Description
Four shepherds gather on the first level of this nativity scene to visit the new born baby Jesus. The holy family are nestled inside the small alcove in the front. The second level features three ornately decorated spires with the center spire decorated with a traditional crown representing St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow. All three spires are adorned with a round copula, symbolizing the Wawel copula that traditionally appears in a szopka Krakowska. The top of the nativity is decorated with the flags of Poland and the Polish eagle.
This colorfully detailed nativity from Poland measures approximately 6 inches tall x 4 inches wide x 2 inches deep and is made in Poland by szopka Krakowaska competition winner Jan Freiberg.
As part of the szopka Krakowska tradition of nativity art in Poland, artists make these luminous nativity scenes from foil paper, cardboard and beads.
Because these nativities are hand made each one will differ slightly, either in some detail or the color of the foil.
Each year, on the first Thursday of December, artists gather in Krakow, Poland to display the Christmas nativity cribs they have created. The Polish making of the szopka Krakowska is part of the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
See more Nativity Scene from Around the World.
