Kraków szopka

Religious practice
Reference	1362
Region	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2018 (13 session)
List	Representative

Kraków szopki [ˈkrakuf ˈʂɔp.ki] or nativity scenes (crib, crèche) (Polish: szopka krakowska) are a Christmas tradition originating from Kraków, Poland, and dating back to the 19th century. An unusual and characteristic feature of the szopka is the use of historical buildings of Kraków as a backdrop for the Nativity of Jesus.^[1] In 2018, it was inscribed on the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.^[2]

History

Nativity scenes, common in

Saint Francis of Assisi in the 13th century and quickly spread to Poland. During the Middle Ages a specific type of nativity-based play, referred to as Jasełka, developed in Poland.^[3]^[4]

Some performers displayed their szopkas together with

Dragon of Wawel, to contemporary politicians and artists. In the 18th century the spread of such non-religious content led to a ban on more extravagant nativity scenes in some Polish churches; following the ban, the performances evolved into a true expression of folk art

.

The szopka tradition dates back to the 19th century, when Kraków's craftsmen – masons, woodworkers – began to make them as a seasonal decoration in order to earn extra income during the winter. The custom grew in popularity, with people willing to pay to see szopka collections – often carried by door-to-door

Potoccy

.

After Poland regained independence in 1918, szopkas started to be made and sold as souvenirs of Kraków. The city's municipal authorities decided to support this tradition by announcing the first competition in December 1937. Since then, except for the duration of the

Main Market Square, Kraków, next to the Adam Mickiewicz Monument. The best szopkas are then displayed in the Historical Museum of Kraków in Krzysztofory Palace

.