Saint Mary's Basilica ( Polish : Kościół Mariacki ) is a Brick Gothic church adjacent to the Main Market Square in Kraków , Poland . Built in the 14th century, its foundations date back to the early 13th century and serve as one of the best examples of Polish Gothic architecture . Standing 80 m (262 ft) tall, it is particularly famous for its wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz) . Some of its monumental polychrome murals were designed by Poland's leading history painter , Jan Matejko (1838–1893). In 1978 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Historic Centre of Kraków .
57-564: On every hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a trumpet signal—called the Hejnał mariacki —is played from the top of the taller of Saint Mary's two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate a famous 13th century trumpeter who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before a Mongol attack on the city. The noon-time hejnał is heard across Poland and abroad broadcast live by Polish Radio Jedynka . Saint Mary's Basilica also served as an architectural model for many of
114-530: A Hejnał bugler for 35 years previously, while his son is one of the four current buglers. On 11 June 2000 the melody was listed in the Guinness Book of Records after it was played by almost 2,000 trumpeters from all over the world. They included military orchestras from Poland, the United Kingdom , Belgium and Spain , as well as civilians. The youngest bugler was eight years old; the oldest
171-805: A 1990 Treaty fixing the Oder and Neisse rivers as the border between the two countries instead of the Neighborhood Treaty signed in the same year. Following the military conflict between Russia and Georgia in 2008, Kaczyński provided the website of the President of Poland for dissemination of information for blocked by the Russian Federation Georgian internet portals. In a speech during the Russian aggression against Georgia, Kaczyński predicted: "Today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine,
228-734: A Polish synagogue and to attend religious services held there. His attendance coincided with the first night of Hanukkah . Kaczyński supported the reintroducing the death penalty in Poland, clashing with the European Union over the issue in 2006. From 2005 to 2007, in accordance with article 133 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland , Kaczyński pardoned 77 people and declined to pardon 550. In foreign policy , Kaczyński noted that many of Poland's problems were related to
285-454: A distant second behind the conservative-liberal party Civic Platform . His brother was succeeded as prime minister by his former presidential rival Donald Tusk. On 10 April 2010, Lech Kaczyński died, along with his wife , in the crash of a Polish Air Force jet that occurred on a landing attempt at Smolensk North Airport in Russia. He was the first Polish president to die in office since
342-608: A fiction sequel by Ksawery Pruszyński (who was a student at the Jagiellonian University while Kelly was teaching and was later Estreicher's assistant) entitled The Trumpeter of Samarkand which also ties into the Lajkonik legend. After the Second World War , Kelly's role in the legend was largely forgotten and the legend began to be passed down in true folk fashion. Another recent tradition has it that
399-473: A gate to signal the completion of the opening or closing of the gate. In historic times, trumpet calls on the St. Mary's Church tower were also used to warn of fires and other dangers. According to a popular 20th-century legend, during a Mongol invasion of Poland (the invasion usually cited is that of 1241), Mongol troops led by General Subutai approached Kraków . A sentry on a tower of St Mary's Church sounded
456-498: A member of the underground Solidarity. When Solidarity was legalized again in the late 1980s, Kaczyński was an active adviser to Lech Wałęsa and his Solidarity Citizens' Committee in 1988. From February to April 1989, he participated in the Polish Round Table Talks along with his brother. After Solidarity 's victory in the 1989 Polish legislative election , Kaczyński became a senator and vice-chairman of
513-587: A national symbol. During the Second World War, a bugler from the 2nd Polish Corps played the tune to announce the Polish victory in the Battle of Monte Cassino on 18 May 1944. Historical records show that the practise of playing the Hejnał has been cancelled and then later reinstated several times, with a particularly long gap before it was reinstated in 1810. The Hejnał Mariacki was replaced twice by
570-686: A tangible strategic partnership with Ukraine and greater co-operation with the Baltic states , Azerbaijan and Georgia . He was greatly admired in Israel because he promoted educating Polish youth about the Holocaust . There was widespread grief in Israel over his death. Defense Minister Radosław Sikorski compared the planned Russia to Germany gas pipeline to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact and Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga stated that
