in one Polish city
1
S z y m o n W i at r
I People II Gates III Castle IV Streets V Temples VI Cemetery VII Walls
in one Polish city
Szymon Wiatr
& camera me
one day in piotrków Somewhere over the rainbow... No, it is not this story. I am going to tell you something about wonderful city of Piotrków. There is no Polish history without Piotrków. For few century Piotrków was something like the second capital of Poland. However now it is still, a little bit sad and poor city. City because of Othodox cathedral, only it makes Piotrków a city nowadays. I have been there a few times in my life, but when I was there in May 2013, I felt in love with this city, these old walls, white communion children and hopeful spring air. And one morning on Saturday January 26th I came to Piotrków with camera. I have only about two hours for photographing. And because of that I did not photograph everything. But I think in these photographs I succeeded in showing various faces of Piotrków, not all but that was not my ambition Szymon Wiatr
People bicycles
& dogs
& bicycles people
and common dogs
People in the center of Piotrk贸w are poor. They born poor, live poor and die poor. But Saturday winter morning is not a time for mourning. This is a time for small shopping in some small mall and staying home with somebody relative and with common dog. Or for walking in the winter worderland with your small greedy friend. Let the time flow slowly
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Everything changes, winters are warmer, uncle Jerzy is older and older and worse, but cigaretes are still in old good prices
Ulica Cmentarna (Cemetery Street). Elder marriage is coming back from cemetery. It is about 10 o’clock. Merchants are displaying their goods, first of all owers. Without dead people there will be much less flowers in winter. Long live deceased!
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Next to the former prison (earlier former Piarist collage) and to the former Piarist church (now Lutheran) — lantern with Jewish symbol: star of David. One of the last Jewish culture' relic in Piotrków. Here was the first Jewish ghetto during World War II. Jewish surname coming from the name of Piotrków sounds Piotrkower
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Saturday, another work day — especially for those who are unemployed. Inscription on this big signboard means 'European clothes'. For a second this man will turn right, leave the truck in the pedestrian area and disappear in the gate
Gatesdoors &
& doors
gates
you never know
who or what you will meet in one of them. For sure not Jews. There is no more Jews. Now here is a juice. Of sour poverty and lush richness. And this morning city, morning gates without people, malls without customers, temples without believers. But being asleep does not mean being dead. Now everything is waiting, not wasting anything
Ulica Sieradzka (Sieradz Street). Another closed door → In the perspective of this old tenement house's gate we see some blocks from about 70s
Ulica Wspólna. People live here. Spirits certainly also ← Ulica Wojska Polskiego (Polish Army Street). Backyard behind boarded up gate
Old uninhabited house near the railway station. Weakened birds, pigeon and some another one, are sitting on a threshold. It is about -15 degrees
Ulica Wsp贸lna (Wsp贸lna Street, wsp贸lna means 'common'). Old asleep porch in old asleep house in old asleep city
Royal Castle great past and quite dull present
& the Castle royalty
y e s t e rday & t o day This royal old Gothic residence was using as a place to stay for kings, when they was participating in proceedings. It has form of tower to stress rolay prestige and power. The building was designer by Benedykt from Sandomierz, architect with Silesian or Slovak decent. This relic of magnificence is like a necklace inherited from granma
Non-royal Close to the boxes kings' residence life goes on its own course. There is no more kings in Poland (except kings of gelatine or shoes), big policy is making elsewhere, so neither king could not protest against construction of these boxes
Marketsstreets &
& streets
markets
s i l e n c e a n d s n ow All around just snow, silence, morning sunlight, blue sky and their children — silent shiny shadows. Human body it is veins and cavities, city — streets and markets. Narrow spaces, then wide spaces — harmonious and chaotic, dead and alive at the same time
Old Market Square
The Old Town's urban layout comes from times of the medieval location, however building is much later. Within the market you can see about 142 buildings with interesting architecture. After a fire in 1835, houses was rebuilt in the classical style. Inside some of them have been preserved barrel vaults, traces of arcades, vaulted cellars, hall-ways and wood-beamed ceilings
