The site

The Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec is the oldest monastery in Poland, with almost one thousand years of history. Over the ages, it went through periods of prosperity and decline, until its dissolution in 1816 and re-opening in 1939. Today, rebuilt from ruins, it is open to guests wishing to experience the living Benedictine tradition.

Its rich history and centuries-old tradition makes the Abbey, along with its museum, a unique place to encounter Polish history, culture and art.
The architectural complex of the abbey combines Romanesque austerity with Gothic lightness and Baroque opulence.

However, Tyniec is not just history, but a living Benedictine community, the largest in Poland, where the daily rhythm is marked by the hours of prayers and work. By taking part in Vespers and Compline one can listen to Gregorian chant, resounding in Tyniec every day, unchanged for many years.

After the Second World War, Tyniec Abbey played an important role in the Polish Church – here the initiative of translating the Bible from the original languages to Polish found its origin; here the Polish translations of new liturgical books, introduced after the Second Vatican Council, were prepared. Today the monastery in Tyniec is open for pilgrims as well as for tourists, being a place of meeting and dialogue.

The project

The volunteering project at Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec is an opportunity to be in close touch with cultural heritage – the volunteers will have the chance to live and work for two weeks in a 1.000 years old monastery.

The volunteers will be engaged in supporting the actual conservation of marble decoration in the church at Tyniec Abbey. The programme is designed to let the whole group be closely involved into the conservation process at all levels that are possible for non-professionals – cataloguing, photographic documentation, measuring, drawing, reconnaissance and documentation of the state of preservation, objects' cleaning from surface dirt – such as wax, paint or plaster splashes –, removing of weathered surface from marble decorations, polishing and marble surface preservation.

Depending on the time the conservatory works may be supplemented with conservation and restoration of wooden sculptures from the church.

The conservation activities will be preceded by the theoretical introduction on history, history of art as well as conservation and restoration techniques.

Except field works the volunteers will be asked to prepare a short presentation of issues in cultural heritage current in their countries.

During their free time the volunteers will have opportunities to visit monuments and sites iconic for the cultural heritage of Kraków and Lesser Poland.

The project will take place from July, 29th, to August, 11th, 2018.

The project is organised by Fundacja Chronic Dorbro, in partnership with European Heritage Volunteers.