Masks are not required in clinics and hospitals. How many coronavirus infections are there?
No more masks in Hospitals and medical institutions
The Chief Sanitary Inspector applied to the Minister of Health to cancel the state of epidemic emergency. This was due to a significant decrease in the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2. On Sunday, July 2, the Ministry of Health announced that only 4 COVID infections (including one recurrence) had been detected the previous day. 292 tests were performed.
The records
During the worst period of the Covid-19 pandemic in Poland, even tens of thousands of new infections were recorded daily (the record is just over 40,000). In total, since March 4, 2020, more than 6.5 million people have been infected with the dangerous coronavirus in our country, the Ministry of Health informs.
As you may know, Poland is the most accommodating country toward the Ukrainian people. The UN states that over 14 million people are thought to have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland has taken the most, as you can see from the numbers below.
(Some people who traveled from Moldova to Romania are included in both countries’ totals).
The Help offered
The EU has granted Ukrainians the right to stay and work throughout its 27 member nations for up to 3 years. Poland, which has taken the highest number of refugees, and Moldova, which has the largest concentration of refugees by population, have both asked for international support to help fund their efforts.
The Struggles
Poland has offered many special benefits in order to support the growing number of Ukrainian refugees. For example payments for the households that keep refugees, free use of public transport, extra spots in kindergartens and schools, and free medical benefits (checkups and tests). Unfortunately, due to the high number of people that need help and the lack of funds, the Polish Government has decided to revoke some of the benefits.
The Withdrawal
The families or individuals that have taken refugees into their homes, via a law passed in March, were entitled to a daily payment of 40 zlotych (approximately 8-9 euros). The Government, sometime in April, counted that about 600 000 Ukrainian people benefited from such help.
Last week, though, the deputy interior minister Paweł Szefernaker announced that this benefit will no longer be available. He also mentioned that many refugees chose to return back and mentioned that since the 10th of May there have been more people crossing the border into Ukraine than into Poland.
Starting the 1st of June also the free municipal public for the refugees from Ukraine has been revoked. Free train travel is also off since this month.
The fire of Krakow in 1850 was one of the most tragic events that happened to the city in the 19th century. This is how the event was reported at that time.
Krakow, July 18 (Thursday)
“10:00 pm. We have experienced a terrible day, and we do not foresee the end of our suffering. A terrible fire bursts around us, a terrible glow shines over the entire city, heavy smoke collapses. A sea of fire flooded the streets and the market square. Roofs fall, beams break, collapse. The dead hour struck for the city The fire is spreading more and more, it occupies the streets along the streets, life, estates, and even the existence of the city itself hangs from the wind. if he returns, the rest of the houses will go to dust.
Miserable town! The last defeat has finished you, in your streets and squares there will be only rubble, around which whole families will sit, and with a begging stick, you should search for some unburned rag, undamaged equipment. We have neither the time nor the head at this moment to appreciate all the misfortunes; we wait for the next days with fear, we tremble for the present moment, for the rest of the streets. What to do with a thousand victims, where to hug them? what to feed? We have no loft for our sisters, brothers, and mothers; bare pavement strewn with bare wood and the sky black with fire, this is our only refuge.
At 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the blows from the tower and the alarm in the marketplace announced the fire, although it was said that it had been going on for some time. Soon we saw a terrible fire in the lower mills on Krupnicza Street. The wind was blowing strong, the neighboring houses caught fire immediately, ….. four houses were burned down before the water spray ran up! There was no help. Everything that lay in the direction of the wind burned off; the fire did not know where to extend any further …. people started to come back when it was announced at 1 1/4 that the house of Mrs. Bartynowska on Goiłębia Street and the plantations had started to burn. The fire came out of the attic and soon spread over the entire roof. But a new scream: Wiślana Street is on fire! we run and we see a fire on the roof of the tenement house near the Hare. No water jets! nor a ladder! The academic buildings, the library, the dormitory, and offices were in terrible danger. The academic youth sprang up, ran to the roof, formed a chain of 150 people, and in a superhuman attempt to stop the fire, which had already begun to show up in the library building, was finally stopped.
