750th anniversary of the compliant with the Magdeburg law Kraków's foundation and the jubilee exhibition „Kraków – European City of the Magdeburg’s Law 1257-1791”
On 5th of June 2007 was an 750th anniversary of the establishment Kraków’s municipality, it means – giving Kraków compliant with the Magdeburg law foundation act. This fact musters the museum’s energies to prepare our own, wide schedule of celebration of this, very important for Kraków historical event.
A schedule for years 2005 – 2007, prepared by the team of the museum’s employees, controlled by the museum’s head – Michał Niezabitowski, included a few dozens of various offers like: exhibitions, outdoor shows, publications, digital visualisations of the ancient Kraków’s buildings and presenting the buildings models, concerts, memorabilia in form of gadgets, movies, etc.
A peak point of the celebrations was on 5th of June 2007. On that day, just after witnessed by many honour guests from Poland and abroad in the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre ceremonial session of the city council, all participants went along the Floriańska Street to the Main Square, and in the Krzysztofory Palace participate in the opening of the jubilee exhibition “Kraków – European City of the Magdeburg’s Law 1257-1791”. The exhibition was prepared by the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków in cooperation with National Archives in Kraków and Society of Kraków’s History and Kraków’s Historical Buildings Fans. The importance of the event was high because of the fact that the honour patronage over the exhibition took the Little Poland Governor – Maciej Klima, Head of the City Council of Kraków – Paweł Klimowicz and the Little Poland Province Marshal – Marek Nawara. Additionally the Honour Committee of the exhibition was brought into being. It was presided by the City Mayor – Professor Jacek Majchrowski, whose invitation to the committee accepted:
His Excellency Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz the Metropolitan of Kraków
Dr Lutz Trumper the Mayor of the State Capital of Magdeburg
Prof. Dr Matthias Puhle the Principal of Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg
Dr Rafal Dutkiewicz the Mayor of the City of Wroclaw
Rector Magnificus Prof. Senior Lecturer Karol Musiol the Chancellor of the Jagiellonian University
Prof. Senior Lecturer Franciszek Ziejka the Chairman of the Civic Committee for Restoration of Kraków Heritage
Prof. Senior Lecturer Andrzej Chwalba the Chairman of the Polish Historical Society in Kraków
Prof. Senior Lecturer Krzysztof Zamorski the Chairman of the Museum Council of the Kraków's Historical Museum .
Works on the exhibition, located on three palace’s floors lasted a few years. From the beginning, because of the anniversary, we wanted to present to Kraków’s inhabitants and everyone visiting this city, how important for Kraków was the fact of accepting rules of the Magdeburg Law, and how stable and productive effects the decision of Prince Bolesław V the Chaste (1226-1279) brought.
The museum’s presentation began in newly renovated cellars of the Krzysztofory Palace with a reference to an exhibition from a year before: “Kraków in Christian Europe of 10th – 13th centuries”. There was a model of Kraków’s settlement area showing conditions from before the foundation. Moreover, the visitor could see a movie „Civitas nostra Cracoviensis”.
In other rooms of the cellars there were numerous exhibits, results of works of archaeologists, showing various aspects of the everyday life of ancient Kraków’s citizens. A special value gave to the exhibition fact of rooms where it took place. Ancient pre-thresholds, under the Main Square’s sidewalk, reaching further then the palace’s front, coevals of the City Foundation, were made available for tourists for the first time. Presented on the museum’s courtyard printings of fully reconstructed by the scientists and computer graphic designers, non-existent city defence walls, formed specific passage between parts of the exhibition on the ground and first floor.
The exhibition was available in the Krzysztofory Palace from 5th of June 2007 until 19th November 2007. Our visitors’ book contained many entries in many languages, many flattering press write-ups, the fact of awarding creators and organizers of the exhibition with the 3rd prize in the prestigious contest for the Museum Event of the Year Sybilla 2007. It gives us sense of pride and deserved satisfaction. However very valuable for us is an experience we gained preparing such a huge and responsible project, and formation around the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków a friendly milieu of high-class specialists from various disciplines of science, ready for next, as well responsible and ambitious challenges.
Grażyna Lichończak – Nurek
