Krzeszów, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Encyclopedia
Krzeszów ' is a village in the Middle Sudetes in south-western Poland. It is part of the administrative district of Gmina Kamienna Góra
, within Kamienna Góra County
, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
(formerly in Jelenia Góra Voivodeship
, and prior to 1945 in Germany
).
The village lies approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of Kamienna Góra
, and 82 kilometres (51 mi) south-west of the regional capital Wrocław. It has a population of 1,400.
Krzeszów boasts one of the most valuable relics of Baroque
architecture in Europe
, namely the complex of the former Grüssau Abbey
: the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
, the Mausoleum
of the Świdnica-Jawor Piasts
, the Church of St. Joseph, the abbey buildings, the Guest House called the House of the Abbott, numerous chapels of the Calvary
and household buildings.
and Jawor
, Bolko I
, a grandson of Henry II the Pious
, brought the Cistercians from nearby Henryków
and endowed them with suitable estates.
The 14th century was marked as a period of impressive development and vast influence of the Abbey in Krzeszów, while the time of Świdnica's and the Jawor Piast line's extinction started its decline. During the Czech Hussite
invasions and later during the 30 Years War, the abbey was totally destroyed and plundered. With the end of the war, a new prosperous period for the Abbey began.
Gmina Kamienna Góra
Gmina Kamienna Góra is a rural gmina in Kamienna Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the town of Kamienna Góra, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina....
, within Kamienna Góra County
Kamienna Góra County
Kamienna Góra County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. The county covers an area of...
, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...
(formerly in Jelenia Góra Voivodeship
Jelenia Góra Voivodeship
Jelenia Gora Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, and prior to 1945 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
).
The village lies approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of Kamienna Góra
Kamienna Góra
Kamienna Góra is a town in south-western Poland with 21,440 inhabitants . It is the seat of Kamienna Góra County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Kamienna Góra, although it is not part of the territory of the latter .Kamienna Góra on the Bóbr river is situated in Lower Silesian...
, and 82 kilometres (51 mi) south-west of the regional capital Wrocław. It has a population of 1,400.
Krzeszów boasts one of the most valuable relics of Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, namely the complex of the former Grüssau Abbey
Grüssau Abbey
Grüssau Abbey also known as Krzeszów Abbey refers to a historical Cistercian monastery in Krzeszów in Lower Silesia, and to a house of the Benedictine Order in the town of Bad Wimpfen in Baden-Württemberg, where the German Grüssau community moved in 1947, after their former abbey had become...
: the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Krzeszów
Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Krzeszów and Michael Willmann . It is also one of the shrines to the Virgin Mary, with a 13th old painting. In one of the chapels there is a mausoleum to Silesian Piasts: Bolko I the Strict and Bolko II the Small.It is a basilica since...
, the Mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
of the Świdnica-Jawor Piasts
Silesian Piasts
The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...
, the Church of St. Joseph, the abbey buildings, the Guest House called the House of the Abbott, numerous chapels of the Calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
and household buildings.
History
The beginnings of the Abbey date from the 13th century. In 1292, the Prince of ŚwidnicaSwidnica
Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...
and Jawor
Jawor
Jawor is a town in south-western Poland with 24,347 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship . It is the seat of Jawor County, and lies approximately west of the regional capital Wrocław.In the town can be found a Protestant Church of Peace...
, Bolko I
Bolko I the Strict
Bolko I the Strict also known as the Raw or of Jawor , was a Duke of Lwówek during 1278-81 and Jawor since 1278 , sole Duke of Lwówek since 1286, Duke of Świdnica-Ziębice since 1291.He was the second son of Bolesław II the Bald, Duke of Legnica by his first wife Hedwig, daughter of...
, a grandson of Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland as well as Duke of Southern Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. During 1238–1239 he also served as a regent of two other Piast duchies: Sandomierz...
, brought the Cistercians from nearby Henryków
Henryków
Henryków may refer to the following places in Poland:*Henryków, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Henryków, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship *Henryków, Brzeziny County in Łódź Voivodeship...
and endowed them with suitable estates.
The 14th century was marked as a period of impressive development and vast influence of the Abbey in Krzeszów, while the time of Świdnica's and the Jawor Piast line's extinction started its decline. During the Czech Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
invasions and later during the 30 Years War, the abbey was totally destroyed and plundered. With the end of the war, a new prosperous period for the Abbey began.