page_title: Renaissance in Poland
section_title: Second period
hierarchical_section_title: Renaissance in Poland / Architectural trends and periods / Second period
caption_attribution_description: English: Green Gate in Gdańsk, Poland. Polski: Gdańsk Główne Miasto, ul. Długi Targ 24 - Brama Zielona This is a photo of a monument in Poland identified by the ID 635607
context_page_description: The Renaissance in Poland lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of Polish culture. Ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty, the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland actively participated in the broad European Renaissance. The multinational Polish state experienced a period of cultural growth thanks in part to a century without major wars, aside from conflicts in the sparsely-populated eastern and southern borderlands. The Reformation spread peacefully throughout the country, and living conditions improved, cities grew, and exports of agricultural products enriched the population, especially the nobility, who gained dominance in the new political system of Golden Liberty.
context_section_description: The Renaissance style became most common throughout Poland in its second period. In the northern part of the country, especially in Pomerania and in Danzig (Gdańsk), there worked a large group of Dutch-born artists. Renaissance style in other parts of Poland varied under local conditions, producing different substyles in each region. Also, some elements of the new Manierist style were present. Architecture of this period is divided into three regional substyles: "Italian" – mostly in the southern part of Poland, with the most famous artist there being Santi Gucci, the "Dutch" – mostly in Pomerania, and the "Kalisz–Lublin style" (Polish: styl kalisko-lubelski) (or the "Lublin Renaissance") in central Poland – with most notable examples built in Kalisz, Lublin, and Kazimierz Dolny.
  All over Poland, new castles were constructed, bearing the new quadrilateral shape enclosing a courtyard, with four towers at the corners. Prominent examples include: the castle at Płakowice (16th century), the castle at Brzeg, (rebuilt from a Gothic stronghold in 1544–60), the castle at Niepołomice (rebuilt after a fire in 1550–71), the castle at Baranów Sandomierski (built in 1591–1606 by Santi Gucci), and the castle at Krasiczyn. 
  Many cities erected new buildings in the Renaissance style. New Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in Kraków was built. City halls were built or rebuilt in: Tarnów, Sandomierz, Chełm (demolished) and in Poznań. Also, entire towns were often redesigned. Examples of Renaissance urban planning survived into modern times in Szydłowiec and Zamość. 
  Examples of Pomeranian Renaissance which developed under the influence of Northern Europe rather than Italy were: Green Gate in Gdańsk (built in 1564–1568 by Hans Kramer), Upland Gate in Gdańsk (finished by Willem van den Blocke in 1588), Great Arsenal in Gdańsk (built in 1602–1606 by Anthonis van Obbergen), and the Old City Hall in Gdańsk (built in 1587–1595, probably by Anthonis van Obbergen).
  Characteristic laicization of life during Renaissance and Reformation resulted in only minor development in sacral architecture. Mainly chapels were being built in the Renaissance style, but some churches were also rebuilt including: Cathedral in Płock (rebuilt after fire by architects Zanobi de Gianotis, Cini, Filippo di Fiesole and later again by Giovanni Battista di Quadro); and, the Collegiate in Pułtusk (rebuilt by John Batista of Venice). Only a few new churches were founded, such as the collegiate church of St. Thomas in Zamość.
caption: Green Gate in Gdańsk, 1612–14
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