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!
Bazylika Św. Franciszka
landmarks
churches
Contact details
Stare Miasto pl. Wszystkich Świętych 5
+48124225376
bazylika@franciszkanska.pl
www.franciszkanska.pl
Description
The Franciscan church
The Franciscans arrived in Krakow in the 1230s and soon afterwards began to erect an early Gothic brick church. Elements of this first church can be seen from the outside when standing on ul. Bracka. And ul. Bracka is curved so as to lead directly to the 13th century transept. The church was almost completely gutted during the great fire of 1850, so the interior is a result of late 19th century renovations. The interior is quite dark because the side aisles were raised in the past and became separate chapels that don't let much light into the main nave so the wonderful Art Nouveau designs on the walls are not that easy to appreciate. But the highlight of the interior gets plenty of illumination by the sun: the stained glass window of God creating the universe designed by Stanislaw Wyspianski in the 1890s for the western wall of the church. It's also worth wandering into the cloisters (there is still an active Franciscan monastery connected to the church) where a series of historic portraits of local bishops was started back in the 15th century.
Dennis McEvoy
Nearby
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