
Krakow is a medieval city in Poland, the ancient seat of kings and the first Polish capital. It has a vast and diverse history spanning centuries. Today it is a very active university city. It has the character of a small college town, with thousands of students walking its busy streets. However it also has all the luxuries of a major metropolitan center, without ever making you feel overwhelmed.

News post in Krakow.

Outdoor market; a common sight in Polish cities.

One of the main streets.
Below is a picture of the now demolished Wawel Chocolate Factory. They used to have a lot of Christmas chocolate left over after the holidays, and would sell it at a discounted price of one Polish dollar (or zloty). This made it popular with the local students.

Demolished chocolate factory. How sad!

"Slak", or "Trail" street.
One of the busiest streets in Krakow is "Duga" or "Long" street. The medieval sidewalks here are packed with students and city residents. Interestingly, every time I passed a certain Alcohol store on this street, there was always a man falling out of it. The first day a man came out with his pants falling down, claiming "Well, I just don't have a belt!" Not sure if this is an everyday occurrence, but my cousin convinced me it was.

"Long" street... could have been a bit wider!

A Hostel, or cheap living quarters. A common sight in Krakow and other European tourist destinations.
Many buildings have ornate sculptures or other designs built on top of them to draw attention. They are also commonly used as landmarks. One such place is the "Bookstore under the Globe." Famous poets and authors come here frequently to give lectures and host discussions.



A trolley! So cool. And fun to ride.
The monument below features king Jagaila of Poland and his royal entourage. This is in memory of his victory at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. This was the largest battle of knights in medieval Europe, when the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth defeated the mighty (and feared) Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Knights were the most powerful organization in Northern Europe, and their defeat in this battle changed the course of history. Something you won't read about in most Western history books.

The "Old Town" of Krakow used to be surrounded by walls. Today only the main gate remains standing. In front of the gate is the fortress of Barbakan, a sort of "customs entrance" that everyone entering the city had to go through. It was in a very strategic location because attackers could not attack the main gate without having archers shoot upon them from Barbakan.

Barbakan.

Barbakan and the main gate. This photo shows how anyone attacking the main gate was in Barbakan's field of fire.

Barbakan.

The main gate.

The last remaining portion of the original wall.

A shot of the gate from the other side.
After going through the gate, you enter Florianska Street. This is a historical street that's centuries old. In the early 20th century it was a popular spot for students and artists, where they would drink cognac and wine. Today it has been heavily commercialized because many people and tourists walk past here to get into the center of the Old Town. It is the most expensive street in all of Poland to rent on.


Giant walking beer. Only in Poland!
Florianska leads to the main market square. This is the largest medieval market square in all of Europe. This was the playground of kings and royalty of centuries past. Most of the apartment blocks in these photographs are several hundred years old. One legend regarding the square is that a "Hejnal" or "Performer" sang here when the Tartars of Mongolia descended on Krakow. He sang so that everyone would gather in the square and defend the city. It was said that he was shot through the throat by an arrow in mid-song. Today performances in the square end abruptly as an homage to this legend.


Central marketplace building.

The shopping mall of its day!

Statue of Adam Miskiewic, famous Polish writer who wrote the national epic "Pan Taduesz." Students frequently meet here. Students also come here after their High School Prom and jump around the statue on one leg in order to get better grades on their finals.

This is the first church in Krakow and one of the first churches in all of Poland. It was built in the 10th century, the same century that Christianity came to Poland. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.

This tower used to be part of the original Town Hall that was demolished in the 19th century.
St. Mary's Basilica, located in the central square, is one of Poland's most historically and culturally signifcant churches. It was built in the 12th century in the Gothic style. Its size was immense, especially to an everyday peasant from that time. It was basically the skyscraper of its day. There is a legend surrounding the construction of the two towers of the church, with two brothers competing to build the taller tower. When one succeeded, the other killed him out of jealousy.

Massive.

Note how the left tower has shorter but more numerous sections, while the right has taller sections.

Epicly massive.
There is a local joke here that on every street in Krakow there is a church. I must disagree, because on many streets there are two or even three churches. One explanation for this is that King Kazimierz the Big frequently cheated on his wife, and was ordered by a bishop to build a church every time he did so. Considering he also built an apartment block in the main square for one of his lovers, we can see why there are so many churches and cathedrals here today!




The oldest Baroque style cathedral in Poland.




The oldest Roman style church in Poland.

Cathedral in the Podgorze area.



Many of these cathedrals were on the same street or within a minute's walking distance. But there is more to Krakow than these architectural monuments!

Medieval city without a carraige ride? No way.

Church, but in the distance!

12th century Church of All Saints used to stand here until 1835. Now Square of All Saints.

Current town hall.

Small Square.

Nunnery at the Small Square.

Skarga, priest who incited a patriotic ferver in Poles right before they lost their independence.
Wawel (Vavel) Castle is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. The hill upon which it was built was populated for centuries, possibly into the BC era. It was built as the official headquarters of the Polish kings. It was rebuilt through the centuries, and you can see these vast shifts in architectural design in many of its buildings. In one word: EPIC.

Guard tower.

Entrance to the castle.

The immense, nearly insurmountable defensive walls of the castle. The Wisla (Vistula) River is in the distance.

A look into the inner castle, where kings lived.


The royal chambers.

Some medieval ruins. Not sure what was the story here, but my theory is that hobbits lived here.

Wawel Cathedral, where kings attended mass.

Another shot of Wawel Cathedral. Kings and Polish national heroes are buried here.

Note the various patterns of architecture. The cathedral was built upon many times over the centuries.

Wawel Cathedral.

Wawel Cathedral contains a massive seven ton bell, only rung when a truly monumental event happens (such as the death of Pope John Paul II).

Standing at the gates.

Interesting design in this clock.

Hanging with my cousin and his girlfriend in the castle.;


Statue of Pope John Paul II, admired by many Poles.

This was originally part of the inner-wall, but was rebuilt into housing.

Cathedral from another angle.


There is an outside world.



I hope you have enjoyed this photo tour of Krakow, Poland! It's really an amazing place. Check back to see one more blog entry where I talk about a few other important places and events in this city.


Wisla again, an important river that runs through most of Poland.