Another preserved document is the town privilege issued by the Great Chancellor of the Crown Jan Zamoyski on the 10th of April 1580 in Jaroslawiec. Taking into consideration "not only the common good and safety of himself, his family and friends but of the whole neighborhood" monumental buildings were established, that have remained there until today. The palace residence, city hall, arsenal, collegiate church and tenement houses – everything is the work of the same architect. The architecture of Zamość reflects elements of local art, the south of Italy, the north of the Netherlands and the Armenian east. The characteristic elements of the tenement houses of Zamość are arcades of varied shapes: open and blind, smooth and with “bonia” finishing (“Bonia” is a wall element usually of rectangular shape used to cover facades, pedestals, wall corners, hole frames, pillars, etc. – translators note). Their adornments refer to mannerism, baroque and the earlier romantic styles.

For Bernardo Morando and Jan Zamoyski people were always the most important value, then came business. Perfectly planned and inhabited by the financial elite, Zamość was one of the examples of cohabitation of people from different cultures. Armenians, Jews, Greeks, Germans, Italians, Scots and, of course, Poles came to settle here.

The most brilliant Polish scientists, merchants and army officials could work in perfect conditions. Victories achieved in wars which destroyed other regions of the Republic of Poland confirmed the opinion that the architect has shown his supreme architectural ability.

In 1648 the army of a former Polish prefect, Bohdan Chmielnicki and his militia had to back down from the city gates and settle with ransom. In 1656 when almost all the other Polish cities, including Cracow, capitulated, Zamość, alike Jasna Góra, did not. Although in the 18th century the city was occupied by a foreign army, the city’s fortress, enlarged and reinforced by Russians, stood strong for Poland once again. During the November Uprising in 1830 Zamość surrendered as the last bastion of resistance. In the later years a significant part of the fortification was simply dismantled, but the most precious part remains untouched till today.

Naturally, Bernardo Morando received ample compensation for his work. The owner made him the first mayor of the city. The architect met his future wife Katarzyna here, who gave birth to his six children, and was buried with his family in an elegant collegial church of his own design, which is now a cathedral.

Łącza

• town's website

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