Krakow - The Magical City
As the old capital of Poland, Krakow has a special place in the national consciousness. For the casual tourist this may not be vitally important or discernable, but this special role as the "spiritual" capital of Poland imbues Krakow with an added ambiance. The city is a vibrant university town that boasts the largest Medieval market square in Europe, plus exquisitely preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural monuments of the highest order. If you get bored of traditional sightseeing, the glorious architecture creates a great backdrop for just sipping a coffee or glass of beer in the outdoor cafes that line practically every street from April-Oct. And at night there are hundreds of bars to suit all tastes, many of them housed in atmospheric cellars. Browse, read and check things out!
Zamek Królewski na Wawelu
landmarks, museums
cultural heritage
Contact details
Stare Miasto Wawel
+48124225155 wew. 219
zamek@wawel.edu.pl
www.wawel.krakow.pl
Description
The Wawel Castle
At the southern end of the old town stands the Wawel Royal Castle. This was probably the earliest settled place in Krakow because of its raised position above the Vistula River. The first residence for Polish princes was built early in the 11th century and a large Gothic structure was built in the 14th century by the Polish king Kazimierz the Great. Damaged by a fire at the end of the 15th century, the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the first half of the 16th century and that's essentially the building we see today. From the outside, by far the most impressive part is the enormous Renaissance arcaded courtyard with its three stories of arcades. The proportions of the arcades don't conform to the Renaissance ideals of symmetry and harmony, but the Italian architects had to adapt to the needs of the Polish king and to the northern climate of Poland. The courtyard has recently become famous because of the mysterious "chakra stone" that is supposed to be located in an abandoned 11th century chapel in left hand corner of the courtyard. People often gather in this corner of the castle courtyard to stand against the walls to get as close as possible to this source of energy. Did the Polish kings know about this when they chose this location for their residence?
Today the Wawel Castle is a museum with various sections and admission tickets, but most impressive is still the absolutely free courtyard.
On the opposite side of the hill is a view of the Vistula River and the Wawel Dragon "Smok". The hill is lined with caves and the legendary dragon had its lair in one of the caves until one day in early Medieval times a clever cobbler came up with the idea of stuffing a sheep's carcass with sulfur and leaving in front of the lair for the unsuspecting
dragon. When the dragon swallowed the carcass in one gulp it was consumed by a terrible fire and thirst in its belly so it ran down to the river and drank and drank until it burst. So goes the legend.
Dennis McEvoy
Nearby
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