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2 September 2010

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Polish Culture in the World Polish Cultural Institutes
important links Ministry of Culture and National Heritage - Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych

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Adam Mickiewicz Institute
ul. Mokotowska 25
00-560 Warsaw
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Museum of the Origins of the Polish State
languages: Polski  / English 
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Museum of the Origins of the Polish State
Muzeum Początków Państwa Polskiego w Gnieźnie
ul. Kostrzewskiego 1, 62-200 Gniezno
Director: mgr Gerard Radecki
tel. (+48 61) 426 46 41
tel./fax (+48 61) 426 48 41
www.mppp.pl
Open daily except Mondays and days following public holidays, 10am-5pm.

Gniezno was the capital city of the first few of the Piast dynasty rulers of Poland, and from 1000 onwards it has been a seat of an archbishopric, too. The Gniezno cathedral is famous for its twelfth-century, two-winged bronze doors decorated with scenes of martyrdom of St. Wojciech (Adalbert). The Museum, established in 1978, preserves chiefly medieval pieces as well as objects related to the history of Gniezno and surroundings. It boasts Europe's richest collection of Gothic stove tiles and one of the largest collections of Renaissance tiles in Poland. Among the most valuable holdings are also items from the Gniezno cathedral, most notably fragments of the Romanesque floor, Renaissance stone stoups and lithurgical vessels.

The Museum's holdings are grouped into four exhibitions - The Culture of the Polish Piasts, The Medieval Gniezno, Gniezno in Modern Times and The Painted History of the Piast Dynasty, presenting archeological findings, Polish art of the Middle Ages and decorative arts and crafts of later times.

The Culture of the Polish Piasts is explained through an audiovisual show combining an exhibition with a multiple-screen film, music and commentary in Polish, English, German, French and Russian languages. Visitors may see reconstructions of medieval fortified settlements, tenth century defence ramparts, as well as military and daily use objects from the early centuries of the Polish state.

The Medieval Gniezno shows models of the town as it was in the eleventh and fifteenth centuries, pewter vessels and other exhibits as well as early and late medieval documents. The exhibition's highlight is a collection of Gothic tiles sculpted with Old Testament scenes and Polish coats of arms.

The Gniezno in Modern Times spans the sixteenth through nineteenth century and presents decorative arts and crafts, with the precious collection of Renaissance stove tiles, liturgical vessels, military objects, ironwork, tableware and a collection of sixteenth through eighteenth century table knives.

The Painted History of the Polish Piasts presents nineteenth century Polish paintings with Poland at the time of the Piast dynasty rule as the subject matter.

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VIDEO COVERAGE  PHOTO COVERAGE  PAINTING  GRAPHIC ART  DRAWING  PHOTOGRAPHY  PORTRAITS  POLISH FILM 
RECENTLY ADDED
Martha Argerich and Maria João Pires at the "Chopin and His Europe" Festival
August 30, 2010
Promotion of the Podlaskie Voivodship
July 30 - July 31, 2010
Andrzej Sosnowski
On Monday, September 20, the first Polish arena for the Euro 2012 Cup will open in Poznań. The official ceremony will be honoured with a concert featuring Sting performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Steven Mercurio.
Until September 25 (except for Sundays and holidays), the John the Baptist Archcathedral in Warsaw will host daily organ recitals as part of the 7th edition of the "Grand Organ of the Archicathedral" Festival.
"Dotyk człowieka/Beruehrungen" is the title of the exhibition presenting works of six Polish contemporary artists displayed at the German Embassy in Warsaw (Jazdów street): on view until September 27.
On October 17, the National Museum in Poznań will host the first public presentation of Claude Monet's "Beach in Pourville". The painting was stolen ten years ago. The painting returned to the museum in January 2010 after the folice found the thief.
Jazz pianist Chick Corea will give his only Polish solo concert on November 8 in Zabrze.
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