627-454: Is Jarosław Kaczyński , the former Prime Minister of Poland. On 10 April 2010, a Tupolev Tu-154 M plane was carrying Lech Kaczyński, his wife Maria Kaczyńska, and other members of a Polish delegation (top public and military figures) from Warsaw to commemorate the Katyn massacre . The plane crashed while approaching Smolensk Air Base in Russia. The governor of Smolensk Oblast confirmed to
SECTION 10
#1732787003053684-476: Is also possible that he was the victim of a hoax or accidentally conflated two different stories. It is certainly remarkable that Professor Karol Estreicher, Jr. ’s thorough 1931 guide to Kraków does not include the story. Whatever the origins of Kelly's story, it proved popular in Kraków. The first written version of the full Tartars and arrows version in Polish is from a 1935 tourist guide . The second appears in
741-486: The Hungarian expression Szűz Mária hajnala meaning " Saint Mary 's dawn") is a traditional, five-note Polish bugle call closely bound to the history and traditions of Kraków . It is played every hour on the hour, four times in succession in each of the four cardinal directions, by a trumpeter on the highest tower of the city's Saint Mary's Basilica . The noon performance is broadcast via radio to all of Poland and
798-640: The Law and Justice party, after splitting from the Solidarity Electoral Action and the Christian National Union , along with his brother. Kaczyński was the party's presidential candidate, during the 2005 Polish presidential election . In the first round of voting, Kaczyński received 33.1% of the valid votes. In the second round of voting, Kaczyński received 54.04% of the vote, defeating Donald Tusk , who received 45.96% of
855-458: The Russia 24 news channel that there were no survivors. 96 people were killed in the crash, including many of Poland's highest military and civilian leaders. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered a government commission to investigate the crash. Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin , was placed in charge of the investigation. Russian politician Valeriya Novodvorskaya later claimed
912-978: The Supreme Audit Office from 1992 to 1995 and later Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General in Jerzy Buzek 's cabinet from 2000 until his dismissal in July 2001. Born in Warsaw , he starred in a 1962 Polish film, The Two Who Stole the Moon , with his identical twin brother Jarosław . Kaczyński was a graduate of law and administration of Warsaw University . In 1980, he was awarded his Ph.D. by Gdańsk University . In 1990, he completed his habilitation in labour and employment law . He later assumed professorial positions at Gdańsk University and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw . During
969-798: The Workers' Defence Committee , as well as the Independent Trade Union movement. In August 1980, he became an adviser to the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee in the Gdańsk Shipyard and the Solidarity movement. After the communists imposed martial law in December 1981, he was interned as an anti-socialist element . After his release, he returned to trade union activities, becoming a member of
1026-718: The assassination of Gabriel Narutowicz . Kaczyński was born in Warsaw , the son of Rajmund (an engineer who served as a soldier of the Armia Krajowa in World War II and a veteran of the Warsaw Uprising ), and Jadwiga (a philologist at the Polish Academy of Sciences ). As a child, he starred in a 1962 Polish film, The Two Who Stole the Moon (Polish title O dwóch takich, co ukradli księżyc ), with his identical twin brother Jarosław . Kaczyński
1083-507: The communist period, Kaczyński was an activist in the pro-democratic anti-communist movement in Poland, the Workers' Defence Committee , as well as the Independent Trade Union movement. In August 1980, he became an adviser to the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee in the Gdańsk Shipyard and the Solidarity movement. After the communists imposed martial law in December 1981, he was interned as an "anti-socialist element". After his release, he returned to trade union activities, becoming
1140-534: The Baltic States the day after tomorrow, and then perhaps the time will come for my country, Poland!" During a state visit to Serbia in 2009, Kaczyński said that the Polish government, on the basis of its constitutional competences, decided to recognize Kosovo and emphasized that he, as the President of the state, did not agree with that. Kaczyński married economist Maria Kaczyńska in 1978. They had one daughter, Marta Kaczyńska-Dubieniecka. His brother
1197-832: The Crypt Under the Tower of Silver Bells beneath the Wawel Cathedral . A significant number of foreign dignitaries were unable to attend the funeral as a result of air travel disruption in Europe following the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. In June 2016, the Polish government announced it would re-open the investigation into the Smolensk jet crash with plans to exhume and autopsy all 96 of
SECTION 20
#17327870030531254-479: The National Assembly. In his first public speech as president-elect, Kaczyński said that his presidency would pursue the task of ameliorating the Republic, a process which he said would consist of "purging various pathologies from our life, most prominently crime [...], particularly criminal corruption – that entire, great rush to obtain unjust enrichment, a rush that is poisoning society, [and preventing
