Arces biblicae – środkowoeuropejskie zamki nowych Dawidów i Salomonów. Szansa dla kastelologii?
Arces biblicae – Central European Castles of New Davids and Solomons: A Chance for Castellology?

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the potential for studying castles of Central Europe in the context of their display of biblical, Jerusalem-related motifs. These motifs served various purposes, but above all they legitimized the users of the castles – rulers of various ranks (kings, princes, church dignitaries) or members of the noble elites. The common reference to the authority of David, Solomon, Judah, and other biblical rulers invite us to recognise in the castle architecture not only Christological themes – evident mainly through the resemblance of the castle chapels to Anastasis – but also allusions to the topoi of Templum Salomonis, Turris Davidi or Aurera Porta. Such associations were sometimes conveyed indirectly, e.g. through the reception of the Paris Sainte-Chapelle as an interpretation of the Temple of Solomon, or through similarly “programmed” constructions of the Templars known from Western Europe (Paris, Tomar). Such references have already been identified in some cases (e.g. Prague Castle, Wawel, Malbork, Budziszyn, Blatná, Ząbkowice Śląskie, Legnica), while others still await deeper analysis and interpretation aimed at materializing sighs for the biblical personal models of David and Solomon (e.g. Buda, Wrocław, Siedlęcin, Rožmitál). Many studies on buildings in Outremer and in Western and Southern Europe are developing in this direction. The research potential of the topic seems to be enormous and the role of this article is also to indicate alternative research perspectives within castellology that move beyond the still dominant focus on chronology, typology or social context.

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