Krakow Crib Competition - Szopka
The Polish creche varies from region to region but, in Krakow, they have a special tradition. It is a Nativity scene set inside the doors of a model of the Wawel Cathedral. Every year there is a competition to find the best model. People come from all over Poland, not just Krakow. The cribs can be six inches high, or six feet high. Some have operating parts and lights. There are two universal elements -- they all are covered in colored tin foils, and they all have the same architectural structure of the cathedral.This competition began in 1937. It was intended to bring back to life the centuries-old tradition of the Crib Theater which had died shortly after World War I. Artists from throughout Poland bring their szopki to Krakow. The winning entries are kept in the city's Museum of Ethnography and the rest are sold in a colorful Christmas marektplace. Buyers have to get there early -- the best ones are snapped up as quickly as they are put down.
