Leonhard's Crypt in Wawel Cathedral
| Leonhard's crypt | |
|---|---|
 inner space |
|
| Construction year: | 1038 |
| Inauguration: | 1039 |
| Style elements : | Romanesque |
| Client: | Catholic Church |
| Location: | 50 ° 3 '16.8 " N , 19 ° 56' 8.7" E |
| Address: |
Wawel Krakow Poland |
| Purpose: | Roman Catholic castle church |
| Diocese : | Krakow |
The St. Leonhard's Crypt under the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow is a Romanesque crypt that was built around 1038/1039 under Casimir I Karl , Duke of Poland from 1034 to 1058, when this Krakow became his residence and thus his capital Poland made. It is the best preserved Romanesque interior in Poland and serves as a burial place for Polish rulers and national heroes .
history
The St. Leonhard's Crypt is the oldest surviving part of the earlier Romanesque cathedral, which was only completed about 100 years later and consecrated in 1142. It was called "Hermanovska", which suggests that it was built by order of Władysław I. Herman , Duke of Poland from 1079 to 1102. References to the appearance of the cathedral can be found in a seal of the cathedral chapter from the 13th century, where the church was depicted. Structural remains from this time have been preserved to this day, including in the lower part of the silver bell tower.
The rectangular crypt, the vault of which is supported by eight stone columns, is dedicated to Saint Leonard of Limoges , († 559/620) and was used as a burial place early on. The first recorded burial took place in 1118, before the church was finished, when Bishop Maurus (1110–1118) (of French origin) was buried in the crypt. Excavations in 1938 made valuable additions, including a paten and a chalice recovered from the grave. Today an inscription set into the ground commemorates him.
Gravesites
The graves from a much later era are currently in the St. Leonhard's crypt.
- Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (born May 31, 1640, † November 10, 1673), elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1669 to 1673)
- Johann III. Sobieski (born August 17, 1629, † June 17, 1696), elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1674 - 1696), in 1683 as Commander-in-Chief of the Catholic League, savior of the Austrian capital and residence city of Vienna during the Second Turkish Siege of Vienna .
- Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien (* June 28, 1641, † January 30, 1716), as the wife of King John III. Sobieski Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1674–1696)
- Józef Antoni Poniatowski (born May 7, 1763 in Vienna, † October 19, 1813) - a nephew of Stanislaus II August Poniatowski, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1764–1795) - who was an Austrian officer, Polish statesman, general, Was imperial prince and marshal of France .
- Tadeusz Kościuszko (* February 4, 1746, † October 15, 1817), was a Polish nobleman , national hero , general and in 1794 the leader of the uprising against the partition powers Russia and Prussia named after him . In the American War of Independence he fought as a general on the side of George Washington from 1777 to 1783 .
- Władysław Sikorski (* 20th May 1881 ; † 4. July 1943 ) was a Polish officer, commander, statesman, politician, and in the years 1922-1923 Prime Minister of Poland, and from 1939 to 1943 Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile .
The chapel also commemorates Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła), who celebrated his first mass in the crypt at the altar of St. Leonhard after his ordination on November 2, 1946 .
Sarcophagus by Jozef Poniatowski
Sarcophagus by Tadeusz Kościuszko
Sarcophagus by Władysław Sikorski
Sarcophagus of Jan III Sobieski
Sarcophagus of Maria Kazimiera
The sarcophagus of Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki
literature
- Theresa Czerniewicz-Umer (main author): Vis-à-vis Krakau. Dorling Kindersley Verlag, Munich 2015, ISBN 978-3-7342-0083-0 .
- Marek Strzala, Royal tombs of the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow
- The chalice and paten from the tomb of Bishop Maurus, Krakow Symposium, 1992
Web links
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Hiltgart L. Keller: Reclam's Lexicon of Saints and Biblical Figures , p. 332
- ↑ The chalice and paten from the tomb of Bishop Maurus, Krakow Symposium, 1992
- ^ Theresa Czerniewicz-Umer (main author) “Vis - A - Vis Krakau”, page 71; Dorling Kindersley Verlag; London, 2015/16 edition ISBN 978-3-7342-0083-0