Bลonia Park is a historic city park, meadow with an area of 48 hectares, located in the former quarter Pรณลwsie Zwierzynieckie, of 700 meters west of the Old Town of Krakรณw, Poland.[1]
| Bลonia | |
|---|---|
| Bลonia | |
 Park and Koลciuszko Mound, view from E. | |
 Interactive map of Bลonia | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Krakรณw, Poland |
| Coordinates | 50ยฐ03โฒ35โณN 19ยฐ54โฒ40โณE๏ปฟ / ๏ปฟ50.05972ยฐN 19.91111ยฐE |
| Area | 48 ha |
The history of the park began in 1162, when a wealthy nobleman Jaksa z Miechowa donated the land between Zwierzyniec and ลobzรณw to Norbertine Nuns. His intention was to receive a blessing prior to his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. For the next two centuries the meadow belonged to nuns, who in 1366 exchanged it with the city's authorities for a manor at Floriaลska Street. The meadow was used by peasants from neighboring villages to graze their cattle.
Until the 19th century Bลonia Park was largely neglected, and often flooded by the Rudawa river in the spring turning it into wetland with small islands, probably contributing to the spread of epidemics. After draining the swamps, Bลonia became perfectly suitable to host large gatherings. In 1809, when the city was incorporated into the Duchy of Warsaw, Bลonia was a place of salute of the troops of Napoleon, organized by Prince Jozef Poniatowski and General Jan Henryk Dฤ browski.
Today Bลonia is a recreation area, frequently hosting large events like concerts and exhibitions. The place is best known for great Masses celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1979, 1983, 1987, 1997 and 2002. Pope Benedict XVI also celebrated the Mass there during his journey to Poland in May 2006. The opening Mass of the 2016 World Youth Day was held at Bลonia Park in July 2016, however the main events, including the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, were held outside the city.
Bลonia Park is also used to host popular culture events, such as concerts organized by a local radio station or the Iuvenalia student festival. Pop star Celine Dion's Taking Chances World Tour concert on June 28, 2008 performed to nearly 55,000 people [2] The vast meadow was also used for politicized promotion of the Maลopolska region farming industry by PSL in 2011 with a herd of 150 sheep trucked in from hundreds of kilometres away for one month, and the city permit worth 3,200 zลoty. The last cattle grazed at Bลonia in the 1970s.[3]
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Bลonia Park as seen from the Koลciuszko Mound -
View towards the Old Town (to the east) -
Summer in park -
Morning and Wawel Castle seen from the park
References
edit- ^ Praca zbiorowa Encyklopedia Krakowa, wydawca Biblioteka Krakรณw i Muzeum Krakowa, Krakรณw 2023, ISBNย 978-83-66253-46-9 volume I pp 133-134
- ^ "Ringing ears from Celine Dion - Taking Chances Tour concert". Tinnitus Tracker. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved May 9, 2011.[failed verification]
- ^ Agnieszka Kliล, Niezwykli goลcie w Krakowie. "Niektรณrzy siฤ bojฤ " Wiadomoลci: Krakรณw, 2014 Grupa Onet.pl
- Andrzej Kozioล, Wielka ลฤ ka, Jagiellonia Publishing, 2005.
- Krakowskie Bลonia at www.krakow4you.com, 2009
Bibliography
edit- (in Polish) * Praca zbiorowa Encyklopedia Krakowa, wydawca Biblioteka Krakรณw i Muzeum Krakowa, Krakรณw 2023, ISBNย 978-83-66253-46-9 volume I pp 133-134 (Encyclopedia of Krakow)
