Izkušnja in utrip mesta

Zimski semester 4. letnika sem preživela v poljski prestolnici kulture – Krakov, kjer sem predmete opravljala na Politechniki Krakowski. Sam študijski proces je potekal precej podobno kot v Ljubljani, kljub obdobju korone pa smo bili z občasnimi izjemami ves čas prisotni na fakulteti. Vse predmete sem poslušala v angleščini, saj šola ponuja prav posebne predmete za erasmus študente, zato znanje poljščine sploh ni potrebno. Erasmus študentje smo bili tako ločeni od domačih, kar je bila zame manjša pomakljivost, obstaja pa možnost izbire programa masters in english, kjer pa predavanja lahko obiskuješ z domačimi študenti prav tako v angleščini.

Glede bivanja sem sprva želela najeti sobo nekje v centru mesta, vendar sem nato med iskanjem naletela na privatni študentski dom zgolj lučaj od centra mesta, ki je ponujal različne tipe namestitve – od garsonjer do apartmajev za 2-4 osebe z izredno veliko količino skupnih prostorov ( skupno kuhinjo, dnevno sobo, glasbeno in umetniško sobo, telovadnico, študijski prostor… ter moj najljubši del veliko strešno teraso, kjer smo si v še toplih septembrskih in oktobrskih dneh mnogokrat pripravili pravi piknik). Poleg tega sem, v domu obkrožena z velikim številom erasmus in tujih študentov iz celega sveta zelo hitro zgradila nova prijateljstva in vezi, ki trajajo še danes. Sama fakulteta sicer tudi ponuja možnost bivanja v njihovih študentskih domovih, vendar so le-ti precej oddaljeni od samega središča, zato se po mojem mnenju bolj splača ali bivanje v katerem izmed privatnih domov ali v stanovanju v centru mesta (zelo ugodne cene so v nekdanjem židovskem predelu, 10min hoje od centra, imenovanem Kazimierz)

Samo mesto je izredno prijetno, čisto in domačno, zato bo zelo hitro postalo tvoj dom. Kljub temu da gre za skoraj milijonsko mesto deluje zelo obvladljivo in že po nekaj tednih se lahko po centru sprehajaš kot domačin in obvladaš najboljše kavarne, restavracije… Poleg tega te s svojo bogato zgodovino vabi k raziskovanju različnih kotičkov, še zlasti nekdanji židovski predel imenovan Kazimierz, ki na vsakem vogalu ponuja nekaj novega. Tudi kar se tiče jezika Krakov velja za dokaj internacionalno in turistično središče zato neznanje poljščine ne bo nobena ovira. Vseeno pa priporočam brezplačni tečaj, ki ga ponuja fakulteta, saj bo že poskus komunikacije v poljščini ( tudi ne najbolj uspešen) izredno cenjen pri domačinih.

Izkušnja erasmus izmenjave je bila zame nekaj nepozabnega, v Krakovu sem preživela nekaj svojih najboljših  mesecev, spoznala ogromno novih ljudi in kultur iz celega sveta, ter navezala neprecenljive stike. Tudi samo mesto me je z dostopnostjo, zgodovino, energijo in pojavnostjo očaralo že v prvem tednu in prav zares postalo moj dom. Poleg tega je tudi dobra izhodiščna točka za raziskovanje še preostalih delov Poljske ( študenti na Poljskem namreč uživajo 50% popust za javni promet po celi državi), kot so na primer Wrocław, Varšava, Zakopanne… 1 semester je tko minil izredno hitro oziroma prehitro, zato bi naslednjič gotovo izbrala možnost celoletne izmenjave.

Fakulteta in študijski proces

The medieval castle is located in in the northwestern part, within the city walls with an area of more than 4500 square meters and it probably consisted of two parts: The northern part with the defensive and administrative castle of Casimir the Great and the southern part serving as the royal residence for the Jagiellonians. Today visible parts are the Tenement house, Skarbzczyk or Treasure house and the Knights Hall.

The Knight`s Hall is the main building of the Szydłow castle, used as a royal residential palace. The palace has a simple rectangular floorplan with dimensions around 13 x 35 m and a high around 9m from the courtyard level. The castle is built of the local limestone. There are two rooms created in each floor (division is still present) connected by one opening in the middle. The castle originally had two floors, both with identical floorplans and a basement, but the floor slabs are no longer present – only exterior walls and the dividing interior wall are preserved. 

On the south side there are some ruins of former walls protruding through the facade, which indicates the position of the chapel or tower, accessible from the bigger room.

The main entrance to the castle was situated on the northern facade, entering the large room from the main courtyard. There was probably also another entrance to the smaller room, again on the northern facade, regarding the existing wall openings. 

The facades are designed relatively organic, without following specific axes or rules. There are different shapes and sizes of the window openings on different levels. The only exception is the western facade, which is also a part of fortification wall facing the river. There, some kind of order is visible as the windows are following certain lines and are straightened. In contrast with organic facades, there is a strict continuity in the height of exterior walls, all finished with crenelations. 

Today the exterior walls with the dividing interior wall are preserved and also most of the wall openings, which are in different conditions. The only, almost completely ruined part of the castle is the chapel or tower on the southern side, from which only a few parts of the walls are preserved.

The main idea of the Knight`s Hall conservation is to insert new volumes inside the existing structure, without any intervention into existing limestone walls. Therefore 4 different boxes accompanied by walls and columns are situated inside the Knight`s Hall positioned in a way that the structural stability of the new is achieved. The boxes also serve as communication and service area. 

Beside the boxes inserted into the Knight`s Hall there is one additional, outside box representing once existing tower or chapel.

The program given to the building is an exhibition space with lecture hall or workshop, cafe and observation deck.