A New Strategy of Preservation of The Ideal Town of Zamosc in

Alicja Szmelter Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw. Poland

The paper will present and discuss a new strategy proposed for the preservation of Zamosc. Zamosc with its 50 thousand inhabitants is a rather small, provincial town of Poland, situated far from the main trading roads in the southeastern part of the country, near to the Polish-Ukrainian border. Despite its size and remote location the Polish and international specialists have recognized the unique value of its Old Town, as a rare example of the Renaissance ideal town, and in 2002 Zamosc was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Renaissance Old Town was developed mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries and left almost untouched in its historic form till today. Consequently, plans to develop it are drawing exceptional attention from the Polish urban planners and conservationists A new strategy to preserve and maintain the cultural heritage of Zamosc is based on the principle that the Old Town should be a source of funds for the town, rather than of consuming its budget. Some basic principles of the strategy for the Old Town of Zamosc. The strategy is a continuation of the earlier, recently executed plan allowed by easing of the earlier conservationist restrictions. For instance, new attractive building lots have been provided in a historic core with the aim of attracting the developers to invest in the Old Town. The lots were not built on since the erection of the town in the 16th century. These building lots are to be filled in with small hotels and school edifices, preferably in forms that will blend well with the historic style. There are already some positive signs showing that the strategy of the more flexible conservationist approach to the protection of the Old Town of Zamosc was well chosen. The authorities of the town of Zamosdc hope that the new functions will generate income that will fund improvements to the existing condition of its historic structure.

[email protected] 1 1 Introduction

In 2004 a majority of Polish towns will obtain a new development plan that will become local law for the next ten years. One of them, Zamosc, with its 50 thousand inhabitants, is a relatively small town situated in the southeast part of Poland, close to the Ukrainian border. The Old Town of Zamosc is one of a few fully realized in Europe Renaissance Ideal Towns and is regarded as a great monument of Polish history. In 2002, the town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a tribute to its international significance. As a consequence the development plan for Zamosc is drawing exceptional attention among Polish urban planners, historians of urban structure and conservationists. This is Zamosc’s first entirely new development plan since the change of the economic system in Poland. A prior plan, which dates back to 1973, had been updated only several times, since 1989. Zamosc’s new development plan is more advanced than those of other Polish towns hence the raised overall interest. The plan incorporates sustainable development – a relative novelty in Polish urban planning. Because of this, the municipalities of the other Polish towns are carefully following the preparations of this plan. Zamosc is not an ordinary town – it is distinguished by containing its original Old Town - “the pearl of the Renaissance town planning”. (Illustration 1)

2 The economy there is, however, similar to other small Polish towns. Zamosc has a high unemployment rate (30% in 2003) – that augmented rapidly after the closure of most of the industrial enterprises in the town, not profitable in the changed economic system. High unemployment is additionally caused by the town losing its position as the regional center in 1990, a consequence of the new administration division of Poland. The harder economic circumstances created the problem of upkeep of the precious historic structures; the local authorities could no longer rely on financial support for the conservation works that had been provided by the central budget in communist times. Finance for conservation gradually diminished, drying up since 1985. The danger of neglect of the historic structures resulted in the need to demonstrate (especially to the local community) that the cultural values of the Old Town should warrant fund-raising to support the upkeep. Specific of the Old Town of Zamosc, the new development plan incorporates a strategy to protect the historic structures that allows a flexible approach with regard to conservationist restrictions.

2 The Old Town in Zamosc – its structure and function

The Old Town of Zamosc together with its renaissance fortifications is an island (with the approx measurements of 600 m by 400 m) amid 20th century districts, isolated by the broad stripe of its 19th century fortification. The spatial distinction is enhanced by the fact that the Old Town is surrounded by the glacis (the field of fire) - circa 400 m wide. This green belt forms a visible buffer zone. The ring of fortifications remained untouched courtesy of conservationists regulations implemented in the late 1930’s. Thanks to this protection, the Old Town of Zamosc can be regarded today as a full size model of the Renaissance structure – almost untouched as it concerns the original master plan and major architectural features of its official buildings together with its burgher houses. The ring of 19th century fortifications has also been preserved until now in an almost untouched state, making its listing on the World Heritage List well deserved.

