Krakow

Krakow boasts an amazing collection of impressive monuments. Many squares, buildings and churches are emblematic of Polish culture and architecture.

Wawel Hill (228 metres above sea level) is the site of Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral and other monuments. It was in the past the residence of the Kings of Poland. The diocese of Krakow was created in 1000 and the cathedral was built. The first pre-Romanesque brick buildings were erected by the 11th century. Wawel was at the height of its splendour when Krakow was capital of Poland. The reconstruction of the king’s residence in Romanesque style took place during the reign of Casimir I the Restorer. The hill was surrounded by a stonewall at the end of the 13th century and during the 14th century. A gothic cathedral was erected and completed in 1364. Wawel underwent major development under the Jagiello dynasty, and in particular during the reign of Sigismund the Old and Sigismund II August. The gothic residence became a renaissance palace. The cathedral saw the addition of Sigismund’s royal chapel between 1519 and 1533 – an artistic masterpiece and a fine example of Polish renaissance Art.
A fire seriously damaged the residence in 1595 and part of the building was restored in baroque style.
The palace suffered further damage during the Swedish invasions of the 17th century (between 1655 and 1657), and finally a fire in 1702 left the renaissance building completely destroyed. Hard times followed for Wawel, with the three partitions of Poland and the hill was gradually destroyed by the Austrians.
Wawel became a sort of fortress and in the 20th century the buildings were once again restored and rebuilt.

Nowadays, Wawel Hill is a major national monument that bears witness to Poland’s history with various museums and monuments.

Barbakan (also known as the frying pan because of its shape) – is a gothic building with seven turrets, built in the 15th century, between 1498 and 1499. The inner circle has a diameter of 24.40 meters and thick walls (3 meters)

In the past, Barbakan played an important part in Krakow’s defence and was surrounded by a 24 metre-wide moat.
The monument can still be admired today and is the best-preserved building of its type in Europe. Nowadays it hosts concerts and various exhibitions.

Main Market Square – its history goes back to the 13th century; it is Krakow’s largest square, and was in the Middle Ages the largest town square in Europe. Nowadays the market square is among the three largest in Europe. Each side is 200 meter-long. This huge square was designed in 1257 (during the reign of Prince Boleslaw V the Chaste) so that merchants would have a space to ply their trade, and it remains unchanged.

Nowadays some of Krakow’s most interesting buildings are located on the square (or very close by): the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, Sukiennice, the Church of St Wojciech and the tower of the Town Hall. Two towers stand on the square, one 81-meter high called Hejnalica (a name linked to the bugle call, which is sounded every day from the tower) and the second one, 69-meter high, which is the bell tower.

Sukiennice (Cloth hall) – is located on the main market square. The monument that can be seen today retains few features of the original building erected in the 13th century, as it underwent major changes and transformations over the years.
Today this famous building houses the Gallery of the 19th century Polish sculptures and Paintings. It is part of the National Museum.

Juliusz Słowacki Theatre – is one of the finest Baroque theatres in Europe. It used to be known as the Jan Matejko Theatre, but was renamed in 1909. The building was erected on the site of the Church of the Holy Spirit. It was the first building in Krakow to be fitted with electricity. It was the German theatre during the Second World.
Nowadays it hosts the weekly Krakow Poetry Salon. Its director, Krzysztof Orzechowski, has run the theatre since 1999.

The Fountain of the Student
It is a small but famous and charming monument. The sculpture is a tribute to Veit Stoss (in Polish: Wit Stwosz) and was presented as a gift to the city of Krakow. The fountain stands on the Square of the Virgin Mary.
The student who stands atop the fountain looks pensive and is crying, as if the water that comes out of the fountain were his tears.
The legend says that if you throw a coin in the fountain, you will return to Krakow.

Florian Gate
Florian Gate (The gate of St Florian) - is a medieval watchtower. It was erected in the 13th and 14th centuries, and was part of the fortifications that surrounded the city to protect it from invasions. The Florian gate and that of the Barbican are all that remain nowadays of the defensive walls.
The monument has a height of 34.5 meters. Nowadays it is one of the key monuments on the tourist circuit called “The defensive walls”.

Krakow Mounds

Four mounds remain in the city: the Mound of Prince Krak, the Wanda mound, the mound of Tadeusz Kościuszko and the mound of Józef Piłsudski. A fifth mound, the mound of Esterka, existed in the past but was demolished in the 1960s (According to the legend, Esterka was Casimir the Great’s mistress, who, betrayed by the King, committed suicide).

Mound of Prince Krak

Raised in the 7th century, it has a height of 16 metres. It is said to be the tomb of the founder of Krakow, but excavations did not reveal any remains.

To get to the mound, located in Krzemionki, you can take either of the following buses and tram lines:
Buses: 107, 139, 163, 174, 184, 198, 607, C
Trams: 3, 6, 9, 13, 24, 49

Wanda Mound

Wanda was Prince Krak’s daughter. The mound stands 14 meters high and was probably built in the 7th century. There is no evidence either that it is where the princess was buried.

The mound is situated near the wall that surrounds the Tadeusz Sendzimir steel plant (Ujastek street).