1311-490: The People's Republic of Poland, fighting corruption, providing security in economy, and safety for development of family. Kaczyński also stated that he would seek to abolish economic inequalities between various regions of Poland. In his speech he also emphasized combining modernization with tradition and remembering the teachings of Pope John Paul II . On 21 December 2008, Kaczyński became the first Polish head of state to visit
1368-527: The Russian government had murdered Kaczyński. On 11 April 2010, President Kaczyński's body was returned to Poland, where he and his wife lay in state at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. The state funeral was held in Kraków on 18 April 2010. After a Roman Catholic Mass at St. Mary's Basilica , the presidential couple were laid to rest in a coffin, which was placed in the antechamber of
1425-627: The Security Minister in the Presidential Chancellery but fired him in 1992 due to a conflict concerning Jan Olszewski 's government. Kaczyński was the President of the Supreme Chamber of Control (Najwyższa Izba Kontroli, NIK) from February 1992 to May 1995 and later Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Jerzy Buzek 's government from June 2000 until his dismissal in July 2001. During this time he
1482-501: The alarm by playing the Hejnał , and the city gates were closed before the Tatars could ambush the city. The trumpeter, however, was shot in the throat by an arrow and did not complete the anthem, and this is the legendary reason as to why performances end abruptly before completion. The earliest written version of this legend is from the prologue to American Eric P. Kelly ’s 1928 children's book The Trumpeter of Krakow . Kelly, who
1539-418: The basilica was to be shut down and replaced by a public square. Today, it is known as Plac Mariacki (Marian Square). In the years 1887–1891, under the direction of Tadeusz Stryjeński, the neo-Gothic design was introduced into the basilica. The temple gained a new design and murals painted and funded by Jan Matejko , who worked with Stanisław Wyspiański and Józef Mehoffer - the authors of stained glass in
1596-633: The churches that were built by the Polish diaspora abroad, particularly those like Saint Michael's and Saint John Cantius in Chicago , designed in the Polish Cathedral style . The church is familiar to many English-speaking readers from the 1928 book The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly . According to chronicler Jan Długosz , Saint Mary's Basilica in the Main Square in Kraków
1653-664: The construction of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw and was one of the signatories of the agreement to finance the project using the city funds. Kaczyński banned the Warsaw gay pride parade twice in 2004 and again in 2005, locally known as the Parada Równości (the Equality Parade), telling protesters that "I respect your right to demonstrate as citizens, but not as homosexuals." Additionally, he feared
1710-602: The construction of the Warsaw Uprising Museum and in 2004 appointed a historical panel to estimate material losses that were inflicted upon the city by the Germans in the Second World War (an estimated 85% of the city was destroyed in the Warsaw Uprising ) as a direct response to heightened claims coming from German expellees from Poland . The panel estimated the losses to be at least 45.3 billion euros ($ 54 billion) in current value. He also supported
1767-571: The death of a trumpeter was the reason for the premature ending of the anthem, but does not mention the Tartar siege or arrows. Another possible reason is Ludwik Anczyc's 1861 version of the Lajkonik legend, which describes the sentry and the invading Tatars without mentioning arrows or the sentry's death. It is possible that Kelly was simply the first to write down the full version of an existing Cracovian legend that had escaped earlier collectors. It
St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-421: The fire brigade, who also use the church tower as a lookout post. There are at least four different buglers serving in shifts at the tower. The longest-serving trumpeter was Adolf Śmietana, who played the Hejnał for 36 years beginning in 1926. The Kołton family has played the Hejnał for three consecutive generations. In October 2004, Jan Kołton retired after 33 years of service at the tower. His father had been
1881-668: The four directions in which the tune is played are in honour of the King (southwards towards Wawel Castle ); the Mayor or Bishop towards City Hall or Bishop's Palace on Kanonicza Street, the citizens towards Main Market Square , and the peasants and visitors (towards the fields outside Kraków and the Barbican of Krakow ). At the end of each tune the trumpeter waves at the people in the square who are expected to wave back. The Hejnał
1938-553: The lack of energy security and this issue would have to be resolved to protect Polish interests. Strengthening ties with the United States while continuing to develop relations within the European Union are two main goals of Polish foreign affairs , as well as improving relations with France and Germany despite several problems in relations with the latter. Aside from those issues, his immediate goals were to develop