A new scream: the Wielopolski Palace is on fire, I rush there and from Grodzka Street we can see a fire taking place from the roof. Fire in four places at once …. not a single spray! no help! not even the ladders! Nothing, nothing at all, all put at the mercy of the destructive element. Inhabitants start to get out of their homes, everyone saves what they can … meanwhile, the entire area from the tenement house is lit up by the Hare, and the fire is thrown into Gołębia block, into Bracka Street, into the bishop’s palace.
The plantation fire is progressing, the technician, the university printing house and the Unicki Church are in charge. No way to stop the dreadful clouds of fire …. no one is stopping them! Fire terrible on this side. The Wielopolski Palace is on fire, the entire Bracka Street is on fire, and the Starosty House is taken care of. The fire moves to the Franciscans. Streets filled with fires, choked with heavy waves of smoke, it is impossible to enter the apartments, nor cross the street.
A new shrill cry: Rapp’s tenement house on Carpenter’s Street is on fire, it is throwing fire into the Dominican Republic. The sea of fiery spilled over the rooftops and rages with the wind.
A fire enters the market square; the entire south side takes care of; the wind pushes him into the streets of Grodzka!
At that moment, the fire joined the plantations at Gołębia, Wiślana, and Franciszkańska Streets; for plantations at a small market, Szeroka Street, Ś. Józefa …. everything is on fire.
Four churches are burning at once …… and at the moment there are only naked, black walls, among the flames, which are still emerging here and there, there are cornices and gothic vaults. Suddenly, in the Dominican church, the roof falls on the vault, which still persists. The unburned beams still glow on the walls, and from there, and from there, the sheet metal is dripping from there. All the buildings and the library are burning next to the church. monastery, there are butcher’s shops. At the moment, butchers’ houses behind the plantations are on fire, the wind is blowing him more and more from the entire square between the Dominican plantations until a pillar of fire has tied almost under the old Vistula.
The Franciscan Church is on fire; dry altar trees, pews, cloisters are busy, hissing, crackling! The vault collapses, and the fire rushes into the monastery. from the monastery to the surrounding houses; in the courtyard, there are several dozen families, a few poor monks, and around them, a fiery river spread out with a wreath; the gate inaccessible, the only escape through the wall from the garden.
In Grodzka Street, the raging element spills out from the roof onto the roof, all the way to Śgo Józefa Street. But on the other hand, the inhabitants had already ripped off the roofs, and for a moment halted the terrible progress of destruction.
It was five o’clock, everyone lowered their hands because there was no more help. It was only counted that some buildings covered with tiles would be erected abroad! …. in Grodzka Street, the fire leaned against the passage in front of the court building, the part between Grodzka and Poselska on one side burned down. The house on the corner of Wiślana and Gołębia and the building of the Academy covered with tiles defended Śtej Anny Street and the eastern part of the Market Square. Everything is on fire until now! Unless the scaffolding has already collapsed and the red tongues of fire hiss the windows
Around 7 a.m., a few citizens stopped at the Hotel Dresden, thinking about the remedial measures. It was said that the commanding general himself, who had been on horseback from the very first moment, caught a man with sulfur dioxide in his hand, a wax candle, and a cotton-wrapped packet of gunpowder. At his home, attorney Boguński caught a 10-year-old boy dressed in rags, who was running to the attic. On request, where are you going? I’m going to save, he replied. There is no smoking here, replied the owner of the house, and surprised by the boy’s answer, he took him and found the materials needed to set fire to him. At that moment he took him to the barracks in Walter’s tenement house and handed him over to the military authority with the corpus delicti. Four other seriously suspected arson attacks were also apprehended and taken to the main guardhouse.
This story was scary! and we know that under our feet there is some hellish plot that has sworn the doom of the city. We could not comprehend, we did not want to believe, and yet the fact was told clearly, clearly. At that time, Mr. Maciszewski, whose entire apartment had burned down to the top, made a request to go to JESzef Komisya Gub. and HE Commander and ask them to bring a summary judgment, the Chamber of any caught in the act of arson, was immediately shot. This sentence was heeded and soon citizens: Boguński, Lipiński, Skarzyński, Kremer Karol, Kalinka and others went to HE Head of the Commission and Guber. declaring his wish to him. J. Excellencya replied that he could not announce the summary court, but because they were guilty, he would summon the President of the Tribunal.
