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- Acrobatics Under the Tower
Acrobatics Under the Tower
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Source: Museum of Old Commerce. The residents of Świdnica, the ones from the old days as well as more contemporary ones, always loved amusements. Entertainment in the old days was provided by tightrope walkers, comedians and jugglers. What can be seen on the photograph is a parade of 1911 on the occasion of the Festivity of Bolko Świdnicki. As some historians believe a knight riding the horse holds original medieval sword of the above-mentioned ruler in his hand.
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Sobiesław Nowotny, the historian of Świdnica, discovered a curious detail referring to the tower in the less-known source for the history of Świdnica which is the Świdnica's manuscript chronicle written by anonymous authors and kept in the National Library in Warsaw.
In accordance with the mention from the 20th June 1581 the Town Hall Tower and Old Market Square became places of unusual acrobatic shows of a tightrope walker whose name is not known. Between the balustrade of tower and one of the houses located by Kapturowa Street (today Franciszkańska Street) a long rope was stretched „through which a tightrope walker came down concurrently assuming various odd poses”. Such an acrobatic show must have raised interest and respect of the residents of Świdnica. Even today, while looking at the height and distance between the rope's starting points through which a tightrope walker came down, one can be impressed by his physical fitness.
Source: Sobiesław Nowotny „Historia wieży ratuszowej” available on www.ws-24.pl.