1995-487: The mourning song Łzy Matki (English: "The Tears of the Mother"). The first time was at noon on 3 April 2005, due to the death of Pope John Paul II the previous day, and the second at two minutes after noon on 11 April 2010 following the deaths of President Lech Kaczyński and his consort, Maria Kaczyńska . Originally played by the town guard, since the 19th century the Hejnał has been performed by active members of
2052-569: The movement. Then in the 1991 Polish parliamentary election , he was elected into the Sejm as a non-party member. He was also the main adviser and supporter of Lech Wałęsa when the latter was elected President of Poland in December 1990. Wałęsa nominated Kaczyński to be the Security Minister in the Presidential Chancellery but fired him in 1992 due to a conflict concerning Jan Olszewski 's government. In 2001, Kaczyński co-founded
2109-417: The opening and closing of city gates at dawn and dusk. The four directions in which the St. Mary's Trumpet Call is currently sounded correspond roughly to the four main Kraków gates before 3 out of 4 of the gates were demolished in the 19th century. 16th-century sources mention other trumpeters on other towers, and it is possible that the “interrupted” anthem was originally meant to allow a second trumpeter at
2166-565: The parade would promote a "homosexual lifestyle" and complained that police did not use enough force in breaking it up by stating "Why was force not used to break up an illegal demonstration?". Kaczyński referred to the organizers of the gay pride parades as "perverts". In 2005, Kaczyński allowed a counter-demonstration, the "Parade of Normality", organized by the All-Polish Youth , a Catholic nationalist organization opposed to "liberalism, tolerance, and relativism." In 2007, Poland
2223-594: The pipeline was a threat to Poland's energy security. In November 2006 in Helsinki , at a European Union-Russia meeting, Poland vetoed the launch of EU-Russia partnership talks due to a Russian ban on Polish meat and plant products imports. As a reaction to claims by a German exile group Preussische Treuhand , which represents post-1945 German expellees from Eastern Europe , the Polish Foreign Minister Fotyga mistakenly threatened to reopen
2280-709: The presbytery. Since the beginning of 1990s, the basilica underwent an extensive renovation. In 2003, in the final stage of the works, the roof of the church was replaced. On 18 April 2010, in Saint Mary's Basilica, a funeral ceremony for Polish president Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria was held. The coffins were later transported and buried in one of the crypts of Wawel Cathedral . 50°03′42″N 19°56′21″E / 50.06167°N 19.93917°E / 50.06167; 19.93917 Hejna%C5%82 mariacki St. Mary's Trumpet Call ( Polish : Hejnał mariacki ; Polish pronunciation : [xɛjnaw] , derived from
2337-483: The same time the northern tower was raised and designed to serve as the watch tower for the entire city. In 1478 carpenter Maciej Heringh (or Heringk) funded a helmet for the tower. A gilded crown was placed on it in 1666, which is still present today. At the end of the 15th century, Saint Mary's church was enriched with a sculptural masterpiece, an Altarpiece of Veit Stoss (Ołtarz Mariacki Wita Stwosza ) of late Gothic design. In 1536/37, King Sigismund I. declared that
St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-491: The second round, however, he had gained the support of Radio Maryja , as well as of two other political parties besides his own: Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland , and the Polish People's Party . Elected President of the Republic of Poland (he defeated the runner-up Donald Tusk by polling 8,257,468 votes, constituting 54.04 percent of the vote), Kaczyński assumed office on 23 December 2005, taking an oath before
2451-435: The sermons in the church should be changed from German to Polish . The large German community of Kraków were relocating their place of worship to the smaller Saint Barbara's church. In the 18th century, by the decision of vicar Jacek Augustyn Łopacki, the interior was rebuilt in the late Baroque style. The author of this work was Francesco Placidi. All 26 altars, equipment, furniture, benches and paintings were replaced and
2508-470: The state from ensuring] elementary social security, health security, basic conditions for the development of the family [and] the security of commerce and the basic conditions for economic development. During his inauguration he stated several goals he would pursue during his presidency. Among those concerning internal affairs were: increasing social solidarity in Poland, bringing justice to those who were responsible for, or were affected by communist crimes in
2565-488: The underground Solidarity. When Solidarity was legalized again in the late 1980s, Kaczyński was an active adviser to Lech Wałęsa and his Komitet Obywatelski Solidarność in 1988. From February to April 1989, he participated in the Round Table talks. Kaczyński was elected senator in the elections of June 1989 and became the vice-chairman of the Solidarity trade union . In the 1991 parliamentary election , he
