A multi-voiced reflection on the phenomenon of the contemporary Polish “castleness”. The starting point is the question of why the form of the castle - regardless of its historical authenticity - remains such a powerful element of the collective imagination.
In the book, artists, philosophers, architects, art historians and cultural critics examine the castle from various perspectives: as a political figure, a symbol of power, an element of the landscape, and a visual motif recurring in contemporary architecture. Essays, interviews and photo essays analyse both the historical legacy of castles and their contemporary reinterpretations.
The publication combines theoretical reflection with visual material: photographs, architectural documentation and original designs. Together, they attempt to describe the phenomenon of “castleness” - the cultural image of the castle that exists in Poland independently of the architecture itself. [publisher’s description]
