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Krakow - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The capital, the royal city of Krakow is the second largest and most populous city in Poland. It is located in Małopolska-a historical region of the country at the foot of the mountains. The first mention of the existence of Krakow dates back to the year 965. In more than a thousand years of history, the city has become the undisputed cultural capital of both Poland and Europe and the world. Krakow was included in the list of 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites with six thousand historic sites. Until 1795 it was the capital and seat of the kings of Poland. 

The main attractions of Krakow include: one of the largest and oldest markets in Europe, the beautiful royal Wawel Castle, Sukiennice and the St. Mary’s basilica. It is a city that, despite 1000 years of history, wars and cataclysms in many places has retained its original ancient appearance.

Krakow is a place where 23 universities with 150 thousand students are located. There are also 100 research institutions and 30 museums and theatres. In addition to the attractions of the city are such places as: 

– Sports and entertainment hall for 15 thousand. places,
– Krakow Opera,
– ICE congestion Center,
– Philharmonic,
– two historical football clubs founded in 1906, Wisła Kraków and Cracovia Kraków.

The tourist and cultural opportunities of the city and its related areas, such as the Wieliczka salt mine, the former Auschwitz – Birkenau concentration camp, Wadowice (birthplace of Pope John Paul II), the proximity of the mountains and the most popular and frequently visited city by tourist groups, Zakopane, make Krakow one of the most attractive places on the tourist map of Europe.

WAWEL CASTLE

The royal castle on Wawel was probably built in the 11th century as a defensive fortress and a place of residence of tribal settlers. At the end of the first millennium, Wawel began to play an important role as the main center of political power. The first historical ruler of Poland Mieszko I ( 965 – 992 ), as well as his successors elected him to one of their seats. It is a Polish fortress and a historical treasure. The establishment of Krakow as the capital of the country led to its numerous expansions. Currently, the castle occupies 40,000 m2 of which buildings are 13,500 m2. Its exterior and interior are Renaissance, Baroque and partly classical. 

The castle has 71 exhibition halls, as well as the Wawel Cathedral – the place of coronation and burial of 17 Polish kings. The nursery of the castle is the royal gardens, where a variety of flowers and herbs were grown. 

The royal castle on Wawel is the most famous such object in Poland and one of the few in Europe and the world.

KRAKOW MARKET SQUARE

The main square is the largest square in Krakow and the largest medieval market in Europe. Similar in size markets are located in Tarnogrod, Olecko, latowicz and Wrocław. It was planned on Magdeburg law in the XIII century. Almost all the surrounding townhouses and palaces are several hundred years old monuments, the most famous of which are the St. Mary’s church, the town hall tower, Sukiennice and the Church of St. Adalbert. Since the creation of the square, its level has risen in some places by 5 meters. The architectural complex has survived all the cataclysms of the past and preserved its medieval soul. Under the plate of the market there are attractive underground, cellars, and underground passages between buildings, the area of which occupies as much as 6 thousand m2. Today, the main market is a place of many restaurants, bars, discos and museums. 

Famous places on the market: 

Restaurant wierzynek-a restaurant that has existed since 1364 until today. 
St. Mary’s basilica-Romanesque church built in 1222. 
Sukiennice-a building in which there were ancient sheds.
Jagiellonian University-the oldest university in Poland and one of the oldest universities in the world founded in 1364. 
Palace of bishops of Cracow-building of the Metropolitan Curia. The seat of Karol Wojtyła as bishop before his election as pope.

KOSCIUSZKO MOUND

One of Krakow’s five mounds dedicated to Tadeusz Kościuszko, the Polish national hero, was built in 1820. The mound is located on the hill of St. Bronislava, which, in addition to its historical significance, is also a point of view of the panorama of Krakow. In the early 1990s, the area around Kościuszko mound became the headquarters of one of the most popular Polish radio stations RMF FM.

JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY

The oldest Polish university and one of the oldest in Europe was founded in 1364 and initially consisted of three faculties: liberal arts, medicine and law. In the XV and XVI centuries the university was one of the most famous universities in Europe. Nicolaus Copernicus and other well-known western European professors, explorers and inventors studied there. The oldest building of the university is located at 15 Jagiellonian street where the Jagiellonian museum is located. They are there m.in. Jagiellonian globe-one of the first Globes on which the continent of America was marked, instruments used by Nicolaus Copernicus, or a wooden sculpture of King Casimir the great from the 4th century. Currently, the Jagiellonian University consists of 78 faculties, 7212 employees and about 50 000 students.