2622-440: The vote. He was sworn in as president on 23 December 2005. On 10 July 2006, Kaczyński appointed his brother as Prime Minister of Poland upon the resignation of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz , the brothers then became the first pair of brothers in the world to serve as president and Prime Minister of a country and the only twin brothers to do so, until 2007, when his brother lost the parliamentary election on 21 October 2007 , finishing
2679-520: The walls were decorated with polychrome, the work of Andrzej Radwański. In the years immediately before 1730 the Venetian painter Giambattista Pittoni painted five altarpieces for the side altars of the central nave: The Annunciation, The Adoration of the Magi, Madonna and Child with St. Philip Neri, Mary Magdalene, St. Sebastian. At the beginning of the 19th century, the city decided that a cemetery near
2736-557: The world. The real origin and author of the hejnał are unknown. The earliest written mention of it appears in civic pay records of 1392. The word hejnał comes from hajnal , the Hungarian word for " dawn ". These two facts fit well with a putative origin under King Louis I "the Hungarian" (r. in Poland 1370–1382) or his daughter Jadwiga, Queen of Poland (r. 1384–1399). Trumpet calls were used in many European cities to signal
2793-616: Was found guilty by the European Court of Human Rights of violating the principle of freedom of assembly by banning the 2005 Parada Równości under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights . On 19 March 2005, he formally declared his intention to run for president in the October 2005 election. In the first round of the elections he polled 33% of the vote, taking second place behind Donald Tusk . By
2850-437: Was 79. Lech Kaczy%C5%84ski New Conservatives Defunct Lech Aleksander Kaczyński ( Polish: [ˈlɛx alɛkˈsandɛr kaˈt͡ʂɨj̃skʲi] ; 18 June 1949 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish politician who served as the city mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 2005, and as President of Poland from 2005 until his death in 2010 . Before his tenure as president, he previously served as President of
2907-408: Was a graduate of law and administration of Warsaw University . In 1980 he was awarded his PhD by Gdańsk University . In 1990 he completed his habilitation in labour and employment law . He later assumed professorial positions at Gdańsk University and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw . In the 1970s Kaczyński was an activist in the pro-democratic anti-communist movement in Poland,
SECTION 50
#17327870030532964-411: Was elected to the parliament as a non-party member. He was, however, supported by the electoral committee Center Civic Alliance , closely related but not identical to the political party Centre Agreement ( Porozumienie Centrum ) led by his brother. He was also the main adviser and supporter of Lech Wałęsa when the latter was elected President of Poland in December 1990. Wałęsa nominated Kaczyński to be
3021-439: Was elongated and tall windows added. The main body of the church was completed in 1395–97 with the new vault constructed by master Nicholas Wernher from Prague . However, the vault over the presbytery collapsed in 1442 due to a possible earthquake , which has never happened before nor since in Kraków. In the first half of the 15th century, the side chapels were added. Most of them were the work of master Franciszek Wiechoń. At
3078-625: Was founded in 1221–22 by the Bishop of Kraków , Iwo Odrowąż . The building was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Poland. Between 1290 and 1300 the new early Gothic church was built on the remaining foundations. It was consecrated twenty years later, in 1320. The church was completely rebuilt during the reign of Casimir III the Great between 1355 and 1365 with substantial contributions from wealthy restaurateur Mikołaj Wierzynek. The presbytery
3135-419: Was teaching at the Jagiellonian University on a scholar exchange in 1925–26, admitted that he did not speak the Polish language very well when he wrote the story, and had relied on French -speaking friends to translate. Part of the current legend may come from a more recent historic incident when a trumpeter died of natural causes while on duty at midnight on 7 July 1901. A 1926 tourist guide vaguely states that
3192-430: Was traditionally played twice a day, usually at dawn and dusk; noon was added later. Today, the trumpeter plays hourly, though sleepy trumpeters are sometimes reported to have missed one of the early morning hours. Since 1927 the Hejnał has been broadcast live on Polskie Radio (the Polish national radio station) from St Mary's Church daily at noon. The Kraków Hejnał is well known throughout Poland and has been used as
3249-462: Was very popular because of his strong stance against corruption . In 2001 he founded the political party Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość – PiS), usually labelled 'conservative' by media, with his brother Jarosław . Lech Kaczyński was the president of the party between 2001 and 2003. In 2002, Kaczyński was elected mayor of Warsaw in a landslide victory . He started his term in office by declaring war on corruption. He strongly supported
#52947