a guided tour of the corners, rooms and closets of MuFo Rakowicka’ – Marek Świca and Adrianna Gębala-Pietras
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Meeting with Prof. Andrzej Chwalba, the author of the book Festung Krakau. Kraków w cieniu twierdzy [Fortress Kraków . Kraków in the Shadow of the Fortress] – host: Bogdan Zalewski
7:00 p.m. | ‘A Farewell to Summer’ – a concert of Marta Bizoń
Sunday, 11th September
- 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | ‘Fort 2 Kościuszko – a stronghold on the roof of Kraków. A mound bastion’ – a lecture by Krzysztof Wielgus
- 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | ‘Tadeusz Kościuszko – an engineer, a soldier, the patron of the fort, a hero still needed’ – Ewa Polańska
- 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘The green ring. The fortress paths around Fort 2 Kościuszko’ – Krzysztof Wielgus
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | ‘From the Kraków Fortress military object to the Home Army Museum. A historical outline of the building at ul. Wita Stwosza 12’ with a guided tour of the exhibition – Robert Springwald
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘The Kraków Fortress: discovering and understanding’ – a lecture by Waldemar Brzoskwinia and a guided tour of the fort
Monday, 12th September
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | ‘The fortress with St. Mary’s tower in its heart: a return of the “ideal” Bastion III from the darkness’ – a walk around Bastion III ‘Kleparz’. Tour guided by: Krzysztof Wielgus
The surroundings of Fort 2 ‘Kościuszko’ – Saint Bronisława Hill
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | ‘20th-century gates of the Kraków Fortress. A walk around Saint Bronisława Hill’. Tour guided by: Filip Suchoń
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘An experimental fortification hybrid: a guided tour of Fort 52 “Borek”’ – Tomasz Jamróz-Piłsudski
Tuesday, 13th September
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | ‘Fort Skotniki – an armoured guardian of memory’ and ‘Fates of Polish Siberians in the world...’ – sightseeing of the fort, the thematic exhibition of the Centre for Documentation of Deportations, Expulsions and Resettlement of the Pedagogical University of Cracow, presentation of the institution’s activity, screening of the film Wyszli z ziemi niewoli [They Came out of the Land of Captivity] – Mariusz Solarz and Anna Hejczyk
Defensive Walls – Kraków Museum
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | ‘Towers, crenels, machicolations. On the defence system of old Kraków’ – Michał Szczerba
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ‘The fortress with St. Mary’s tower in its heart: a return of the “ideal” Bastion III’ from the darkness – a walk around Bastion III ‘Kleparz’. Tour guided by: Krzysztof Wielgus/Polish Heritage Foundation
Route: Montelupich – Home Army Museum – Rakowicka
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | ‘Cannons, preserves and depots. A walk around provisioning and workshop facilities’. Route: Montelupich – Home Army Museum – Rakowicka. Tour guided by: Krzysztof Śliwa from the Małopolska Society of History Lovers ‘Rawelin’
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘An experimental fortification hybrid: sightseeing of Fort Borek’ guided by: Henryk Łukasik
Wednesday, 14th September
Fort 31 ‘St. Benedict’ – Krakus Mound
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | ‘Fortifications of silica hills, history and modernity’. Tour guided by: Krzysztof Śliwa from the Małopolska Society of History Lovers ‘Rawelin’
Thursday, 15th September
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | ‘Fort Skotniki – an armoured guardian of memory’ and ‘Fates of Polish Siberians in the world...’ – sightseeing of the fort, the thematic exhibition of the Centre for Documentation of Deportations, Expulsions and Resettlement of the Pedagogical University of Cracow, presentation of the institution’s activity, screening of the film Wyszli z ziemi niewoli [They Came out of the Land of Captivity] – Mariusz Solarz and Anna Hejczyk
5:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. | ‘The fort in which a Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland served’. Tour guided by: Henryk Łukasik
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘An experimental fortification hybrid: sightseeing of Fort Borek’ guided by: Robert Springwald
Friday, 16th September
Fort 52a ‘Jugowice’, called also ‘Łapianka’
3.00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.|
- ‘From an armoured fort to a scout centre’ a guided tour of the fort: Piotr Opaliński
- ‘The decisive battle of the Galician front. Two battles of Kraków, November–December 1914’ – a lecture on the Battle of Kraków by Henryk Łukasik
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘An experimental fortification hybrid: sightseeing of Fort Borek’ guided by: Tomasz Jamróz-Piłsudski
Saturday, 17th September
Museum of Photography MuFo – Rakowicka
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | ‘I see something. Snap-chirp. Winged inhabitants of forts and surrounding trees’. A photo workshop for children (6–9 year-olds) with Blanka Błaszczak–Rozenbaum
4:00 p.m. | ‘The great fire of Kraków 18th–26th July 1850’ – a lecture by Waldemar Brzoskwinia and a guided tour of the fort
- 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. | ‘History from under the ground’ – a tour of the fort guided by: Magda Brhel; exhibition Engineers of Independence
- 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘Around the history of Fort 52 ½ S’ – a questing field game
- 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘A monument full of life’ – an ornithological and natural path
- 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | a painting workshop for children and adults
- 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | a neighbourly exchange of plants
- 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | The language of fairy tales – stage play Little Prince
- 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ‘Stories of wild and domesticated trees’ – a dendrological walk around the fortress park with a competition with Wojciech Bobek, Ph.D.
- 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ‘The most important thing is invisible to the eyes: the rules of communication with persons with disabilities’. Host: Wioleta Więckowska
- 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘The underwater language of gestures: diving by persons with disabilities’. Guest: Joanna Pajdak-Subry
- 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | ‘Fairy tales of the autumn equinox’ – an evening with a storyteller around the fire. Host: Mateusz Świstak
Sunday, 18th September
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | a historical & sightseeing walk ‘In the Trail of the Home Army “Żelbet” Group in Southern Kraków’: Fort Prokocim – church, KS Orzeł Piaski Wielkie sports club, Kosocice munition shelter – Fort Barycz, the cemetery in Kosocice – Fort Rajsko – Fort Swoszowice. Host: Joanna Chudzicka
- 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. | ‘History from under the ground’ – a tour of the fort guided by: Magda Brhel; exhibition Engineers of Independence
- 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘Around the history of Fort 52 ½ S’ – a questing field game
- 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘A monument full of life’ – an ornithological and natural path
- 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ‘What squeaks in the grass?’ A nature workshop for children
- 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ‘Wandering stories – transitive heritage, or a thing about the rescue of abandoned books’. Guest: Michał ‘Szyszkodar’ Klimczyk
- 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ‘The most important thing is invisible to the eyes: the rules of communication with persons with disabilities’. Host: Wioleta Więckowska
