Place

Plan of the Town

Jaroslaw, situated in the south-east outskirts of Poland, still remains not well known. Not many people know that in the 17th century for the central and eastern part of Europe it was as important trade center as Frankfurt-on-Main for the West. Four times a year the fairs were geathering thousands of merchants, 5 big churches and cloisters, 600 students were attending the school that had been established by the Jesuits, town musicians' capella - all that forms the 17th century tradition of the city.

Art historians distinguish a special type of Jaroslaw tenement-house some of which have been preserved around the Main Square until nowadays. Spacious yard for merchant-carts covered with roofs sometimes, rich-embellished grand hall where the deals were transacted solemnly on the first floor, merchant's flat on the second and guest rooms on the third.

In Jaroslaw one can find well-preserved churches too. A big Dominicanes' church in Italian style and with precise acoustics, equiped with a good neo Baroque organ can give room for 1000 people. Recently restored Baroque Benedictines' Abbey is a site of the Christian Formation and Culture Center. Ascetic interior turnes out to be of a romanesque hall. The Festival participants will be lodged in historical cells in the building of a former monastery. There is also grand Collegiate Church along with the suburban Immaculates' Convent in Jaroslaw. The Greek Catholic Church is willingly open for any music of the Eastern Rite. The Art College, being in charge of the visual side of the Festival, is placed in the old Synagogue. The biggest hall of good acoustics and average reverberation can give room for 250 people. Antique basements and a charming market square in addition to that.

The city of Jaroslaw continues its return to a glorious 17c. past, an event patiently awaited by its old churches, monasteries, basilica, collegiate, greek catholic church, synagogue, tenant-houses, underground vaults, the market-square. Jaroslaw has found itself again on the trade routes of Europe. According to the average age of its inhabitants it is a young city. There are 12 colleges in the town as well as a branch of University. It is the youth who decide the place in the city’s life which will be given to Tradition.