Culture Park in Wejherowo
Lying in the heart of Kashubia, Wej-herowo is one of the most appealing places in Pomerania. The centuries-old town surrounded by moraine hills has a vast main square with a graceful neo-baroque town hall and pleasant houses, a couple of interesting museums and valuable old architecture, of which the oldest is the 17th-century Church of St. Anna. For relaxation, a beautiful park lined by lovely alleys stretches along the CedronRiver. Just beyond the park, rising among beech-clad hills, is the most famous sight in town: the Calvary to which Wejherowo owes its origins and the title of the spiritual capital of Pomerania.
The custom of building sites to commemorate the Christ’s way to Golgotha came to Poland in the early 17th century. Calvaries (Calvaria is the Latin name of Golgotha) were usually constructed on hills so that the terrain would resemble that in Jerusalem. The Wejherowo Calvary, more than 350 years old, was the fourth in Poland (the oldest being Kalwaria Zebrzydowska established in 1602). It was founded, like the town itself, by Jakub Wejher, a member of one of the most distinguished Pomeranian families. The historic complex is made up of chapels marking the successive Stations of the Cross linked by paths and stairs. Most of the shrines were given a baroque form, but a few of them represent other styles. Architecturally, the most interesting are: Pilate’s Palace, the Church of the Three Crosses, the Tomb of Christ and, arguably the finest of all, the chapel of the Meeting of Christ and the Virgin, featuring a roseate ground plan.
The annual mystery plays, staged here since 2002, are particularly emotional. Performed by actors in period costumes, the shows re-create the events of the Way of the Cross attracting crowds of pilgrims.
In 2006–2008 the Wejherowo Calvary was renovated. Twenty-five chapels were thoroughly restored along with their historic furnishings, paintings, sculptures and frescoes. Some twenty-five kilometres of paths and stairs were refurbished, a parking lot was built and a monitoring system was installed. Spectacular illumination of the entire complex was also added to enhance both the atmosphere of this unusual place at night and security in the whole area.
The renovation of the Wejherowo Calvary was the most important objective of the project, but not the only one. A permanent exhibition telling the history of the town and region was also created in the Museum of Kashubian and Pomeranian Literature and Music while the town hall was provided with an excellent Tourist Information desk. The town hall now also boasts a model of the Calvary on display.
The project of renovating the Wejherowo Calvary, called a gem of Pomeranian religious architecture, won the main award in the 1st contest Poland Even More Beautiful. Seven Miracles of EU Funds in the HistoricBuilding category.
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