The first Thursday in December. The Main Market Square in Kraków. While preparations for the Christmas market are underway at the foot of the Town Hall Tower, crowds gather around the Adam Mickiewicz monument on the other side of the Cloth Hall. Any moment now, we will find out who has won this year’s Kraków Nativity Scene Competition. This year marks its 82nd edition!
Kraków’s nativity scenes have a long history dating back to the 19th century, and since 1937, nativity scene creators have been competing in this contest to create the most beautiful exhibits. These exceptional works of art are not just traditional depictions of the nativity scene from two thousand years ago, featuring Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. In addition to the typical elements of the Christian celebration of Christmas, Kraków’s nativity scenes are distinguished by their extraordinary craftsmanship and rich regional symbolism. This makes each one tell a unique story, enriching Kraków’s festive atmosphere.
In 2018, this colourful, vibrant tradition was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. What secrets do these colourful works of art hold? John Beauchamp and Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska discuss this with Dr Andrzej Szoka, head of the Centre for the Interpretation of Intangible Heritage of Kraków (part of the Museum of Kraków). We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the “Holistic Heritage” podcast, where we uncover the secrets of this unique heritage and explore the reasons why Kraków’s nativity scenes continue to captivate generations!