![Vilnius University](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Vilnius_University.Observatory.jpg)
Marcin Knackfus (, c. 1742 – c. 1821) was a
Polish–Lithuanian Neoclassical architect of German descent. Born near
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, he worked in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Lit ...
and particularly in its capital
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
. He was a tutor of
Laurynas Gucevičius
Laurynas Gucevičius ( pl, Wawrzyniec Gucewicz; 1753–1798) was an 18th-century architect from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and all of his designs were built there.
In his youth he travelled to Italy and Paris and other countries in Western Eur ...
.
Knackfus was influenced by other Polish–German architects of late Baroque (
Ephraim Schröger and
Szymon Bogumił Zug) and early Neoclassicism (
Domenico Merlini and
Johann Christian Kammsetzer). He moved to Vilnius around 1768. Knackfus served as captain of the Army of
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Lit ...
and lectured at military engineering school.
[Čerbulėnas (1986), p. 346] Between 1773 and 1777 he taught courses in theory and practical application of architecture at
Vilnius University
Vilnius University ( lt, Vilniaus universitetas) is a public research university, oldest in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe outside the United Kingdom (or 6th overall following foundations of Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Glasgow and ...
. He participated in the 1794
Kościuszko Uprising. Fearing persecutions of the
Tsarist authorities, he retreated to
Suvalkija and largely retired.
[
His works include ]Verkiai Palace
Verkiai Palace ( lt, Verkių rūmai) is an 18th-century neoclassical mansion in Verkiai, Vilnius, Lithuania.
History
Until the end of the 14th century this place was a property of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. There was a wooden manor even in ...
(1769–1781), Palace of de Reuss in front of the Daukantas Square (1775), expansion of Astronomical Observatory of Vilnius University (1782–1788), late Baroque churches of Troškūnai (1774–1787) and Kurtuvėnai (1783–1792),[Čerbulėnas (1994), p. 276] Vilnius Botanical Garden (1784),[ altar for All Saints Church, Vilnius (1787),][ St. Bartholomew Church in ]Užupis
Užupis ( yi, זארעטשע, be, Зарэчча, russian: Заречье, pl, Zarzecze) is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, largely located in Vilnius's old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Užupis means "beyond the r ...
(1788), supervision of the construction of the Green Bridge (1789), church in Trakai
Trakai (; see names section for alternative and historic names) is a historic town and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. ...
(1789–1790),[ Tyzenhaus Palace (around 1790), archives of the Lithuanian Tribunal (1790), residential palace (presently used by Vilnius Conservatory of Juozas Tallat-Kelpša; 1790), manor and park in Paežeriai, Vilkaviškis district (1794),][Čerbulėnas (1994), p. 279] parish school in Troškūnai (1796),[ Basanavičius street in Vilnius (1798).
Knackfus worked with numerous nobles, including Bishops ]Ignacy Jakub Massalski
Prince Ignacy Massalski ( lt, Ignotas Jokūbas Masalskis) (1726–1794) was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman.
Ignacy became a Catholic priest and was named Bishop of Vilnius by Pope Clement XIII on 29 March 1762.''Hierarchia Catholica medii et recen ...
and Ignacy Krasicki
Ignacy Błażej Franciszek Krasicki (3 February 173514 March 1801), from 1766 Prince-Bishop of Warmia (in German, ''Ermland'') and from 1795 Archbishop of Gniezno (thus, Primate of Poland), was Poland's leading Enlightenment poet"Ignacy Krasic ...
, Field Hetman Ludwik Tyszkiewicz, voivode Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł, Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski
Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski (1 December 1734 – 19 March 1823) was an influential Polish aristocrat, writer, literary and theater critic, linguist, traveller and statesman. He was a great patron of arts and a candidate for the Polish crow ...
, Grand Marshal Stanisław Lubomirski.[Čerbulėnas (1994), p. 487]
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Knackfus, Marcin
German neoclassical architects
Architects from Vilnius
Kościuszko insurgents
1740s births
1820s deaths
Vilnius University faculty