An inquisition began with the accused who was apprehended by attorney Boguński … and after At 9 a.m. with the sound of drums, the military headquarters announced from the Central Committee, a decree that ordered candles in the windows to be burned, citizens were called to guard their homes, patrols were sent and it was ordered that whoever dares to resist them or is caught in the act of suspicion, will be immediately judged martial. North. We walked around the fire point again, the wind is stronger, choking smoke is spreading all over the square. The fire in the house of Mrs. Wąsowiczowa and Skotnickie falls deeper. Sikawka worked in the same house for some time, then it stopped.
Where are the other water jets?
Part of Wiślana Street is on fire in the background. The bishop’s palace burned down completely. The naked walls of the Franciscan Church are sticking out! the buildings next to the plantations seem to have survived, at least we have not seen any fire on them at the moment. From Bracka Street, or rather from Gołębia Street to Św. Joseph one sea of fire; we haven’t seen a single hive here again. But from this side the fire was stopped; only the interiors of houses are on fire. Stolarska Street is burning down; also the southern part of a small square; weak rescue! no people to help, no water. – Behind the plantations, the butcher’s houses glisten with still unburned coal.
Wentzl’s house in the market square was twice in terrible danger and twice almost miraculously survived. On one, the other and the third side it was boiling, we only saw a few chimneys sweeps on the roofs, diligently flooding water and tearing off shingles.
The Czech bookshop burned down; we saw books being thrown away, but it was too late. The files of two notaries, Ekielski and Korytowski, were burnt to the ground.
Everything depends on the wind right now – we cannot tell with certainty its direction, but it seems to be blowing in the same direction, only slightly stronger. It is only lucky that the roofs are no longer burning anywhere, the terrible fire glows deep inside the houses. All the walls seem to be cracked.Strong patrols walk the streets; the entire army is under arms; on the streets of the guard. In the plantations, the furniture of the unfortunate victims is folded and rested with the remnants of their property. On the market square, from Baranów to Grodzka Street, sofas, chairs, paintings and other movables are allowed together. Warta guards everywhere.
We hear about a few unhappy ones. who were burned. Among others, the venerable old man Filipowski, unable to get up from his bed, burned himself to coal, as they say. Several children found death. Poor victims, you died in terrible torments! but you did not survive your misfortune.
4 o’clock in the morning. Thank God we think the danger is over. The fire goes out. We are just coming back from the technique and house of Bartynowska. We come back filled with adoration for this noble university youth, because we have witnessed her sacrifice (…)
At 1 1/2 we walked out again for a city overview. The northern part of the market square is burning inside, the fire is renewing in technology, Franciszkany or rather the surrounding building is quiet, but in Grodzka Street between Szeroka and Ś. Joseph, the fire bursts violently from the windows. A water-pipe attached to one of the houses works poorly, the danger was in danger, the neighboring houses. who had miraculously survived so far, could for a moment alleviate the general misfortune. Weak rescue.
On Ś. Józef, among the furniture and scattered cloths, we can see a water spray standing in vain, it cannot be pulled into Grodzka Street, and there is no one to introduce it. In the street, wide Dominican buildings throw out a terrible fire, we did not see a living soul. The night and clouds of smoke, from among which the moon sometimes flickered red, made it impossible to see what was going on inside.
Behind the plantations the lights of the butchers’ fires glistened; no one again! We come back Sienna Street beats two o’clock, followed by the alarm, beating drums, announcing a new fire in the city from the Maryacka Tower. We ask where the water jets run to the Sukiennice. There it is easy; they call a fire in S. Anna Street and it’s quiet there; scream, there is fire in Szpitalna Street. the alarm turned out to be false. We return to the house of Mrs. Wąsowicz. The youth created a line and brought water to the water-pipe, which extinguishes the fire. We saw no danger here, but all the greater with technology. There was a fire in this place again, it is threatening the academy. The danger was terrible. University youth are thrown in this direction, pp Majer, Kuczyński and Pol are in charge of the defense. Two water jets were brought in, a double row was created. Then, with extraordinary effort, the ladder was brought down, professor Krupiński climbed on it and threw a huge beam onto the ground, which might burn for a long time. Seeing that with technology the danger decreases, especially since Mr. Majer has manned the roof of the university with people, they run at the end of the Gołembia block from Rudawa, bring water, pull a water-pipe and flood the fire in Mrs. Bartynowska’s house, which he recovered.