3 The uniqueness of the Old Town of Zamosc lies in the homogeneity of its structure. Much of the town’s architecture was built in a short 20-year span, allowing substantial harmony between the master plan and the functional aspects of the town. Zamosc was erected in 1580 as the center of the one of the biggest feudal estates in Poland. (1542-1605), its founder and owner, was a magnate of exceptional political power. He was the royal and Great Hetman of the Crone (the Head of the Polish Army), and one of the richest men in Poland. Educated in Padova, influenced by the humanist , in 1578 he engaged the architect (1540?-1600) from Padova to create a town that was supposed to became both administrative center for the owner’s latifundium and a center for trade between Eastern and Central Poland. Strict geometrical interrelations ruled the Renaissance layout of the residential town and its fortifications. The street pattern is orthogonal with the main east-west axis linking the residence (the palace) with the main square market place (100 x 100 m). Two additional markets (50 x 50 m) are linked with the main one with the north-south axis. Arcades surround the main market square, and in its northern façade the town hall was erected in 1591. (1) The town was further developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the town structure was completed. As a part of the Renaissance fortification system the architect Morando set an artificial lake (with the surface 8 times bigger that the surface of the town itself) which surrounded the bastions and curtains of Zamosc from the south and west sides. In 19th century (1809-1866), Zamosc as a whole was turned into a stronghold. The 20th century town was extended outside the field of fire. In the 1950’s a typical “social – realistic” style complex of blocks of flats, contiguous to the ring of 19th century fortifications, was erected to the north. Fortunately, the blocks were not higher than the historic buildings of the Old Town. The industrial district has developed since the 19th century, to the north of the Old Town and has not interfered with the townscape. As mentioned previously, the Old Town remained an island, thanks to the early protection of its fortifications. The modern 20th century districts, consisting of huge blocks of flats — typical for Poland — fortunately were erected far outside the conservation protection zone – unlike in the vast majority of historic towns of Poland. Although the Old Town of Zamosc is only a small (4000 inhabitants) part of the overall town, it is still the center for city life. The municipality has its seat in the town hall, the administration is placed in the renovated burgher houses, and two museums, art galleries, best restaurants, pubs and two hotels, together with the one secondary school, are also there.

3 The assumptions of the strategy of the sustainable development of Zamosc

In 1999, a team led by professor Wies?aw Anders from Gda?sk University of Technology prepared the study for the strategic plan of the development of the whole town of Zamosc. (2) The strategy encompasses both the historic structures, and the structures developed so far outside protected zone. The main change (compared to the 1973 plan, dating back to the communist era) lies in an appraisal of the town’s prospects. The development will no longer focus on the spatial growth, nor on the industry, but on the amendment of the existing structures and on the use of the local advantages. The main goals for the future development include: commerce, education and tourism. This selection is significant because these three activities are the traditional key activities in Zamosc. Jan Zamoyski, the founder and original owner of Zamosc, while planning of the town in 1580, included a road that served the merchants from Ukraine and East to get to central Poland, in such a way that they had to stop in his residential town. During centuries Zamosc’s Old Town became the commercial center of the region. The international commerce grew there

