Forest Horseshoe…
The city from the beginning, from 1925, when the property of the industrialist Stanisław Lilpop was divided, it was elitist. The urban concept of Podkowa by Antoni Jawornicki, which alluded to “cities – the garden” Ebenezer Howard, found recognition among the creative intelligentsia, politicians and industrialists.
Outstanding artists gathered around the property of Jarosław and Anna Iwaszkiewicz, m.in.: Karol Szymanowski, George Liebert, Antoni Slonimski, Stanislaw Balinski. Circle “Fish” focused around the headquarters of Halina and Janusz Regulski, was represented by industrialists, people of technical thought and politics.
They belonged to the circle of the Hertz: Aleksander Hertz - sociologist, Henryk Hertz – actor, Benedykt Hertz - actor and Irena Krzywicka.
After the Warsaw Uprising, about twenty thousand refugees from the capital found shelter in Podkowa. Social life flourished in the hospitable houses of Podkowia and numerous cafes, meetings of the authorities of the Polish Underground State were held in the underground. Independence traditions were cultivated until the end of martial law.
The most active period for the opposition people came in the mid-1960s. The church of St.. Christopher, at that time it became a meeting place for young people and opposition groups, and the initiator of spiritual revival, Fr.. Pastor Leon Kantorski was the spiritual guardian of these changes.
People from all over Poland came to the first beat mass in the country. Also during martial law and in the years 80 In Podkowa, a contemporary art gallery operated on the church premises and organized “meetings” with the people of politics, science and culture, which was visited by many inhabitants of the surrounding towns, and also from Warsaw.
An unquestionable attraction is visiting the Jarosław and Anna Iwaszkiewicz Museum in Stawisko. An outstanding Polish writer lived and worked here for over fifty years, Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz.
Stawisko is located at the junction of three towns: Horseshoe Forest, Milanówek and Brwinów, it was an estate (house with a park and an orchard), donated to 1928 Anna and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz as a wedding gift by Stanisław Wilhelm Lilpop, Anna's father.
In mid-1984. a museum was established here, as a realization of the writer's testament. The home equipment is not compact, a stylish uniform collection, however, as a whole it has the unique and original character of a wealthy Polish house from a century ago, which survived undamaged and unchanged by the war, in which furniture was collected throughout its existence, works of art, books, souvenirs.
Located in the Museum of. Anna and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz valuable archive, library, sheet music publishing, photographic and iconographic collections are a workshop for museologists, biographers, researchers of the history of Polish culture.
They used to be here, among others. Karol Szymanowski and Artur Rubinstein, Antoni Słonimski and Witold Lutosławski, Jerzy Andrzejewski and Czesław Miłosz. Today this House-Museum, at least twice a month he lives the atmosphere of an art salon from years ago.
From 1994 year co-organizer of events (literary and musical evenings, art exhibitions, theater performances, “Meetings with Science and Music”, cycle meetings “Sound-Word-Image-Thought”) is Association of the Garden of Arts and Sciences, bringing together the creators of culture, related to the south region – western Mazovia, and also people, having no professional relationship with culture, but wishing to actively participate in it. The meetings are very popular, gather a large audience, both the surrounding area, as well as Warsaw.
Museum of Jarosław and Anna Iwaszkiewicz in Stawisko
ul. pigeon 1, 05-807 Forest Horseshoe, tel. 758 93 63. Opening hours: wt, Wed, pt. 9.00-15.00; thurs. 9.00-17.00; Sun. 10.00-15.00; under, Mon.. and church and state holidays – closed
From April to the end of September, the gallery of paintings and ceramics by Hanna and Leszek Nowosielski is open every Sunday. The works of a couple of artists can be admired in the garden against the original backdrop, rare plant varieties.
Hanna and Leszek Nowosielski Gallery
ul. Helenowska 7, 05-807 Forest Horseshoe, active – Sunday hours. 14.00-17.00
There is one more place in Podkowa Leśna, which railway enthusiasts will especially appreciate. WKD cable car museum, located on the premises of the Cultural Center, collects exhibits reminding about the origins of the cable car and its creators. At the museum, you can make an appointment for tea and chat with real WKD friends.
WKD Railway Museum, ul. Spruce 1, 05-807 Forest Horseshoe, tel. 758 94 41