The following buses and trams will get you to the mound:

Buses: 117,138, 142, 149, 609, 125, 132, 136, 139, 163, 172, A, B, 601, 611
Trams: 22, 23

Mound of Tadeusz Kościuszko

It is the most famous and the most popular mound in Krakow and dates from the years 1820/1823. It was raised on the Hill of St Bronisława (on St Bronisława street and Waszyngton avenue)
It stands at a height of 34.1 meters and earth from the battlefields where the general fought has been brought to the mound: Racławice, Maciejowice, Dubienki and from the war of independence in the United States.

You can get to the mound on bus number 100

Mound of Józef Piłsudski

It is the most recent and the largest of the four mounds and was raised between 1934 and 1937 on Sowiniec Hill. It stands 38 meters high. It is also known as the Mound of the Independence. Earth from the battles fought between 1794 and 1945 is deposited on the mound.

You can get to this mound by bus number 134.

Kazimierz – is a well-known district of Krakow, popular with tourists. It was an independent city from the 14th until the beginning of the 19th century. The site was founded by Casimir III the Great. Once a world of tolerance where Jews and Christians lived side by side, its streets reflect this rich heritage. It contains buildings associated with Jewish culture and a number of catholic churches: Corpus Cristi, St Catherine Church, the Church of the Holy Trinity and Skałka (the stone church of St Stanislas) as well as synagogues, such as Isaac’s synagogue, Kupah’s synagogue and Tempel Synagogue. Nowadays, the district houses several museums and galleries. This is where the festival of Jewish culture also takes place. It is also worth going for the Soup festival and the festival of St José. Kazimierz, along with the Old quarter and Wawel, was included in the list of Unesco World Heritage Sites in 1978.

If you would like to explore Krakow on foot and admire its magnificent monuments, stroll along the Royal Route - once the road along which travelled the Kings. It starts at the main gate of the city and stretches as far as Wawel Royal Castle. Along the way you will see the Barbakan, Florian Gate, a number of churches (including the Basilica of the Virgin Mary), the main market square and Wawel castle and Cathedral, to name but a few.

CHURCHES

Krakow is also a city of religious worship. It is home to many churches and synagogues (with about 120 Roman catholic churches).

Basilica of the Virgin Mary (or Church of the Virgin Mary) – is Krakow’s most famous church.
It was built between the 13th and the 15th centuries and was consecrated around 1320.

It is situated on the square of the Virgin Mary, on a corner of the main market square. An architectural gem, its richly decorated interior is breathtaking: admire in particular the famous altarpiece by Veit Stoss. The altar was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was carved by Europe’s greatest sculptor of the time, Veit Stoss, between 1477 and 1489.
Each side measures approximately 11 to 12 meters.
 
Two towers dominate the facade: one named Hejnalica (from where a man sounds the bugle call – Hejnał mariacki), which is 80-meter high; and the smaller tower (69 m), which accommodates the bells. You will find a great many chapels inside the Basilica, like the Chapel of St Anthony and the Chapel of St Valentine.

You can attend services at these times:
Monday - Saturday: 6.00, 6.30, 7.00, 7.30, 8.00, 8.30, 9.00, 9.30, 10.00, 10.30, 11.00, and 18.30
Sunday and bank holidays: 6.00, 7.00, 8.00, 9.00, 10.00, 11.15, 12.00, 13.00, and 18.30

To visit the Church:
Monday - Saturday: 11.30am – 6pm
Sunday and Bank Holidays: 2pm – 6pm
Admission – approx. 1,5 € (6 zlotys), 1€ (4 zlotys - OAPs) and 0,75 €
(3 zlotys – for children and students)
Between May and August it is also possible to visit the tower.

Basilica of the Holy Trinity – was founded in the 13th century and is located on Stolarska Street. It is linked to the Dominican convent. The interior houses a number of Gothic and Baroque chapels, among which:
The Chapel of St Thomas, with a neo-gothic altar and gothic decorations.
The Chapel dedicated to the Saviour, built in the 14th century
The Chapel of St Domingo – built in the 17th century, it houses the tombs of the Myszkowscy family
The Chapel of the Rosary – in gothic style, the altars date from the 17th century. On the main altar figures a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary

You can attend services at these times:
Saturday: 6.30, 7.00, 7.30, 8.00, 9.00, 12.00, 17.00 (on the 13th of each month – devotion to Fatima), 19.30.
Sunday: 7.00, 8.00, 9.00, 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 17.00, 19.00 (for secondary schools), 20.15, 21.15

Łagiewniki – this is the Krakow district where is located the exceptionally beautiful sanctuary of the Divine Mercy
Address: św. Siostry Faustyny 3, Krakow
tel.  0048 12-252-33-11 or 0048 12-252-33-33 
You can attend services at these times:
Sunday: 8.00, 11.00, 12.00, 15.30, and 19.00.

Synagogues

There are 90 synagogues in Krakow, but only two remain active for Jewish worship.
The only synagogue where acts of worship take place on a regular basis is Remuh’s synagogue.
The buildings have different styles, with synagogues in gothic, Baroque and modern styles.

The Old synagogue – is one of the oldest in Krakow. It was built in the 15th century. Until 1939 it fulfilled the role of religious centre for the Jewish population. It is a very important monument in Hebraic culture. Nowadays it houses the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow.

back to top

next

Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.