Zamość, a beautiful city, referred to as the "Pearl of the Renaissance" and the "Padua of the North" is situated on the south-eastern border of Poland and at the north-eastern end of the Roztoczański National Park in the Zamość Basin. It was founded as a fortress in the middle of wilderness in the times of Renaissance by the chancellor and Grand Hetman of the crown, Jan Zamoyski It was founded as a fortress in the middle of wilderness in the times of Renaissance by the chancellor and Grand Hetman of the crown, Jan Zamoyski. He decided to build an ideal town which would be perfect architecturally and which would harmoniously combine the functions of trade, learning and culture. Zamość was meant to be the capital of the Zamość Estate, Zamoyski's state within a state. The town was designed by the Venetian architect, Bernardo Morando. The oldest part of Zamość, Old Town with its palace, is surrounded by fortified walls with bastions and gates. The fortifications remained intact despite the attacks of the Cossacks and the Swedes in the seventeenth century. However, a fragment of the fortifications was destroyed in the nineteenth century and then considerable part of the palace complex was changed into a park where the inhabitants of the town can relax today.
The urban layout of the city centre, with over 120 monuments, is considered to have a very high artistic and historical value on a world class scale. In 1992, the city was entered into the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. A great part of the city has remained intact up to the present day: the Old Town Square (Rynek Wielki)-one of the largest 16th century squares in Europe and an excellent example of the Renaissance architecture and the Town Hall (Ratusz) which was designed by Morano and which is famous for its 52m clock tower and famous double Rococo stairway. A bugle call is sounded daily at noon from the tower. The tradition of playing the melody has over four hundred years. It is played by trumpeters dressed in a sixteenth-century robe, only from three sides of the tower. The west side, towards Cracow, is always left out. This is probably connected with the conflict between the two cities, which took place in the seventeenth century.
The Franciscan Church is the most beautiful example of sacral architecture in Zamość. The influences of Venetian architecture can be seen in one of the most beautiful Renaissance churches in Poland - in Church of the Resurrection and Thomas the apostle.
Among many interesting places in Zamość is the Arsenal museum where you can see an exhibition presenting the is the history of the fortress. The Old Zamojski Palace is also worth visiting. The Zamojski Academy is one of the oldest university buildings in Poland. It was opened in the seventeenth century and became the third most important place of education in Poland (after the universities in Cracow and Vilnius). Another Zamość's famous building, designed by Morano, is the Collegiate Church. It is famous for its altar paintings whose author was probably Domenico Tintoretto.
Apart from the main Market Square, there are two other, smaller squares in Zamość. They are called the Salt Market-Place and the Water Market-Place and they are adjacent to the main one.
A palace that used to be a family residence of the Zamoyskis is located in the western part of the Old Town. The palace was turned into a military hospital in the nineteenth century.
Zamość used to have multicultural inhabitants. There used to live Jewish population and therefore there is also a synagogue and a mikvah (a bathhouse) in the city.
The town's population included, apart from Poles, Russians, Jews or Armenians. During the Second World War Hitler intended to establish the eastern bulwark of the Third Reich in the area of Zamość. The Nazis began to carry out their plan of resettlement of Poles living there, however did not manage to complete it. Still, thousands of Polish citizens were killed in the prisoner-of-war camps and in mass shootings in Rotunda, a fort situated not far from the Old Town.
For tourists tired after the whole day of sightseeing, Zamość offers many pubs, cafes and restaurants. The owner of one of the cafes is the lead singer of once famous pop group Vox, which originates from the city.
It is a good idea to take advantage of the beautiful landscapes and peaceful countryside of the Zamość Basin. After visiting Zamość, you can travel to the nearby towns and popular tourist spots such as Zwierzyniec, Guciów or Krasnobród.
Zamość is not a big metropolis but it is definitely worth visiting. Walking along its narrow, charming streets surrounded by old town houses provides you with an excellent opportunity to admire beautiful Renaissance architecture of that "Padua of the North".