The day begins to dawn, the people from the market square, calmness returns to the minds.
6 o’clock in the morning. We walked around the horrible theater of misfortune once more. Heavy smoke is rising from several houses, here and there a beam, a balcony, or a window frame is burning. The walls and chimneys are naked, black, and tanned as crosses over the graves of the former exystentia. Owners of burnt houses come out to the streets, wanting to find out that they still have a lot of bricks from their former estates. (…) In one part of the city, where the shop stood near the shop, the warehouse near the warehouse, only the skeletons of houses and streets remained. It is a terrible sight.
Stolarska Street is burning down; from the Dominican building opposite the church, puffs of fire are piling up against the eye. Sikawka at the end of his mission wants to save a few unburned rain and ceilings. The city is covered with a mourning smoke with heavy smoke.
Only two houses remained from the northern part of the square; from Wiślana street, a stretch from Ś. Anna and Rynek, from Gołębia Street the academic building (all the more Technics) and a corner house, from Bracka Street, part of the house of Fr. Jabłonowskiego, from Grodzka Street up to Śgo Józefa, three or four houses from Poselska Street; nothing from Stolarska Street. This is the most general picture of desolation. And who can count the unsettled losses, who can adequately assess this blow, from which Krakow may never recover?
The house and the Soviet trade of Szukiewicz completely burned down; Fiedlein’s bookstore, as we hear, survived, although it is located in a house (serving as barracks) where a fire broke out very early. The fire was nowhere as fierce as on Stolarska Street. There, among others, the house of Mr. Morsztyn burnt down, along with an expensive library and a rare collection of numismatic items.
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when the worst fire was occupying the northern part of the Market Square on the west side and in connection with Stolarska Street it was threatening the nearest houses at the Church of the Virgin Mary standing, priest Złowodzki left the church with Sanctissimum in his hand and immediately surrounded by a mass of people. he stood on the corner of Sienna street and, falling on his knees, began to sing: We take refuge in Your protection, Lord! It was an indescribable sight. There the inhabitants breaking out from among the flames. what else could be saved; then the army is fully armed; here the people are beseeching the God of substitutes and begging mercy over the rest of the poor city!
The inhabitants of the city are accompanied by a resignation that is difficult to explain, perhaps with the immeasurable enormity of misfortune. It is necessary to confess that rescue is not organized anymore, but also infirm, or rather none. No water jets (as far as we know, there were only four), no carts, barrels, watering cans, no everything that belongs to the fire brigade)
We do not go into the reasons, we describe the fact. In a word, the fate of our city hangs from the direction of the town hall flag. Quietness and indescribable consternation.
In tomorrow’s issue we will try to complete this inaccurate picture written under the impression and at the moment of the drama taking place. For now, only a few remarks that we need to press against the pen.
We have heard that the local authorities are already devising measures to alleviate the fate of the unfortunate victims, if possible. For this purpose, many citizens were summoned to the deliberations. The government in this matter will have to the aid of every honest man, every inhabitant who came out of this terrible flood happily.
Here we want to give you one piece of advice. When, after the Hamburg fire, a large part of the inhabitants found themselves without an attic, wooden huts were built immediately where they could accommodate those who had not found shelter elsewhere (…)
PS. 9 o’clock in the morning. The wind is stronger and the market is blowing strongly. As long as the fire is not completely put out, there is a danger that the smoldering embers may ignite the fire. (…)11 a.m. At the moment, all efforts are aimed at the house of Mączyńska, opposite the guardhouse, in order to prevent the fire from spreading further along the eastern part of the market square. There is more energy and bounce in defense. A water-pipe in constant motion and several lines of people giving water. We saw soldiers on the neighboring roof, and now the entire company has been commanded to rescue.
The gendarmes were sent around the peasants to help us, we have already seen a dozen arriving. There is already free circulation on Stolarska, Szeroka and Franciszkańska Streets. It is still smoldering everywhere but the flame is nowhere.
We saw 5 people burned in the gruel shop next to the Church of St. Mary; the corpses of these unfortunate ones bear traces of the most horrible sufferings.
