Nevertheless, even ruined remnants of history possess historical and cultural value. They characterize our region culturally and, in a certain sense, nationally as well.
Today I would like to introduce you to two historic monuments that are certainly known and recognizable to some extent. The first is the Renaissance manor house in Nawojów Łużycki. A church has now been separated from part of it. The remainder is a permanent ruin.
Nawojów Łużycki, a small village on the outskirts of Lubań County, near Nowogrodziec, lies in the area of historic Upper Lusatia. In the past, it belonged to Saxony. It was also connected with the history of the von Tschirnhaus family. One of its members erected a manor house in the 16th century, with the central section built in 1570–1571.
The two-story arcades located on the courtyard side make a particularly strong impression. Their balustrades feature 12 heraldic cartouches, including those of families such as the Nostitz and Hochberg families. Between the coats of arms, one can also see figures of Caritas (Love) and Flora (Nature), as well as women playing musical instruments. Not all of the instruments can be easily identified today. Among them are certainly a harp and a trumpet. The arcades also feature motifs of old men and creatures. An inscription was carved there, entrusting this once magnificent building to God’s protection, together with the date of construction.
The manor house in Nawojów Łużycki is a Renaissance gem. It is also tangible proof that buildings located in the countryside, far from large cities, could delight with their beauty, while the architectural solutions used in their construction continue to inspire admiration to this day.
Unfortunately, the Nawojów monument was not very fortunate. Just 56 years after its construction, it was destroyed by fire. It was subsequently rebuilt and taken over by the Magdalene Sisters from Lubań. In 1945, the Red Army completely looted it. In the 1960s, a church was separated from its rebuilt section.
The manor house was most likely created by Silesian or Lusatian builders fascinated by the Italian Renaissance. At that time, one of the most highly regarded German architects to this day, Wendel Rosskopf the Elder (1480–1549), born in Jerzmanki, was active in Upper Lusatia and Silesia. He was the designer of the Görlitz town hall. Rosskopf also supervised the reconstruction of the town halls in Lwówek Śląski and Bolesławiec [Łukasz Takiela, Vademecum Górnych Łużyc, IV. Górne Łużyce pod panowaniem Habsburgów (1526–1635), p. 139].
As for Bolesławiec, the most impressive part of the town hall today is the Wedding Hall, which owes its unique appearance to this Görlitz architect. The idea behind the hall’s finishing was not Rosskopf’s original design. The compass vault used there and the six-pointed stars formed by numerous ribs on the ceiling are an excellent reproduction of an idea by his teacher, the Czech architect Benedikt Rejt. Rejt was the architect of King Vladislaus II Jagiellon, and it was he who created the Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle. The Bolesławiec Wedding Hall closely resembles it, although it is much smaller and somewhat simpler in its details (https://dolny-slask.org.pl/3289676,foto.html?idEntity=3289675).
Originally, town councillors deliberated in this hall. It was later converted into the town hall’s tavern, and today wedding ceremonies are held there.
Although preserved to different degrees, both buildings are valuable architectural monuments of our beautiful Lower Silesia.
Paweł Skiersinis
The author is a blogger and history enthusiast, particularly interested in the history of Lower Silesia and Poland. Why Lower Silesia? As he puts it: “Why not? The most interesting history is the history around us, concerning us and our ancestors.”
He adds: “I try to present history from a different perspective, in an interesting way—not in the typically textbook style, full of dry dates and facts. My articles concern facts that we will not find in textbooks or well-known publications. The history of Lower Silesia is undoubtedly interesting and fascinating, so it is sometimes worth devoting at least a brief moment to it.”