The Wawel Hill - the castle, the cathedral and the residence of Polish Kings (X-XVII c.). The first settlement, the Wislan, on the Wawel hill dates back to the VIII c. In X c., several bishops of the early Christian church resided here and a Pre-Roman church, The Church of Our Lady Mary, was constructed. At the beginning of the XI c., a Roman-Gothic castle and cathedral were built. Reconstruction of the buildings was carried out under king Alexander Jagiellonczyk at the beginning of the XVI, with a number of chapels being added to the cathedral. In the crypt of the cathedral are the royal tombs from this bygone era. The castle was reconstructed again during the reign of King Sigmund Stary, 1517-1533 and the Renaissance arches and arcades were created in the courtyard. The state rooms around the courtyard and the arcades have come down to our present time almost untouched. By 1611 the Wawel was no longer considered the official residence of Polish Kings and Krakow lost its rights to being called the capital city of Poland.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Planty is a huge park, or rather the green belt surrounding the historical city center. This park was created in 1822 and replaced the defense walls and the moat around the old city. These days it’s a spot where you can shelter from the hot summer sun. (In winter it has a different appeal of course) or take a walk and enjoy the greenery. When you decide to walk through Planty you do not have to worry about the direction you choose - it's a belt around the Old Town so sooner or later you will be back to your starting point.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

The Barbican was built between 1498-1499 as the most important element in the system of defense walls around the city. It was financed by King Jan Olbracht. It is Gothic in style and used to be surrounded by a deep, 26 meter wide moat. There were two gates, one from Kleparz and the other from the city walls. The west gate used to be supported by 4 pillars. The Krakow Barbican is the largest and best preserved building of its kind in Europe. It is circular in construction, with 3 meter thick walls.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Florianska Gate - the main city gate, built at the end of XIII century to protect the northern entrance to the city. It became an important feature on the Royal Route, leading from the Sukiennice to the Wawel. The roof, built in the Baroque style, was constructed in 1660 by Jan Zaleski. An interesting part of the gate is the altar to the Holy Mother of Piaski (inside the gate). On the first floor is the chapel constructed in 1885-86 by Wladys??aw Czartoryski. The elevation shows the Polish eagle, symbol of Poland’s first rulers, by Jan Matejko. From Florianska Street we can see the XVII century Saint Florian frieze. On both sides of the gate are the Medieval city walls. Nowadays they are covered by paintings and handmade artifacts - have a look, perhaps something will catch your eye as a souvenir.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Main Market - the largest market area of any city in Europe - planned in 1257, is 200 x 200 m square. It used to be a place of trade, divided into zones, with many small shops called ‘kram’, the official municipal scales, food storage warehouses the fish market, coal depot, even a chicken market. This remarkable square with its tourist attractions and places of great interest competes well with the Old Town in Warsaw or Dluga Street in Gdansk. At the end of Florianka Street is one of the most important churches in Krakow - The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary with its two impressive towers. It was built in 1287-1320, on the vestiges of a former Romanesque church destroyed by the Tartars. Its present architectural style is a result of restoration at the end of the XIX C. It was built originally in the Gothic style, with (inside) Baroque chapels and altars. Today it contains remarkable frescoes by Jan Matejko and stained glass windows by Stanis??aw Wyspianski and Jozef Mehoffer. You may notice that the two towers of the church are not equal in height or style. The higher one is 81 m and at one time was an important city building not under church but municipal authority. It was the city guard tower where lookouts could watch out over the countryside. A horn was blown and this signal was a warning to shut the gates against enemies. This horn is called the Hejnal. Today it is heard at midday across Poland and around the world (the magic of national radio broadcasting). The horn stops suddenly in mid call in remembrance of the guard struck by an arrow when warning the people of Krakow of the approaching enemy.  Undisputedly, the altar piece, the triptych, by Wit Stwosz (Veit Stoss) 1477-1489, is the most important of the interior devotional decorations. It is in fact the largest wooden Gothic altar in Europe. The three parts are, the centre piece, representing the Virgin Mary asleep and the right and left wings, six scenes from the life of Mary. When the triptych is closed twelve carvings representing the life of The Holy Family can be seen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

In the centre of the Main Market Square is The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice). It is one of the most important buildings in the city. It has been reconstructed many times and does not resemble the original plan of the building. It used to be a street crossing the market from north to south with shops on both sides. The street was then roofed. The brick Gothic Sukiennice was destroyed in the fire of 1555. It was rebuilt in the Renaissance style by Italian architects living in Krakow - Jan Maria Padovano, Santi Gucci, Jan Frakstijn. Decorations and loggias similar to the Wawel court arcadeswere added at this time. The last reconstruction by Tomasz Prylinski dates back to 1875-1879. On 7th of October 1879 a decision was taken to open the National Museum in the Sukiennice. In September 1883 the museum became the first Polish public institution in a country divided and ruled by Russia, Prussia and Austria. Today the museum contains Polish XIX century paintings by such famous Polish painters as Matejko, Che??monski, Gierymski, and Podkowinski.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another point of interest in the Main Market is the vestiges of the Town Hall situated close to the Cloth Hall. Written evidence relating to the Town Hall goes back to 1316. It has been reconstructed many times. Between 1817-20 it was demolished leaving only the belfry, covered by a Baroque roof. The tower is one of the symbols of Krakow. During the summer the belfry is open and from its summit there is a beautiful panorama of the city.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Collegium Maius, (15 Jagiellonska St.) is the oldest building of learning in Poland. The corner building was given to the University by King Wladyslaw Jagiello in 1400 and became the first element of today’s Collegium. The University was funded by King Kazimierz The Great in 1364 and that same year the Papal Bull of Pope Urban V confirmed its status oficially. Over many years new properties were purchased and added with the resulting size we see today. There were three faculties originally: law, medicine and the arts. In 1397 the theological department was founded thus placing the Krakow school on equal terms with all European universities at that epoch. The Krakow Academy very quickly became one of the most important schools in Europe. In fitting memory of its founder it was renamed the Jagiellonski University in 1881. After the war the Collegium Maius was restored to its pre 1840 splendour and the Jagiellonian University museum was opened. The entrance to the courtyard is open every day and closed at dusk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pope's Window
Look up at the window just over the entrance gate to the yellow building. From this window Pope John Paul II talked to the thousands of people waiting to see him and to receive his blessing. This was a very symbolic place when he came to Krakow, a place linked with the Polish Pope, a place where he is remembered. The visit of Pope Benedict XVI changed some aspects of this feeling amongst Polish people when the new Pope appeared at the same window. They had to accept that their Polish Pope was no longer with them. Here, during two nightsat the window, the new Pope spoke to the gathered crowds and in some ways Pope Benedict XVI became a Polish Pope as well. Many now look at the window remembering John Paul II but now they also look forward to seeing Benedict XVI here again, soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------