Jan Matejko Park
Explorer of Kraków's Parks · no. 65
Park type: historic. In this park you can collect a stamp in the "Explorer of Kraków's Parks" campaign run by Kraków's Municipal Greenery Authority (ZZM). Tip: the path from the reservoir side has a steep step.
History
The park surrounds the manor house in Krzesławice, which the Kirchmayer family built in 1826 together with an extensive garden. In 1876 it was bought by Jan Matejko, with money from the sale of his painting "Stefan Batory at Pskov", and he rebuilt it to his own design. The northern part of the park was an informal garden, the central part a garden laid out in beds, and on the west the grounds were bordered by the Dłubnia river. The painter rested here with his family and received guests, and many of his works were created in Krzesławice. Since 1966 the manor house has been a museum. The revitalisation recreated the outline of the geometric garden in front of the house, and the park gained new lighting and a fence that echoes the old entrance gate.
Did you know?
The painting "Kościuszko at Racławice" was partly created in Krzesławice. The mound that the Commander rides over in the picture stood in the park here, and local peasants posed for the painting.