Włodawa 2011-11-21
A capital of Polesie Lubelskie
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Włodawa, which is located on the borders of today's Poland is situated neat the Bug river area, similary to other old towns: Orchówek, Różanka, Hanna and Sławatycze. However, only Włodawa developed into a municipal and administrative centre with about 13.5 thousand of residents. Looking at the town located on the high bank of the Bug river, one can see three monumental temples which belong to followers of diffrent religions: Roman-Catholic Baroque church with two selnder towers - bell towers, Orthodox church with a flagon-shaped domes and tubby form of the Great Synagogue. All temples are located close to the town's marketplace and they lay only several hundred meters away of one another. Wlodawa is called a city of three Cultures and this name was promoted during festivals which took place there and were given the same name. A parish church devoted to Saint Louis was designed by Pawel Fontana, a roayl architect, and is treated as one of the best sacral construction in the Lublin region. This temple was mounted for the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit in years 1739-80 by the found of Ludwik and Antoni Pocieja - that time town governors. The decoration of the church is of a homogenous Rococo style. There are color-rich polychromes, paintings from the Szymon Czechowicz's school, rich decorations and sculptures, including 10 monumental statues of Fathers and doctors of the Church and also figures of Saints. In the altar there is a paintnig which presents Saint Louis and a cult painting of Our Lady, richly framed, which is a copy of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. For local Jews, in the se cond part of the 18 th century there was founded a Synagogue in the place of a wooden one, of a late Gothic  style. The construction was founded by the religion followers, Izabela and Kazimierz Czartoryski, who also finished furnishing the Saint Louis church. When the Jewish Community moved, the synagogue was expanded in Baroque style, there was fitted the second floor and narthexes and everything was finished with flat Mansard roofs; next to the Synagogue there is a small Synagogue and a pokahalny house. Complex of synagogues is a registered office of the Museum of Łeczna and Włodawa Lake Region and symbolic monument of a memory of 9-thousand Jewish community. Impressive size and colors of aron- ha- kodesz which means altar wardrobe in the Great Synagogue, a set of Hewish objects (judaika) and a melameda's room- room of the teacher of a Jewish school. In a Small Synagogue there is a permement ethnographic exibition which is a accompanied by temporary exhibitions. Before a current Orthodox Church dedicted to Nativity of Our Lady was founded in 19th century, the following Włodawa owner, August Zamoyski, financed the constrution of the Unitarians temple which was transformed into an Orthodox Church in 1875 and under-went the process of modernization in order to represent Bizantium and Calssicistic style. Inside, there is historical furniture with iconostasis and rich polychrome. After the last modernization, the temple is impressive, both inside and outside. There are organized worships for the Orthodox who belong to the local parish. An interesting twon monument is a comercial complex situated on the marketplace, called Square. This is an unique example of Baroque stands in Poland. The town is not only an administrative centre, but also an unofficial capital of Polesie Lubelskie and at the same time a service and supply base for tourists who rest in Łęczna and Włodawa Lake Region.

Tourists coming to Włodawa during an international festival, which takes place regulary, may take part in so called Polesie Falk Summer. During that time, in the streets and during concerts which take place in an outdoor concert venues, there is only joy, dance and fun.

 

MORE INFORMATION

http://www.um.wlodawa.pl

http://www.informacja.wlodawa.pl

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