A few weeks ago I visited the city of Kraków in Poland. Kraków used to be the capital of Poland and is one of the oldest cities in Europe, retaining much of its beautiful medieval architecture. I decided to visit Kraków because I had heard from many people that it is the best place to visit in Poland. This was my first time in Kraków, and when I arrived I was impressed by the splendor of the city’s buildings and architecture. It felt like I just walked into a medieval fairytale. The streets were wide and clean, the people were polite and friendly, and the city had a lively atmosphere without ever being too crowded.
I arrived from Budapest by train in the evening, and after checking-in to my hotel in the city center, I went to one of Kraków’s top restaurants, Kogel Mogel, famous for its high-end Polish cuisine. After dinner I went to bed after a long day of traveling.
The next day I began exploring Kraków’s Old Town. My first stop was the main square, the largest medieval market square in Europe, dating back to the 13th century. The Cloth Hall is probably the most impressive of the buildings there, as it is situated at the very center of the square. It used to be a major center of international trade and people still go shopping inside. Another impressive building in the main square is St. Mary’s Basilica, a Roman Catholic church built in the 14th century. The Town Hall Tower is another example of Kraków’s remarkable architecture.
Above: The Cloth Hall
Above: Interior of the Cloth Hall
Above: Me near St. Mary’s Basilica
Above: Town Hall Tower
There was a lot to see in the main square. Many of Kraków’s restaurants, stores, bars, clubs, etc. were located here, and one can spend hours in the area browsing for things to buy, places to hangout, or somewhere to eat or enjoy a drink.
After exploring the main square, I walked through Floriańska street to see St. Florian’s Gate. St. Florian’s Gate was built in the 14th century (the first record of it is from 1307), and was part of the city’s fortifications. It still stands today, remarkably well-preserved. It used to be connected to the Kraków Barbican, another fortification just ahead of the gate, by a bridge before the bridge was dismantled in the 19th century.
Above: A view of St. Florian’s Gate (in the front) from Floriańska street
Above: The fortifications attached to St. Florian’s Gate. Nowadays, it is common to find art being sold here
Above: Me at the Kraków Barbican fortifications
There was a lot to explore during my first full day in Kraków. It was that night that I got drugged and robbed at a nightclub. My previous post describes how that happened. Here is the link to that story:
Getting Drugged And Robbed In Poland
The next day I met Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan and his wife Crown Princess Kiko. They were touring Kraków on a state visit. I first noticed their limousines entering Kraków’s main square while eating breakfast. They were accompanied by bodyguards, journalists, and Japanese and Polish statesmen. After breakfast, I was walking near the Cloth Hall when they came out after touring the inside. I got the chance to meet them as they walked towards their limousines, greeting bystanders along the way.
Above: Limousines carrying the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan entering Kraków’s main square
Above: The Crown Prince and Princess of Japan
Above: Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan
Above: Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan
Above: Crown Princess Kiko of Japan
In addition to visiting many of the beautiful churches and cathedrals in Kraków (there are too many to mention), I had the chance to visit the Collegium Maius, the oldest building of Jagiellonian University. Founded in 1364, Jagiellonian University is the oldest university in Poland and the second oldest in Central Europe. The Collegium Maius was also built in the 14th century, and is one of the university’s first buildings. The picture at the top of this article is me at the Collegium Maius. One of the reasons why I find the Collegium Maius a significant part of my visit to Kraków is that Nicolaus Copernicus, the scientist who put forth the theory that the Earth revolved around the sun (Galileo based his ideas off of Copernicus), was a student there during the 1490s. Not only is the Collegium Maius a culturally significant place, but it is also a superb example of Gothic architecture.
Above: The courtyard of the Collegium Maius
Above: One of the hallways of the Collegium Maius decorated with murals
Above: The gate to one of the university gardens
One of the things I really like about Kraków, and I believe this is representative of Poland in general, is how committed Poles are to their traditional culture. Unlike other European countries, you can find Polish flags flying around all over the city and hanging from people’s private houses and apartments. Pride in one’s country is a quality I greatly admire and respect. Poland’s culture is long and rich, and it is alive and thriving today. In churches and cathedrals, I saw devoted congregants praying to God, and priests and nuns taking good care of the church. In fact, I often see priests and nuns all over the city, a sight that would be extremely rare in other countries in Europe. In other parts of Europe, most of the people you see in the churches and cathedrals are just tourists, and the churches are sometimes used for commercial purposes. For example, when I was in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the oldest and most prominent church in the city, De Oude Kerk, was surrounded by the red light district, prostitutes, and brothels! As atheism and cultural decadence take hold in much of Western Europe (and North America for that matter), Poland has retained much of its Christian heritage and traditional culture.
Since many of the streets in the Old Town are closed off to cars (unless you get special permission), the best way to get around Kraków is by horse carriage. This was my favorite way of getting around, and I got to see many of the sights from the comfort of my carriage.
Above: A picture taken from my horse carriage
Above: Me in my horse carriage in front of St. Mary’s Basilica
I spent my penultimate day in Kraków exploring the Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Cathedral (my last day was for a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, which I will write about it in a later post). The Wawel Royal Castle is the historic residence for the Kings of Poland, while the Wawel Cathedral is the historic coronation site for Polish monarchs. The cathedral is located within the walls of the castle, and in fact it is closer to the main gate than the royal residence itself. In addition to being the former seat of the Polish monarchy, Wawel Castle was also the headquarters of the Nazi General Government of Occupied Poland during World War II. There is a lot to see in the castle, and several museum exhibits. The castle is unique as it combines medieval, renaissance, and baroque architecture. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside the royal rooms or exhibits, a rule I may or may not have ignored.
Above: Front gate of the Wawel Royal Castle
Above: The main courtyard of the royal residence inside Wawel Royal Castle