Traveling in Poznan, Poland with my husband I find myself surrounded by beauty. Decoration and pattern are everywhere. We visited sites as old as 968 AD. We toured a palace, a castle, an arboretum and a cathedral. Each held treasures from different time periods, the oldest a mosaic from the island of Pomeii. The best art stands the test of time.
Mosaic from Pompeii at Kornik Castle © Pamela Loewen
Love this little dog with its fancy collar! Dog lovers also span the ages!!
Also love the interlocking pattern on the floor of Kornik Castle. First built in the late 14 century, the castle had many additions and updates through the years. Filled with collections of natural, historical and art objects from around the world and thousands of books, the last owner set up a foundation and bequeathed the castle and its contents to the people. Some of my favorite objects are in the gallery below
Medieval floor tiles Kornik Castle, Kornik, Poland © Pamela Loewen
In the early 1800’s one of the castle’s owners established the Kornik Arboretum on 40 hectares. This is now the oldest and largest arboretum in Poland with over 3300 species of trees and shrubs. We had a glorious walk through the arboretum on a sunny afternoon enjoying the fall colors.
Magnolia Kornick Arboretum, Poland © Pamela Loewen
I also love to compare and contrast similar things. Both the castle and Rogalin Palace had beautiful libraries. Each were exquisite in detail and filled with books and other artifacts. On the left is the Moorish Library at Kornik, the right is beautifully hand carved wood library at the palace.
Another thing to compare are rosettes on cathedrals. On the left The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Poznan, and All Saints’ Church, Kornik. Love the brick work!
And I will end with imagery from inside The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on cathedral island, Poznan. I love the juxtaposition of mediums, methods, materials and moments in time.
