Bartłomiej Nowodworski High School

Ogólne informacje

Bartłomiej Nowodworski High School in Kraków, Poland is one of the oldest secondary schools in Poland. Its current location is on Ul. Na Groblach, just across the Planty from the Kraków Old Town and a few hundred meters from Wawel Castle.HistoryThe Senate of the Jagiellonian University decided to establish a school preparing students (boys only) for further education at the university level on 5 May 1586. The school was opened in 1588. Bartłomiej (Bartholomew) Nowodworski (born ca. 1552, died 13 February 1625), Polish nobleman, courtier and officer, endowed it in 1617 and 1619, thus enabling its further expansion. In recognition of his contribution, the school became known as Collegium Nowodworskiego, renamed to Liceum św. Anny (St. Ann's Lyceum) in 1818, and to c.k. Gimnazjum św.Anny (Imperial and Royal St Ann's Gymnasium) in 1850. In 1898 the school, until then located in the university area, moved to its present building in Plac na Groblach (architect Józef Sare).Girls were admitted to the school for the first time in 1962.School's traditionsNowodworski ChoirIn 1986 as the 400th anniversary of the school was coming close many of the old school's traditions were reactivated. One of them was Nowodworski Choir. The first supervisor was Zbigniew Toffel, and since 1992 the conductor has been Ryszard Źróbek.Nowodworski CribIt is an annual tradition, usually just before the Christmas break, that the pupils prepare the "Nowodworian Crib" : a Comedy show showing the school life in a satirical way. The actors parody their teachers and often some memorable school happenings; sometimes you can find allusions to the current political and cultural situation in Poland and in the World. All the students, teachers and former pupils make the audience. It was first shown in 1963, initially as a secret from the teachers, but soon became a yearly tradition looked forward to by students, as well as by teachers.