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Lodz - Culture |
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Although of old tradition (the village of Lodzia was first mentioned in 1332 documents), it is a relatively young, nineteenth century town. A center of textile industry, until recently its landscape was dominated by smoldering smoke-stacks. Now a vibrant city, soon to be transformed into a trade capital of Poland. The Museum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz is one of the oldest museums of modern art in Europe. Its essence is the unique International Collection of modern Art. Covering the period from 1920s the collection of world modern art is gathered, the stimulus once given by a group of artists with Wladyslaw Strzeminski - painter, art theoretician, animator of the avant-garde movement, Katarzyna Kobro - sculptress and Henryk Stazewski - painter. Their guiding principle was to create the International Collection of the Contemporary Art.
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The town of Lowicz was founded in the 12th Century. For six hundred years it was home to the archbishops of Gniezno, Poland's religious leaders. Today the town is
known for being the center of folk arts and crafts for the surrounding region, including weaving and wood carving. Lowicz's regional museum contains folk art as well as the history of the town and the archeology of the region. The Kolegiata, or Collegiate Church, is an interesting blend of the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Nobel Prize winner Wladyslaw Reymont's 1924 novel Chlopi (The Peasants) was set in this
area. Lodz is the second largest city in Poland and is primarily an industrial town. In the 1800's, Poland's government chose Lodz as the country's new textile center in an attempt to industrialize the nation. By WW I, the town had a population of a half million as Poles came here to work in the textile industry. Today Lodz is still Poland's textile capital. It is also Poland's Hollywood with several film schools and studios, including the Film Academy of Poland. Lodz's Jewish cemetery was founded in 1892 is the largest in all of Europe.