4 till the end of the 18th century. The social structure of the town was a mosaic of nationalities. Zamosc attracted merchants and craftsman: Jews, Greeks, , Armenians, Turks, Germans and Scots who settled there together with the local Poles. The peak of international commerce ended with the first partition of Poland in 1772, although the town continued to profit from its location on the trade route, till the Second World War. Potential for international trade in Zamosc has improved since 1989. Already, Zamosc has some small international marketplaces, where Poles and Ukrainians trade. From these modest origins the need for a new base of commerce has risen: hotels and restaurants of a differentiated standard, bank agencies, storage places, etc. Some of these functions can be hosted by the Old Town, in newly converted 16th century burgher houses. For example, an up market hotel was derived by reconstructing four houses in the center of the Old Town. The decision to make education a key force in the future development of the town is also rooted in the town’s history. The acclamation of the in Zamosc by the pope Klemens VIII took place in 1594 as the result of the efforts of the first owner of the town. Then, the Academy was the second university, school, in Poland after in Cracow. For centuries the Academy faced ups and downs and finally was closed in 1772 by the Austrian government. Attempts to reopen the Academy today depend on the need for a center of higher education in the region. During past 12 years, several private colleges have already opened in Zamosc, implying that such demand exists. The original 17th century Academy building, placed in the Old Town, is available, and could be used for the education purposes. (The building is now used by a secondary school). However, the most propitious idea is to turn the former residence of the owner of the town into the new Academy. Since the Second World War, the former residence of the – the palace - lost its dominant position in the town. The main postwar focus was on the town’s image as a place of peaceful commerce reflecting different national origins of its inhabitants. The role of the residence – the centuries old home of the owners and rulers of the town and one of biggest estates in Poland, was purposely diminished. Moreover the palace was converted into an army hospital in 19th century (after the town was sold in 1820 by the Zamoyski family to the government of the Congress Kingdom). The deterioration of its interiors provided an excuse to not reconstruct them after the Second World War. Instead, the palace was turned partly into a regional court and partly into apartments for low-income town people. The neglect of the aristocratic residence was the intentional result of communist state policies. At present, the Zamosc Conservation Officer already approves an idea to restore the previous splendor to the Academy and the palace by the reopening of the university. Between the two World Wars, the Old Town of Zamosc was an object of interest of Polish architects, art historians and conservationists. The first conservation works were started at this time. In 1936 the Old Town of Zamosc was acknowledged as a state monument. In 1937-39, Jan Zachwatowicz and W_adys_aw Wieczorkiewicz executed the first plan to protect the urban complex. Works on the conservation of the town’s structure were consequently conducted from 1945, but the most complex works were done in the period that preceded the 400th anniversary of the erection of the town. In 1978 special funds from the Polish Government were allocated to prepare the detailed architectural and urban inventory of the Old Town and its 19th century fortifications. This spending proved to be the postwar peak in allocation. The “action” of the renovation of Zamosc’s Old Town was extensively reported in the media. Examples of publicized renovation included works on the market square. The army removed a cobble stone surface of the market. Wiktor Zin, an architect and historian who also was a television personality, supervised a reconstruction of the parapet walls on burgher houses. From this time, despite its peripheral position in the lands of Poland, Zamosc became a tourist attraction.

5 Nowadays, developing tourism requires a complex approach. In 1990, in the move to make Zamosc the center of the tourist region, one idea was to create a “Natural and Cultural Park”. Here the Old Town with its ring of fortification, would be connected with the, meadows on the southern outskirts of the town. The resulting 1,5 km broad “green corridor” becoming a park and recreation area. Moreover, these green fields would connect the Old Town with the region of undeveloped – forested hilly lands of Roztocze, extended close to the Ukrainian border, that have a huge tourist potential.

Although, media coverage of the late 70’s made Zamosc famous in Poland as a Renaissance Ideal Town, the importance of Zamosc’s 19th century fortifications is less known. A small part of casemates is now opened to the public. The main problem is their huge capacity. Since it is not possible to treat the whole of the fortress buildings as a museum, additional functions must be considered. However, a detailed solution still needs to be found – there is no former example in Poland of the conversion of a fortification for any purpose other as a storage place. This has lead to a sense of the despair, because the town is thinking of selling out the fortifications, piecemeal to private owners, which might result in substantial damage to their complexity.

