OUR TRAVELS
Photos of sightseeing enthusiasts
A TRIP ROUTE
INTERESTING FACTS
Stanislaus of Szczepanów is a saint of the Catholic Church and one of the main patrons of Poland. Efforts to canonize him were initiated by the bishop of Krakow, Iwo Odrowąż, and continued by one of his successors, Jan Prandota. He commissioned the dominican Wincenty of Kielce to write a life of Stanislaus for the canonization process. A book of miracles was also introduced. The canonization process encountered unforeseen difficulties, and cardinal Rinaldo Conti, later pope Alexander IV, for reasons unknown to us, put up a firm resistance. It was from the trial of Stanislaus that the practice of the "devil's advocate" (latin: advocatus diaboli) was introduced, whose task was to bring to light all ambiguities and accusations. After the trial was revised in 1253, a new embassy was sent to Italy, attended by witnesses to miracles performed through bishop Stanislaus. Finally, on september 8, 1253, in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was canonized by pope Innocent IV and presented the bull of canonization to polish church dignitaries. For the following year, bishop Prandota set the ceremony of raising the relics of Stanislaus and announcing his canonization in Poland, which took place on may 8, 1254. The altar dedicated to St. Stanislaus was mentioned in the bull of 1256 in which pope Alexander IV granted indulgences to those who visited the basilica on his feast day.
IT IS WORTH KNOWING
The importance of Rome in the cultural life of Poland began to grow from the 16th century. In 1578, Cardinal S. Hozjusz took over the church of St. Stanislaus, which served as a Polish church until the partitions of Poland. During the counter-reformation, the city was visited by, among others, Piotr Skarga and Jakub Wujek. In the 1620s, M. Sarbiewski studied here, and in 1633, the J. Ossoliński embassy arrived. In the following century, the following studied, among others: J.A. Załuski, K. Sołtyk, S. Konarski, I. Krasicki, S. Staszic, H. Kołłątaj. The Sobieski family (Maria Kazimiera with her sons) stayed here, and in 1798, Henryk Dąbrowski's Legions entered Rome. A larger colony was established after 1830, when Rome became a place of activity for polish political emigration, and Adam Mickiewicz organized his Legion here. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Rome was visited, lived and created in by many people of culture and art, including H. Sienkiewicz, who decided to write the novel "Quo Vadis" here, as well as A. Asnyk, J. Fałat, A. and M. Gierymscy, J. Kasprowicz, M. Konopnicka, J.I. Kraszewski, J. Matejko, C.K. Norwid, H. Siemiradzki, W.S. Reymont and S. Żeromski. After World War II, units of the Second Polish Corps were stationed in Rome, and in 1946 J. Giedroyc founded the Literary Institute. Since the election of Karol Wojtyła as pope, the Vatican has hosted many famous Poles as well as huge crowds of believers.
INTERESTING STORIES
The purpose of Jerzy Ossoliński's arrival in Rome was to pay homage to the Pope on behalf of the newly elected king Władysław IV Vasa in 1632. The ceremonial entry of the Polish legation into the Eternal City took place on 27 November 1633, and in a similar order on 6 December the envoy's procession went to a ceremonial audience with the Pope, during which Ossoliński delivered an excellent Latin speech. The event was widely reported in Polish and foreign prints, and all accounts unanimously emphasised the extraordinary impression made by the envoy's procession, pointing out the incredible splendor and richness of the costumes that accompanied it. The procession numbered 300 people, 22 carriages, 10 camels and many horses, and in addition to Poles and Lithuanians, the parade was also attended by Tatars, Armenians and Cossacks. The greatest sensation was caused by several horses with magnificent tacks, sparkling with precious gems. The horses had their shoes intentionally attached incorrectly to their legs, so that they would lose them on the streets of the Eternal City. And since they were made of gold, the onlookers immediately pounced on these lost items. The spectacle of the entry planned in this way had a clear ideological message, it was a manifestation of the greatness and cultural diversity of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Vatican, Italy - Umbria, Rome
June 2024
I have noticed that Italy is increasingly attracting me. I like coming to this country because of its unique atmosphere, impressive monuments from different eras, sun and wonderful, lively inhabitants. I think I have fallen in love with Italy and I hope that this love will be reciprocated.
This year I planned a visit to the region of Umbria, called the green heart of Italy. Despite its central location, Umbria has always remained on the sidelines of important events on the peninsula in the past and it remains so to this day. For me, this is a big advantage, because when visiting small towns like Orvieto, Assisi or Spoleto I didn't have to do it with crowds of tourists like in other, more popular parts of the country. Due to the favorable air connections, I decided to fly to Rome. Of course, I took advantage of this by visiting Vatican and, unfortunately, the Eternal City rather briefly.Orvieto
Due to my absent-mindedness, my train missed, so I had to postpone visiting the Marmore waterfalls until the next day. Calculating my options, I decided on Orvieto. I only had half a day and I simply didn't have time to visit many places. The picturesque old town looks as if it had been transported straight from the Middle Ages, but I was most enchanted by the impressive cathedral with its dazzling façade covered in intricate ornaments, sculptures and mosaics.
Cascate delle Marmore
The Cascate delle Marmore waterfalls simply enchanted me. Thousands of hectoliters of foaming water rush down rocky steps amidst lush greenery, and the spraying drops create a mist illuminated by the sun's rays. It is a true miracle of nature and human genius. The first regulation works on the Velino River were carried out in 271 BC by the Romans, in the 14th-16th centuries the canal system was improved, and finally in the 20th century the Lago di Piediluco reservoir was regulated and a hydroelectric power plant was built.
Spoleto
Spoleto, forgotten today, was once an important political and economic centre and the capital of the Lombard Principality. I was drawn to this sleepy place by the images of the Ponte delle Torri. This impressive medieval bridge, over the Tessino stream, connects Spoleto with the neighbouring hill. The views are truly impressive, but I admit I was a bit disappointed because due to restoration work it was not possible to cross the bridge to the other side.
Assisi
Assisi is often called the city of St. Francis, and there is no exaggeration in this, as traces of the Poor Man's stay and activity are omnipresent. The impressive basilica built after his death delighted me with the magnificent frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and the Lorenzetti brothers. Despite the crowds of tourists and pilgrims, Assisi has retained its unique charm, and among the medieval buildings you can find the remains of Roman buildings such as the temple of Minerva, renamed a church, or the amphitheater.
Perugia
The capital of Umbria Perugia is a city with a centuries-old tradition. Elements of Etruscan architecture are visible at every turn, and the monumental Arco Etrusko gives some idea of its former power. Although I allocated two days to sightseeing, I still did not have time to see everything. During my stay, I had the opportunity to admire a wonderful collection of paintings in the National Museum of Umbria, but I was most fascinated by the Maggiore Fountain, a masterpiece of gothic craftsmanship.
Rome
My main goal of visiting Rome was the Vatican, so I visited the Eternal City somewhat incidentally, but rather superficially. The weather was not kind, and the sun, appearing and disappearing behind dark clouds every now and then, drove me to despair. However, I could not resist seeing at least the outside of the Colosseum, the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain. There were crowds of tourists in all of these places, which significantly worsened the comfort of sightseeing.
VATICAN
Vatican
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. Not everyone knows, however, that it also includes, on the principle of extraterritoriality, archbasilica of St. John Lateran, basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Santa Maria Maggiore and the residence in Castel Gandolfo. When planning the trip, I assumed in advance that I would not visit the Vatican Museums, for which tickets must be booked well in advance, but the inability to admire the Pieta and the confession of St. Peter due to conservation work was a big disappointment for me.
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