DZIKHI
The power of the elements
Dominik ski Robakow TC C TRAKT
FIRE
Fire, water, earth, air – their joined forces created the Cathedral Island. Over the years, the inhabitants of Poznań have developed a unique relationship with the elements. The Cathedral Island abounds in places where the fate of the human beings has intertwined with the fate of nature.
Let’s begin with fire. Without fire, the Cathedral Island would be a much less pleasant place to live. It was fire that made it possible for people to keep their houses warm and prepare hot meals. Its incredible properties allowed people such as blacksmiths, potters and brick makers to do their job. People felt respect for fire, which is why it was often used in religious symbolism. Small round holes in the eastern wall of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Cathedral Island are remnants of these religious practices. They were made when people lighted fires using special augers during the celebration of the Holy Saturday. The settlement’s wooden architecture as well as the fact that initially furnaces remained open contributed to numerous fires. However, one of the most fierce fires took place centuries later when the magnificent structure of the Cathedral was burning. This happened for example in 1622 when fire burnt the Cathedral’s roof 36