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Facade of the Jesuitic church with perspective of Mokra and Šazienna Streets (Wet and Bath Streets). Next page: Rwańska Street: exPiarist church (now Lutheran) and college (used as a prison to 2004)
Cinema an
Piotrków is a film actor, he already played in many good old, unkempt but beautiful face. This is a square next to Old Town — and back. The building you see at the end Cuban name does not warm (or d
nd Hawana
d motion pictures. Polish and foreign. It is because of his SĹ‚owacki Street, coming from the railway station to the of the square, it is a closed movie house called Hawana. does?) this cold January morning
Templeschurches &
& churches temples
dead or alive
Piotrków was one of the most important political center of First Polish Repulic. For a few centuries this city was atracting many different people of many different nationalities and relligions. Catholics, Jews, Protestants, Orthodoxes — everybody has here his peaceful home. Jewish chants and prayers became silent but empty temples will wait for their believers
The Great Synagogue
was built between 1791-1793, in last years of First Polish Republic. The temple was designed by Jewish architect David Friedlander. In 1813 the synagogue was visited by French marshall L.N. Davout, next by tzar Alexander I of Russia in 1821. Now it is visiting by people who like books because there is located library nowadays. On this photo you can also see the Little Synagogue — small building with one high window behind the Great Synagogue
Ulica Farna (Parish Street) and St. Jacob church from 12th century, primarily Roman, then rebuild in the Gothic style
The apse and towers of Bernardine complex of Feast of the Cross church and monastery from 17th century. The whole temple you have seen on the first page of this chapter
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Renovated portal of Ex-Dominican church of St. Hyacinth and St. Dorothea. The church was built on the city walls
Othodox cathedral built in years 1844-1847, then developed in years 1867-1869 by Ivan Vasilevich Shtrem. Before Russians, Orthodox community in Piotrk贸w made Greek emigrants from Macedonia
The most valuable in terms of artistic church in Piotrk贸w. Built by Society of Jesus in 18th century, then placed in the hands of Piarists, then came back to Society of Jesus. Inside very valuable Baroque polychrome by Jan Rayner and Andrzej Ahorn
Cemeteries under deep snow & deep blue sky
& cemeteries blue sky and snow
People have been living in Piotrk贸w and here dieing. Above their bodies have been growing cemeteries. Beautiful monuments still remind about sense of estetic, biographies, victories and defeats of people who lay under them. And skies care about harmony
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Ulica Cmentarna (Cemetery Street): snow, shadows and sun symphony
Cemetery Street, number 7, 7up → Old parts of the cemetery: grave of family with German decent and graves of Russians. Forground grave of Nikolai Vasilevich Kologrivov, retired colonel of 38th Tobolsk infantry regiment
Wa l l s
welcome to the skinhead land
& inscriptions walls
a n d f o o t b a l l fa n s In poor places all around the world people have only a few amusements. One of them is football. Piotrkowers are divided on two main groups — fans of Widzew Łódź and fans of łks (Łódzki Klub Sportowy). This holy war you can follow on walls and you will notice that both sides are „Jews”. Another type of inscriptions in Piotrków are „greetings to the prison”
←
House painted by fans of łks. Alcohol mixed with spray gives an explosion of creativity
← Composition with wall, window and inscription. The ealier one — made by fans of Widzew — was painted over by fans of łks. Name „Żydzew” is combined of name Widzew and word Żyd ('Jew') ← „Mundek, Misiek, hold on!” — proclaims inscription on a wall of the former prison. Symbol of football club łks is like signature
Joyful sex in Piotrk贸w, all year long
←
Double signboard of defunct fish shop of Mrs Z. Błaszkowska (this adjectival surname comes from the name of Błaszki, small town near Sieradz, 100 km from Piotrków) → Siwek ('grizzle') is a famous person in Piotrków but not everyone likes him. Corner of the same block of houses as on picture 1 and 3 → The same house as on picture 1, „greetings to the prison” theme
All photos and texts by © Szymon Wiatr, 2013 Photos taken on Saturday January 26th Texts and photos worked out in two periods: January -February and July-August 2013 • I want to thank God for the great weather that morning, perfect silence, mass of snow and good eye of me! • → www.szymonwiatr.strefa.pl → Szymon Wiatr Foto → Szymon Wiatr' photos on Flickr
Š Szymon Wiatr 2013
next time in Piotrk贸w see you
漏 Szymon Wiatr 2013