In a 19th-century house in Kudowa-Czermna (ul. Kościuszki 101), by the road to Pstrążna, you can see a mobile nativity scene built by the hard-working Czech Franciszek Štěpán.
Pstrążna and Czermna (former villages that are now within the borders of Kudowa-Zdrój) were formerly called "Czech Corner" because many Czechs lived there, although nominally these lands were part of the German state before 1945. After World War II, when this territory fell to Poland, many of the local Czechs moved to their homeland, which is literally just across the border. František Štěpán stayed. And with him, his work—a moving nativity scene—to which he devoted 20 years of his life. It has been in the hands of the builder and his family since 1924. František Štěpán died in 1953 at the age of 72.
In the beginning, the figures were set in motion by a crank. This changed in 1927 when electricity was brought to Czermna. Behind the figures, you can see miniature facades of various buildings. These include miniatures of apartment buildings in Duszniki, the town hall in Kłodzko, and the magnificent Marian basilicas in Wambierzyce and Bardo. Some of the buildings cannot be identified, perhaps because they no longer exist.
In total, there are a quarter of a thousand figures in the nativity scene. Goats are butting heads, woodcutters are chopping wood, and a swan is swimming. There is even a porter carrying a basket of food on his back, just like in the old days on the mountain trails. Next to the nativity scene stands an organ made by František Štěpán himself. He began building it in 1930 and completed it eight years later. His portrait hangs on it.
Building nativity scenes used to be very widespread in Kłodzko. To this day, a moving nativity scene can be seen in Wambierzyce. The Museum of the Kłodzko Region in Kłodzko also has a large collection of homemade nativity scenes.
Pstrążna and Czermna (former villages that are now within the borders of Kudowa-Zdrój) were formerly called "Czech Corner" because many Czechs lived there, although nominally these lands were part of the German state before 1945. After World War II, when this territory fell to Poland, many of the local Czechs moved to their homeland, which is literally just across the border. František Štěpán stayed. And with him, his work—a moving nativity scene—to which he devoted 20 years of his life. It has been in the hands of the builder and his family since 1924. František Štěpán died in 1953 at the age of 72.
In the beginning, the figures were set in motion by a crank. This changed in 1927 when electricity was brought to Czermna. Behind the figures, you can see miniature facades of various buildings. These include miniatures of apartment buildings in Duszniki, the town hall in Kłodzko, and the magnificent Marian basilicas in Wambierzyce and Bardo. Some of the buildings cannot be identified, perhaps because they no longer exist.
In total, there are a quarter of a thousand figures in the nativity scene. Goats are butting heads, woodcutters are chopping wood, and a swan is swimming. There is even a porter carrying a basket of food on his back, just like in the old days on the mountain trails. Next to the nativity scene stands an organ made by František Štěpán himself. He began building it in 1930 and completed it eight years later. His portrait hangs on it.
Building nativity scenes used to be very widespread in Kłodzko. To this day, a moving nativity scene can be seen in Wambierzyce. The Museum of the Kłodzko Region in Kłodzko also has a large collection of homemade nativity scenes.
Opening hours
codziennie 9:00-18:00
codziennie 9:00-18:00
Difficulty
1/5
1/5
