Panorama Racławicka

Panorama Racławicka in Wrocław is one of the few places in the world where you can admire a piece of 19th-century mass culture. A huge painting (15m high, 114m wide) thanks to the attention to details and specific painting techniques will take you back in time and space. Panorama Racławicka is the one and only polish piece of art that remained till today.

The originator of the Panorama was a well-known painter from Lwów, Jan Styka, who invited to cooperate with a great battle-painter, Wojciech Kossak. Authors cared mostly about commemorating national traditions in the 100^th anniversary of Kościuszko Insurrection and a victorious battle of Racławice, which were under command of Tadeusz Kościuszko well-known scythemen took part fought Russians commanded by general Tormasow.

A heartwarming battle of Racławice had an unusual meaning to the imprisoned polish nation. Because of that, a Common National Show in Lwow in 1894 was a great opportunity for a realization of Styka’s project. A specially weaved canvas was bought in Brussels and steel construction of rotunda designed by Ludwik Ramułta was bought in Wien. A huge painting was done in just 9 months between August 1893 and May 1894.

The opening ceremony of Panorama Racławicka took place on July 5th, 1894. From the beginning plenty of people wanted to come and see the painting and from the start, it was the main attraction in Lwow.

After WW2 in 1946 the painting was transported to Wrocław along with other Ossolineums collection. In Wrocław a lot of Social Committees made an afford to make an exhibition for it. Panorama Racławicka was reshown to the world on July 14th, 1985. Modern spectators can take part in the unusual spectacle of illusions. Along with all the viewers, you could find pope John Paul II, queen of Netherlands Beatrix, and a poet Czesław Miłosz.