The main place associated with Jan Kochanowski is Czarnolas, and the poet is often referred to as John of Czarnolas. The name Czarnolas itself is permanently associated with the poet, the subsequent owners took pride in the tradition of the Kochanowski house and kept the memory alive. Unfortunately, in 1720 the manor house built by Jan burned down; it was rebuilt in the early 19th century. Earlier, after the acquisition of Czarnolas by Prince Józef Aleksander Jablonowski in 1761 on the eve of the Enlightenment, there was a momentary revival of the tradition of Jan Kochanowski. The new owner rebuilt the mansion and cultivated the poet's memory. Unfortunately, he died in 1777, and his successor did not continue his father's Blacknolesque efforts and sold the estate in 1789 to General Raczynski of Greater Poland. Wartime turmoil of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries did not spare the manor estate, but the daughters of General Raczynski took care of the reconstruction of the manor and, following the example of Izabela Czartoryska in Pulawy, began to cultivate the memory of Kochanowski, collecting memorabilia related to the poet, collecting his works, preparing a biographical exhibition. At the end of the 19th century, after successive fires, the Black Forest mansion was rebuilt again. This contributed to the revival of interest in Kochanowski's works, and the place of his life was visited more and more eagerly by well-known poets and writers. Chernolas became not only an important and visited place, but was the only treasure trove of memorabilia in the country, which became a kind of Kochanowski museum. The project of organizing the museum was submitted in 1884 by Kazimierz Promyk-Prószynski, who applied for a modest reconstruction of the poet's house. In 1930 Stanislaw Windakiewicz raised anew the call for the establishment of a museum of the poet. The culmination of years of efforts was the opening of the museum on September 17, 1961. The exhibition included a hall and four rooms. Editions of the poet's works, studies of his life and work and some directly related memorabilia were gathered. This was complemented by exposed information about the poet's life and work. The Chernolesky Museum has a special dimension, as it is a place commemorating the life, work and traditions of an outstanding poet, creator of Old Polish literature, of which only he lived to see such a rich and carefully prepared exhibition.
08.07.2013
