The Raclawice Panorama is the only surviving example of panorama painting in Poland. Spanning 459 feet (140 meters), this massive canvas depicts the battle for Polish independence against Russian forces in 1794. Use the free audio guides provided to listen to recorded commentary describe this historic battle as you admire its various scenes. Check out the other multimedia exhibitions dedicated to this unique painting and the harrowing battle it depicts.
Look closely to see an army of Polish peasants in Racławice heroically using scythes to battle against the Russians. The painting was created by Jan Styka, Wojciech Kossak and a group of seven other artists more than a century after the battle took place. The canvas is said to have taken 9 months and 1,653 pounds (750 kilograms) of paint to complete.
The painting is set in an impressive purpose-built rotunda. Notice how the rotunda uses shape and lighting to create the feeling that you are in the middle of the battle. Although the painting was completed in the late 19th century, it was not installed in the rotunda for public display until 1985. The work was suppressed for decades after World War II, because its message was too nationalistic and anti-Russian for Poland’s Soviet authorities.
Be sure to also visit the Small Rotunda, located just behind the ticket office, which focuses on the historical context of the Battle of Racławice. Examine a relief map of the battlefield, marked with diodes indicating the movements of the Polish and Russian troops. Display cases here exhibit the uniforms and weapons of the two armies.
Head to Annex IV of the Main Hall to see English video presentations focused on other European panoramas, as well as the efforts to conserve the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice and install it in the rotunda. A small exhibition here is devoted to famous figures who have visited the panorama, including Queen Beatrix of Holland and Pope John Paul II.
The Raclawice Panorama is open daily, with regular seasonal closures on Mondays as well as holidays. There is an admission fee. To get here, take a bus or tram heading east of the city center.
