You have visited Marcelina! 04.09.2026
On a sunny Sunday, 30 August, Villa Decius once again opened its doors, following the tradition of celebrating the end of summer, and invited visitors to A Visit to Marcelina.
Marcelina Czartoryska – duchess patron
The Marcelina in the title is, of course, none other than Marcelina Czartoryska – a princess from the Radziwiłł family, pianist, close friend of Frédéric Chopin and, most importantly for us, the historic owner of Villa Decius, where she hosted an artistic salon. Marcelina Czartoryska was a woman of her time: a representative of the 19th-century bohemian scene, an émigré in Paris, and a patron and benefactor of numerous artistic initiatives in Kraków. Through A Visit to Marcelina, we take a closer look at her story, reinterpret her herstory, and share the heritage of Villa Decius in the way the Princess herself did almost two hundred years ago.
Open doors
This year’s programme was packed with activities for residents and visitors of all ages. The celebrations actually began outside the Villa: on Tuesday, a herstory walk set off from the Czartoryski Museum, led by Alicja Zioło – an outstanding Kraków guide. We invited her to tell Marcelina’s story by following the traces of her presence throughout the royal city.
Sunday morning at Villa Decius was reserved for the youngest visitors. It began with a detective walk led by Pani Fishka (Łucja Komarzewska), during which children searched for a missing artefact belonging to Marcelina. Once the mystery had been solved, it was time for an artistic mosaic workshop. This activity was not chosen by chance: on the first-floor loggia of Villa Decius, we can find priceless ornamental tiles from the Maghreb region, brought to Kraków by Marcelina Czartoryska herself. This part of the programme attracts the greatest interest every year, and this time was no different: tickets for the workshops were gone within minutes!
Although throughout the day visitors could enjoy the charms of the Villa and Decius Park, they could also delve deeper into the history of the building by joining a guided tour. We were particularly pleased to welcome new residents of Kraków to the English-language tour. Villa Decius was opened to all residents thirty years ago – sharing this historic heritage is one of the pillars of responsible stewardship.
Sunday morning at Villa Decius was reserved for the youngest visitors. It began with a detective walk led by Pani Fishka (Łucja Komarzewska), during which children searched for a missing artefact belonging to Marcelina. Once the mystery had been solved, it was time for an artistic mosaic workshop. This activity was not chosen by chance: on the first-floor loggia of Villa Decius, we can find priceless ornamental tiles from the Maghreb region, brought to Kraków by Marcelina Czartoryska herself. This part of the programme attracts the greatest interest every year, and this time was no different: tickets for the workshops were gone within minutes!
Although throughout the day visitors could enjoy the charms of the Villa and Decius Park, they could also delve deeper into the history of the building by joining a guided tour. We were particularly pleased to welcome new residents of Kraków to the English-language tour. Villa Decius was opened to all residents thirty years ago – sharing this historic heritage is one of the pillars of responsible stewardship.
Art at Villa Decius
The central element of A Visit to Marcelina is encounters with art – our way of honouring the legacy of the artistic salon hosted by the Princess. As part of this year’s event, we invited Kraków-based artist Beata Zuba to collaborate with us. For Villa Decius, she prepared a selection of her Sketches from Paris. The exhibition will be on display throughout the month in the alcove of the Fireplace Hall on the ground floor of the Villa.
The most important element of the programme, however, had to be music.
The most important element of the programme, however, had to be music.
Kraków – Paris
The subtitle of this year’s event draws directly on Marcelina’s story: we have treated the Princess as a bridge between two cultural capitals of Europe. Many months before the weekend celebrations, we began working with the Paris-based Tempo Chopin association, which promotes Poland’s musical heritage in France, to search for musicians who would take on a Kraków–Paris dialogue on stage.
For the first instalment of the project, Anatole Siuda and Ewa Leszczyńska took on the task of reinterpreting works in which the histories of the two cities intertwine. The Kraków – Paris recital featured music by Chopin, Liszt and Paderewski. Both artists showcased their mastery of the piano that evening, while Ewa Leszczyńska enriched her performance with operatic singing, drawing on the tradition of salon performances and music as a form of entertainment.
We value this kind of collaboration: by creating an international project, we lay the foundations for a creative exchange at the intersection of cultures, while also being able to share its results with audiences here in Kraków.
For the first instalment of the project, Anatole Siuda and Ewa Leszczyńska took on the task of reinterpreting works in which the histories of the two cities intertwine. The Kraków – Paris recital featured music by Chopin, Liszt and Paderewski. Both artists showcased their mastery of the piano that evening, while Ewa Leszczyńska enriched her performance with operatic singing, drawing on the tradition of salon performances and music as a form of entertainment.
We value this kind of collaboration: by creating an international project, we lay the foundations for a creative exchange at the intersection of cultures, while also being able to share its results with audiences here in Kraków.
Only halfway there
The August A Visit to Marcelina is only the first stage of this year’s festival dedicated to the Princess. The next instalment will take place on 27 September, the last Sunday of the month. Once again, we are preparing a rich programme, which will also conclude with a piano recital – this time under the title Paris – Kraków.
All events held as part of A Visit to Marcelina have been, are and will remain free of charge. Keep an eye out for free tickets available through our ticketing portal. Tickets for the second edition will be released soon.
All events held as part of A Visit to Marcelina have been, are and will remain free of charge. Keep an eye out for free tickets available through our ticketing portal. Tickets for the second edition will be released soon.
See the pictures
Open doors at Villa Decius and the first part of this years' Visit to Marcelina!