The oldest part of the parish cemetery - Zabytek.pl
Address
Janików
Location
woj. świętokrzyskie, pow. opatowski, gm. Ożarów - obszar wiejski
History
According to Marek Florek, the cemetery was created in ca. 1740. In the 19th century, it was surrounded by a stone fence. It is used up to this day. Most of the gravestones may be associated with the activity of the local stonemason workshop, allegedly dating back to the 16th century. According to a local legend, the centre was started by Italian sculptors-stonecutters, brought by Bona Sforza. Its most intensive development took place in the 2nd half of the 19th century. In that time, stone-masonry was an occupation of a couple dozen persons locally. The largest workshops were owned by the following families: Rolecki, Dąbrowski, Kwiatkowski, Wydrzycki, and Wolski. Some gravestones on the Warsaw Powązki originate from Janików, as well as numerous gravestones and roadside sculptures in the Sandomierz region. After the World War II, there were still eight workshops here. However, as the demand for stone gravestones diminished, and terrazzo tombs started to grow in popularity, subsequent workshops discontinued their activity. At present, there is only one stonecutter's workshop active in Janików.
Description
The cemetery is situated on the south-western end of the village, beyond the parish church of St. Anna, on a slope descending south and west, surrounded by fields. It has a rectangular shape and ca. 0.6 ha of area. It is surrounded by a stone wall from the 18th century. The main gate is located in the north-eastern corner; the side gate — in the south-eastern corner. The oldest part of the cemetery, with a group of a couple dozen figurative gravestones from the 19th and early 20th century, is located in the northern section of the necropolis. The only alley runs along the fencing. Monuments are mostly made of local sandstone (so-called Janików sandstone), by a local stonecutter's workshop. Figural scenes dominate: Mary of Immaculate Conception, Angels of Death, Saints. Gravestones in the form of a cross on a plinth are also common. The oldest preserved tombstone originates from 1834. It is situated in the group of figural tombstones in the front of the main gate. The most valuable monuments include the tombstone of priest Rolecki of 1928, with Christ the Good Shepherd, tombstone of Franciszek Mąnte of 1900, with a fragment of Passion of Our Lord, tombstone of Jan Wilczyński of 1924, with a sculpture Ecce homo, and tombstone of Antoni Buclewski of 1897, with a sculpture of St. Anthony of Padua, or the tombstone of Jakub Kwiatkowski of 1899 or of Jan and Marianna Rolecki of 1901, with Angel of Death.
The cemetery is generally accessible.
Compiled by Nina Glińska, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland Kielce, 30.09.2014.
Bibliography
- Florek M., Zabytkowe cmentarze woj. tarnobrzeskiego, Warszawa 1995, s. 66-67.
- Wiśniewski J., Historyczny opis kościołów, miast, zabytków i pamiątek w Opatowskim, Radom 1907, s. 205.
Category: Roman Catholic cemetery
Protection: Register of monuments, Monuments records
Inspire id: PL.1.9.ZIPOZ.NID_N_26_CM.8084, PL.1.9.ZIPOZ.NID_E_26_CM.28268