My friend Jenn has a healthy love of travel and always provides me with intriguing and interesting ideas for bucket list items for this blog. As luck would have it, she picked one that is of particular interest to me this time. Wawel Castle, Hill, Caves, Cathedral and the crazy dragon.
I loved all of southern Poland, and Krakow is one of the most fantastic cities I've ever visited. During WWII, Warsaw was all but burned to the ground. There were work camps and concentration camps, and death camps throughout Poland. Over the years, I've known some Polish folks who lived through it and they still had nightmares of everything they lived through as kids. We hear all about this history, and I'm happy that they're keeping the history alive instead of tearing it down as we do in America. I've always agreed that he who doesn't study history is doomed to repeat it. I've blogged about Auschwitz before, and I stand by my theory that everyone should go there once. It is a part of the history of Krakow, and therefore, a mention in this entry.
That being said, let's talk about all that is Wawel. Krakow is one of the most historic cities in all of Poland. There's old town, Jewish Quarter, and that amazing hill that tops out at 228 meters above sea level where you will find Wawel Castle and Cathedral.
First, let me say that people have lived here since the earliest of times, to the point that historians argue about exactly when people first settled the hill. Wawel Castle is a gigantic fortress filled with the Wawel Cathedral, numerous other chapels, Sandonierska Tower, royal residence and gardens, and Dragon's Den Cave.
The original castle and buildings were initiated by Sigismund the Old. The original complex was built during the 9th and 10th centuries. Over time the castle was inhabited by such leaders at Boledaus the Brave and later on Boledaus the III-the Great, Casimir the Restorer and later Casimir the Generous, and a Duke of Kuyavia Ladislaus the Short. Throughout the ages, leaders were crowned there, lived there, and were buried there. The complex has been a royal residence, fortress, military barracks and even a hospital.
Poland was once divvied up between Prussia, Russia, and Austria. The Austrians took over Krakow. Once Poland became an independent entity in 1918, they went about restoring the palace and grounds to their former glory. The military was reluctant to move out, but the government said that they needed the palace for then Emperor Franz Josef I. The palace and grounds have been government owned, restored and open to the public for decades now. The castle is part of the Polish identity. It means a lot to the people.
Archaeological restoration has been a big part of what's gone on at the complex. The tower holds some ancient ruins and they have been excavated and there is a museum on the grounds as well as living exhibits in the buildings. The cathedral is still a working cathedral and has been restored to its former glory. Not only is it open to the public during scheduled hours, you can go to mass if you like and are Catholic or with a Catholic as a guest.
Part of the archaeological research on the property was to exhume some tombs and study the monarchs remains. Not sure why, but this led to a myth the likes of when King Tutankhamen's tomb was opened. Shortly after, several people involved with the excavation, died of various illnesses. As with other excavations of tombs, it was eventually discovered that the culprit was a fungus from inside the ancient tombs. No real surprise when you think about it.
The Archbishop that advocated the excavation in the name of learning all about history that we can was Archbiship Karol Wojtyla. You might remember him by his strictly professional name, Pope John Paul II.
Visiting the castle is a great way to spend the day. Trust me on that one. You can tour the chapels, cathedral, castle, caves, gardens and enjoy the grounds outside the walls. You can even take a boat up and down the Vistula River from the docks just outside the mighty fortress.
The castle grounds and the hill itself have a commanding view of the town and all the surrounding area. The Rotunda of Sts. Felix and Adauctus or the Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary; depending on which school of thought drives you, is an excellent place to get those sweeping scenic views of Krakow. You can see most things from that vantage point, so bring your camera.
In the living quarters of the complex is now the museums. There's the history museum, which tells as much as they can piece together of the history of the complex. There's also one of the best art museums in the country. Jacope del Sellaio, Felisjan Szczesny-Kowarski, Zygromunt Woliszewski and more. The works are amazing, and to be fair, they are not the same old Dutch Masters and such that you see in other parts of Europe. It's truly wonderful to see.
The fully restored castle and cathedral are also historic museums. Most of the rooms and areas have been fully restored to their glory days.
The tower is part exposed ruins, part museum, and part restored. The history of the tower is fantastic, so take time to read or listen or take a guide to learn about how it was a prison. There was a dungeon below for the commoners, and as you made your way up through the tower, the prisoners became more and more notable. Royal prisoners were kept in the very top of the tower like Rapunzel in the fairy tale.
Speaking of fairy tales and legends, I can't leave the story of the castle without telling the story of Prince Krak and his daughter Wanda. The city unofficially hails its name from these people. The story that they left behind is truly incredible.
Prince Krak, the Dragon Slayer is probably the city's largest of all larger than life legends. The tombs were rumored to be cursed, and that's pretty good. However, legend tells that a dragon once lived in the caves below the castle which have since been used as wells, taverns, and currently a tourist attraction. As in most medieval literature, the dragon eventually lost to Prince Krak and all that is left of him is the statue outside the entrance to the complex. I really got a kick out of the dragon story when I visited.
Wanda, Prince Krak's daughter was the tragedy of the time, however. She was designated to marry a German Nobleman, and really didn't want to. This prompted her to take a plunge into the Vistula and she was never heard from again. All of the stories surrounding the amazing long history of this castle and grounds can be learned from audio tours, guided tours, and guide books. They are all amazing, so don't visit this place without learning all the stories that go with it. It's the best part of the visit.
After you've spent a good deal of time at Wawel touring every part of the property and hearing all the fabulous legends, there's still one of the most amazing cities I've ever visited to see. Krakow was blessed to retain their ancient buildings during WWII. A lot of Poland faced some terrible losses of history as well as life.
Krakow has a large and well preserved old town, one of the largest central squares in all of Europe, a historic Jewish Quarter, and the area where Schindler's List was filmed. You can walk the historic streets used in the film and tour the factory where the story was lived and later brought back to life in film. Public transportation in Krakow is good, so getting around is easy. Churches and Cathedrals abound in Krakow and most are open to the public. This is a beautiful city, and worth a thousand pictures each worth a thousand words.
And finally, a couple of things that I just love in Krakow to mention for you, since if you go to see the castle, you should see the town. Wieliczka Salt Mine is a wonder that you can tour. There's remnants of an underground society from decades past in there. You can see a ballroom, restaurants, church, and sculptures all the way through on the tour.
One of the other places that I loved was Harris Piano Bar. This is right off the town square and a great place to hear music and hang out. Krakow is truly affordable, so you can take time to kick back and enjoy the atmosphere of the city.
So, Krakow is one of those amazing places that you don't really hear a lot about, but are glad when you do learn of it. I remember having to spend time in Krakow because there was an uprising in Lithuania and we couldn't stay in Russia. It wasn't part of the plan, but I'm so glad it became part of the plan. I had the time of my life. It's a beautiful city with wonderful people to meet, great food to eat, fabulous shopping, and one giant legend of a dragon.
So, forget anything you've ever heard about Poland, because none of it applies to Krakow. Come see the castle, the cathedral, the caves, the dragon and enjoy!
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