Photo Tour of Krakow: Part 2

Krakow has centuries of history behind it, and describing every piece of that history that now remains would be nearly an impossible task. Still, I would like to describe a few other interesting locations in Krakow.

Road in Krakow.

Wow, it can't be... more medieval stuff!

One interesting landmark is the Kosciuszko Mound, or "Kopiec." It was built in the years of 1820-1823. Building this huge earthen mound must have been a difficult task to say the least. The local population had to carry the earth up a daunting hill using wheel-barrows, as there were no trucks or trains at the time.

The Kopiec.

Entrance to the mound.



The mound is a monument to Polish national hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who is also an American hero. He was a general who helped the United States during the Revolutionary War, before returning to Poland to fight for freedom in his homeland. On July 18th, 2007, then Senator Obama said Kosciuszko helped "win our country's independence."

Description of Kosciuszko's role in the American Revolutionary War.

Top of the mound.

The mound stood until 1998 when flooding caused it to collapse. The floods of 1997-1998 were the worst in Poland for over a century. The mound was rebuilt with modern aquaduct systems in 2002.

History of the mound.

View of Krakow from the top. A somewhat cloudy day!

Seems like a small city when walking through it, but from this view you can see Krakow stretches far in every direction. No wonder my feet hurt!

Before World War I Poland had been occupied by foreign powers for over 120 years. After a long struggle for independence it looked like the Poles would have a sovereign nation again. The Austrians, after their defeat on the Western Front, had promised to depart from Polish lands. However they took everything they could before leaving, including food, materials, and equipment. This caused a period of great poverty and famine, especially in the Krakow area.

Underground Polish resistance forces eventually organized, and walked up to the Austrian Military Barracks in Krakow (in the Podgorze area). They ordered the Austrian troops to disarm and leave, and then stopped all trains carrying stolen Polish goods. This was the first time foreign troops were peacefully disarmed in Poland, marking the beginning of Polish independence. The square below is the former site of the barracks, and there is a monument today to this historical feat.



Krakow had a large Jewish population before World War II. Poland overall had a diverse number of peoples of different faiths because it was one of the most religiously tolerant countries in all of Europe (and perhaps the world). Under the Polish constitution (the first constitution in Europe) there was a right to religious freedom. Today many synagogues still stand in Krakow's Jewish district. However this population is long gone because of the tragedies of World War II. Jewish residents were rounded up into the Krakow ghetto by German forces, and eventually sent to Auschwitz and other concentration camps. Below is pictured a monument in the place where the ghetto stood.

Chairs stand here to symbolize the people lost in the Krakow ghetto.

A very old synagogue.

Finally, in the interest of journalism, I demonstrate an important Polish cultural practice. Or "How to Drink Polish Beer 101"