Chopin Center in Szafarnia

Szafarnia resounds with Chopin's music. Young Fryderyk spent his holidays here twice (in 1824 and 1825), staying with his school friend Dominik Dziewanowski. He visited the area, learned about folklore, listened to folk songs and the music of village musicians, and participated in local rituals. He described his holiday adventures in a diary addressed to his parents, called "Kurier Szafarski". Under the influence of new experiences, Fryderyk changed the way he perceived rhythm in music. He began composing the first mazurkas inspired by Polish folk dances. Leaving his native country in 1830, Chopin took with him memories of native folklore, which in the future became the source of musical masterpieces. Today, Szafarnia houses the Chopin Center with a concert hall and a small museum dedicated to the outstanding composer. Numerous concerts and piano competitions attract music lovers from all over the world. The 19th-century eclectic palace is surrounded by a picturesque park with old trees, rich vegetation and a charming piano-shaped pond.