Collegium Maius - eng
2
Collegium Maius The origins of the Collegium Maius date back to the 14 th century when King Władysław Jagiełło donated the townhouse at the corner of present day Jagiellońska and św. Anny streets to the University. The King had purchased it from burgher Piotr Gerharsdorf, and previously it had belonged to Stefan Pęcherz of Rzeszotary. Since the foundation was by the King himself, the house was initially called the Royal Collegium, then the Theological Collegium, and finally the Major Collegium (Latin: Collegium Maius) to distinguish it from the nearby Minor Collegium which housed liberal arts. The fast-developing University needed more grounds so several other houses were purchased and, following fires and reconstruction works, were consolidated at the end of the 15 th century to give them a homogenous architectural appearance. Here academic life flourished over centuries: here professors had their living quarters under the same roof, here they held debates or taught students in the so-called lectoria. The times of the greatest development of the University came in the 15 th and 16 th centuries, when mathematics and astronomy were foremost subjects taught by such illustrious scholars as Jan of Głogów [Glogau], Marcin Bylica of Olkusz or Nicolaus Copernicus. With the glorious times over, at the turn of the 16 th and 17 th centuries the University lost its leading position and the Collegium Maius gradually fell into dereliction. Hugo Kołłataj introduced a reform whereby the Academy was renamed to the Main Crown School and the building of the Collegium Maius was transformed into a library. Ever since the beginning it was managed by eminent scholars: philologist and linguist Jerzy Samuel Bandtke, philologist and philosopher Józef Muczkowski, who authored historical studies, or literary and theatrical historian Karol Estreicher, Sr., who is called the father of Polish bibliography. After the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, which put reforms to an end, the Main Crown School was placed under Austrian rule. It seemed that closure was imminent; eventually, it did not take place but the School underwent Germanisation. In 1817 new statutes were issued and it was renamed to the Jagiellonian University. In the 1840s the Collegium Maius started to be converted into a library, and it was rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style. The idea was put forward by Rev. Jan Schindler, and executed by architect Karol Kremer. After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 the University began to develop dynamically again, and took the central role in Polish cultural and scientific life, also for Poles who came here from the other partitions. In 1894 three women were admitted as students of pharmacy for the first time in the University’s history, and in 1913–1914 twenty-five per cent of all students were female. The expanding Jagiellonian Library was transferred to the newly erected edifice in Mickiewicza Avenue in 1940. After the end of World War II, on the initiative of Professor Karol Estreicher, the Collegium Maius was thoroughly reconstructed and the Neo-Gothic elements were removed in an attempt to give it back the appearance from before 1840. Restoration works were completed in 1964, the 600 th anniversary of the University. The Jagiellonian University Collegium Maius Museum was founded by a decision of the University Senate in 1947. It opened to the public on 6 th May 1964.
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Transcript of Collegium Maius - eng
Collegium Maius
The origins of the Collegium Maius date back to the 14th century when King Władysław Jagiełło donated the townhouse at the corner of present day Jagiellońska and św. Anny streets to the University. The King had purchased it from burgher Piotr Gerharsdorf, and previously it had belonged to Stefan Pęcherz of Rzeszotary. Since the foundation was by the King himself, the house was initially called the Royal Collegium, then the Theological Collegium, and finally the Major Collegium (Latin: Collegium Maius) to distinguish it from the nearby Minor Collegium which housed liberal arts. The fast-developing University needed more grounds so several other houses were purchased and, following fires and reconstruction works, were consolidated at the end of the 15th century to give them a homogenous architectural appearance. Here academic life flourished over centuries: here professors had their living quarters under the same roof, here they held debates or taught students in the so-called lectoria.
The times of the greatest development of the University came in the 15th and 16th centuries, when mathematics and astronomy were foremost subjects taught by such illustrious scholars as Jan of Głogów [Glogau], Marcin Bylica of Olkusz or Nicolaus Copernicus. With the glorious times over, at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries the University lost its leading position and the Collegium Maius gradually fell into dereliction. Hugo Kołłataj introduced a reform whereby the Academy was renamed to the Main Crown School and the building of the Collegium Maius was transformed into a library. Ever since the beginning it was managed by eminent scholars: philologist and linguist Jerzy Samuel Bandtke, philologist and philosopher Józef Muczkowski, who authored historical studies, or literary and theatrical historian Karol Estreicher, Sr., who is called the father of Polish bibliography.
After the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, which put reforms to an end, the Main Crown School was placed under Austrian rule. It seemed that closure was imminent; eventually, it did not take place but the School underwent Germanisation. In 1817 new statutes were issued and it was renamed to the Jagiellonian University. In the 1840s the Collegium Maius started to be converted into a library, and it was rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style. The idea was put forward by Rev. Jan Schindler, and executed by architect Karol Kremer.
After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 the University began to develop dynamically again, and took the central role in Polish cultural and scientific life, also for Poles who came here from the other partitions. In 1894 three women were admitted as students of pharmacy for the first time in the University’s history, and in 1913–1914 twenty-five per cent of all students were female.
The expanding Jagiellonian Library was transferred to the newly erected edifice in Mickiewicza Avenue in 1940. After the end of World War II, on the initiative of Professor Karol Estreicher, the Collegium Maius was thoroughly reconstructed and the Neo-Gothic elements were removed in an attempt to give it back the appearance from before 1840. Restoration works were completed in 1964, the 600th anniversary of the University.
The Jagiellonian University Collegium Maius Museum was founded by a decision of the University Senate in 1947. It opened to the public on 6th May 1964.
The Malopolska Days of Cultural Heritage
The Malopolska Days of Cultural Heritage are one of the major annual events that show and promote the cultural diversity of Malopolska. For two weekends in May, every year, it is possible to visit, free of charge, over ten selected sites, using materials
prepared especially for that purpose, and to learn about the region’s past and its traditions by participating in the many accompanying events. The sites selected for the purpose include little known places or those that are normally out of bounds to the public, often in private hands.
We make sure that the presentation of the selected sites is accompanied with professional, attractive and original commentary, which not only describe but also reveal Malopolska’s history. We choose the most interesting topics connected with the presented sites and construct the programme of the event for them.
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