The cordons are finally being removed today on Florianska, one of Cracow's most historic streets. By the looks of things, the authorities have done their best to bring back the nineteenth century look of the thoroughfare. So it's out with the tarmac, in with the cobbles and the Victorian-styled street lamps. Modernists might lament, but it's undeniable that the street looks in much better shape now that it did a few months ago.
Florianska marks the beginning of 'The Royal Way', the ancient route of processions. These were always showy affairs, as the tastes of the Polish nobility were more akin to those of the Maharajahs than to those of their European counterparts. It was quite normal to see elephants traipsing down Florianska during a Renaissance era parade.
Whilst Florianska looks finer following the renovation, the next stumbling block will be the shop sign phenomenon. In a recent article from Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, Magda Kursa revealed that obtrusive signs are virtually top of the list of Cracovians' pet-hates. Some of Cracow's finest buildings have been mongrelized by a rash of over-enthusiastic advertisements, and Florianska represents one of the most glaring examples. This was a natural result of the post 1989 commercial rush, but cities such as Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, have managed to tame the worst excesses.
However, pretty soon, not only will Florianska be functioning again, but the rest of the Market Square will be opened, bringing to a close two years of pain-staking renovation. Only a real grumbler would find fault in the overall effect - Cracow's Old Town has a new spring in its step!
|