“ZAKRZÓWEK” LAGGING

An artificial water reservoir created after the limestone quarry was flooded. During World War II, he worked in the excavation, among others later Pope John Paul II. Currently, there is a diving base and a recreation area. It is one of the favorite vacation spots of Cracovians. The lagoon covers an area of 34 ha and the water depth is even 34 meters. There are also caves 500 meters long. The lagoon is surrounded by steep limestone rocks from which there is a panoramic view of Krakow. It is one of the most beautiful nature parks in the region, located practically in the city center.

NATIONAL MUSEUM IN KRAKOW

The National Museum in Cracow was founded in 1879. Currently, it has almost 135 thousand. exhibits from the early middle ages to the second half of the 20th century. Priceless collections create works of crafts and art from different times and regions of the world. Most of the collections are elements of Polish history and commemorative collections m.in. Jana Matejka, Józef mehoffer or Stanisław Wyspiański as well as foreign artists such as Leonardo da Vica’s “lady with ermine”.

SCHINDLER’S FACTORY

The so-called Schindler’s Factory was established in 1937 as the First Małopolska Factory of Enamelware and Tin Products Record. After the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and the German occupation, the factory was taken over by the German Oskar Schindler. The plant produced enameled vessels and later elements of equipment for the Wehrmacht. Mainly Poles worked in the plant, but after the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto, Oskar Schindler placed Jews in his plant, protecting them from certain death. In total, 1,100 people worked in the plant. The history of the factory and its owner was filmed by Steven Spielberg in the film “Schindler’s List”.

SQUARE OF GHETTO HEROES

The Krakow ghetto was established on March 3, 1941 by the decision of the Nazi occupant. It was the place where all Jewish residents of Krakow were located during World War II, and the square itself was surrounded by walls. Currently, the square is a historical commemoration of the tragic events in which the inhabitants of the ghetto were transported by trucks to the death camps in Auschwitz and Płaszów. The symbolism of Plac Bohaterów Getta is the sculptures of chairs depicting the view immediately after the last Jewish inhabitants of Krakow were transported to the extermination camps.

WIELICZKA SALT MINE

The mine is located 20 km from Kraków. The beginnings of salt extraction in Wieliczka date back to the Middle Neolithic era, i.e. 3,000 BC. The exploitation of the brine springs lasted for 3-4 millennia until the natural outflow ceased, when at the turn of the 12th and 12th centuries the drilling of wells began, and then subsequent ones, until it was decided to go deeper into the underground. In the 1870s, Wieliczka was considered the most important salt mine in the world. In 1978, the mine was entered by UNESCO on the first list of world heritage. Currently, it is considered one of the 7 wonders of Poland, visited annually by about 2 million tourists.

AUSCHWITZ – BIRKENAU

Auschwitz – Birkenau are combined concentration camps called “death camps” operating in the years 1940-1945 in Oświęcim near Krakow. It is the only Nazi concentration camp that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The camp became a symbol of the extermination and the main place of mass extermination of about 1.1 million Jews from all over Europe, 140-150 thousand. Poles, 23 thousand Roma and 12 thousand. Soviet prisoners of war and other nationalities. It is a world-famous monument documenting Nazi crimes in occupied Poland.

ZAKOPANE

The city is commonly called the “Winter Capital of Poland”, less than 100 km from Krakow. The most popular mountain resort and winter sports center in Poland. Zakopane is located in the heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains, which guarantees beautiful views and a fully enjoyable holiday.

CULINARY SYMBOL OF KRAKOW…

Cracow bread is a symbol of the city and a product of protected geographical interest in the European Union. The tradition of baking bagels dates back to the 14th century and was strictly defined and possible only by designated bakers during Lent. It has a ring-like shape and the surface is formed by Golden tangles in the form of a spiral. It is made from wheat flour, fat, sugar, yeast, salt and water. Cracow bagels are 99% sold on the Cracow market in the form of moving carts and their daily production is about 150 thousand units.