4. The new elements in the structure of the Old Town

Meeting of the outlined goals in Zamosc (commerce, education and tourism) will result in changes to the inner structure of the Old Town, especially since there are still some lots not

6 build on, from the time of the erection of the town. While conservationist have always opted to “freeze” the estate as is, some buildings were erected in the 1960’s and 1970’s in an unfortunate attempt to complete the original Renaissance master. A few of these new buildings, designed on the principle of contrast, were not architectural achievements, despite the fact that their authors were carefully obeying the conservationist restrictions concerning the volume, high and composition of the façade. The most successful example of the infill so far is the almost exact replica of the historic pattern of the town’s burgher house in the main market square façade. The contempt of the conservationist of Zamosc in the qualities of the contemporary architecture has created a preference of solutions such as replicas with designs based on local typology. The new secondary art school that is currently under construction has such a “pastiche” form. Its edifice will fill the whole façade of the northern smaller market. A division of the primarily building lots will show in its façade, the ground floor will contain a row of arcades, and it will be hard to recognize the real function of this false row of burgher houses. The proposal to redevelop the Academy will probably go beyond conversion for university purposes. The building lots in the Old Town of Zamosc, situated opposite to the residence are also attractive to the developers. These were to define the façade of the square and would be converted houses for the academic staff of the Zamoyski’s Academy. At the moment, the residence is separated from the town by the road leading between the western edge of the town and the forecourt of the residence complex. Connecting the residence with the town is an essential aspect of the concept of the Renaissance town that could also complete the missing part of this façade. The possible infill of the row of houses for the use by the academic staff would be a subject of the architectural competition.

7 5 Conclusions

The new plan for the development of the town of Zamosc is based on the use of connotations with the tradition of the town. This approach, enhancing the traditional functions, underlining the values of the Old Town as a center of attraction for the town, gives an optimistic vision for the future. The good estate of the Old Town is the sine qua non condition of the development of the whole town – and as such – the Old Town would have to profit from this new plan.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

FORNAL, M. (2002). „Zamosc” Renowacje i Zabytki 4 pp. 58-69 SARNIK-KONIECZNA, M. (1997). „ In anticipation of help”, LIPIEC, W. (ed.), Zamosc World Cultural Heritage, Kraków : Oficyna Wydawnicza Parol SKÓRZY_SKA, B. (2000). „Stare miasto w Zamo_ciu” UNESCO i my 1-2 (287) pp. 12 ZACHWATOWICZ, J. (1980). „O projekcie zagospodarowania przestrzennego Zamo_cia z 1939 roku”, KOWALCZYK, J. (ed.), Zamosc – miasto idealne, : Wydawnictwo Lubelskie, pp. 169-177 ZAR_BSKA, T. (1980). „Zamosc miasto idealne i jego realizacja”, KOWALCZYK, J. (ed), Zamosc miasto idealne Lublin: Wydawnictwo Lubelskie, pp. 1-77

8 Notes:

1 For more information on the inspirations of the Italian treatises in preparations of the master plan for Zamosc, and on the conception of Zamosc as the Ideal Renaissance Town see also: HERBST, S. and ZACHWATOWICZ, J. (1936). Twierdza Zamosc; MI_OB_DZKI, A. (1953). “Ze studiów nad urbanistyk_ Zamo_cia”, Biuletyn Historii Sztuki, vol. 15, 3/4, pp. 68 and following; ZAR_BSKA, T. (1980). ”Zamosc miasto idealne i jego realizacja” KOWALCZYK, J. (ed.), Zamosc – miasto idealne, Lublin : Wydawnictwo Lubelskie, pp. 1-77.

2 The study for the plan of development of Zamosc: “Studium uwarunkowa_ I kierunków zagospodarowania przestrzennego miasta Zamo_cia” was done in 1999 by the team of authors: “Pracownia Projektowa Dorota Sochajko”, in Gda_sk. The study was prepared for the City Council of Zamosc.

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