Uroczystości, stroje i insygnia w ceremoniale Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego 1816–1939

Celebrations, Costumes and Insignia in the Ceremonial of the University of Warsaw 1816–1939

The book is devoted to the customs of the University of Warsaw from its establishment in 1816 until the 20th century. It is the first monograph of this type concerning celebrations and ceremonial paraphernalia of the University. The author shows the role that academic rites played in many spheres of functioning of the University. He supplements his work with reproductions of archival photographs and documents, and numerous colour illustrations presenting the rich world of the university ceremonial. The starting point for the author’s considerations were the traditions of European research centres, such as Bologna, Paris, London and Berlin, as well as the oldest Polish universities in Cracow, Vilnius and Lviv.

This publication presents the University of Warsaw as both an educational institution and an important actor in shaping the city’s social space. An analysis of academic ceremonies, insignia, and ceremonial attire reveals the mechanisms for building the identity of the university community, the relationships between the academic sphere and state authority, as well as the significance of ceremonial practices in creating and preserving places of special social significance. A key element of this study is the analysis of the spatial dimension of academic ceremony, covering the significance of university buildings on Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw, the routes of processions (e.g., along the Royal Route), ceremony venues (including both the University of Warsaw buildings and the interiors of Warsaw’s churches), and their role in shaping the symbolic organization of academic and urban space.

Keywords: Warsaw University, ceremonial, rites, insignia, academic celebrations.