We now learn that the Sand Rock Castle was burnt down by yesterday’s fire. “
Source: dziennik “CZAS” Nr 163 Kraków 19 Lipca – Piątek. Rok 1850
The sweetest holiday of the year is coming soon. Fat Thursday is the last Thursday before Lent.
When is Fat Thursday (Tłustyczwartek) 2022?
This year, this sweet Polish holiday falls on February 24. According to tradition, it is exactly 6 days before Ash Wednesday – March 2. Fat Thursday always falls 52 days before Easter. And on that day, no one will tell us that we eat too much.
Where does this tradition come from?
The genesis of Fat Thursday goes back to paganism. The Romans celebrated the so-called fat day. It was believed then that winter was over and it was time to welcome spring. They feasted by drinking wine and eating fatty things, including “donuts”, which were then made of bread dough and stuffed with bacon – If you ask me, I want a piece of that!
Around the 16th century, the custom of eating donuts in a sweet version appeared in Poland. They had a peanut or an almond inside, and whoever found them was to be successful and prosperous in the coming year.
Superstitions and superstitions associated with Fat Thursday (Tłustyczwartek)
An old Polish superstition warns that whoever does not consume donuts on that day will have bad luck hanging over it until the end of December. The round donut symbolizes the whole year, so eating it is supposed to bring prosperity and happiness. I say don’t settle on just one – eat all the happiness you can find! 🙂
According to the tradition, on this day we should eat butter, cream, cheese or meat. It is food that symbolizes abundance.
The so-called “pomyjka” was also a popular Greater Poland custom. It was believed that serving at the table and cooking on a Fat Thursday provided prosperity and prosperity as well as good health. Therefore, on Fat Thursday, they all served each other and helped the lady of the house prepare dinner.
I dunno about you, but I’ll get my fair share of donuts 😉 Hope I can get some with rose jam!
There are so many unsung heroes in the battles that took place all over Mother Earth, yet it seems to me that the Polish People do tend to keep the memory of their heroes longer alive. There are a myriad of books about them, songs that are sung, events that are hosted (especially with the remembrance days related to World War II) and I thought I might share with you some stories about some really remarkable characters. Today I wish to share with you the story of an amazing Polish Woman: Jadwiga Piłsudska.
The Daughter of a HERO
Jadwiga Piłsudska-Jaraczewska (born 28 February 1920) is a pilot, who served in the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. She is the one of two daughters of Marshal and Naczelnik Józef Piłsudski. And if you have no clue who Piłsudski is… well… I have no clue under what rock you have been under!
He was the person responsible for the creation of the Second Republic of Poland in 1918, 123 years after it had been taken over by Russia, Austria, and Prussia. He was a man that made miracles happen! He devoted his entire life to the service of his country, Poland, and he always wanted to make sure the Red Army would not come back. Józef Piłsudski was buried in a crypt of the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, among Polish kings. His daughter surely had one hell of a fatherly figure to look up to!
Jadwiga, learning to fly (age 17)
Born and raised for Greatness
Born on the 20th of February 1920 – in Warsaw, Poland – she was the youngest daughter of the Marshal Józef Piłsudski. She must have heard and seen so many stories from her father and the people visiting, that her true spirit awoken and she decided she will carve her own path in history. Thus, in 1937, Jadwiga started flying gliders and obtained her pilot license. Her interest in aviation began at the age of 12 when she began building model airplanes, so the career path she chose was not a surprise. 2 years later, she graduated from secondary school and decided to study aircraft engineering at Warsaw Polytechnic – that was the year 1939!
September 1939 – Poland gets invaded by the German Nazis and we see the beginning of World War II. Jadwiga and her family realize that under such circumstances the best decision is to leave the country as soon as possible, in order to live and fight another day. Jadwiga, her sister (Wanda), and her mother get to Lithuania first and then to the United Kingdom; where Jadwiga resumes her studies. In 1940 she enrolls at Newnham College, Cambridge University.
The trip is not without its ups and downs… They managed to get to Riga, from where one of the last scheduled airplanes released from Lithuania flew to Stockholm. From the capital of Sweden, organized by the Polish Embassy, they set off to Great Britain, where they were looked after by Ambassador Edward Raczyński.
Up in the clouds
Jadwiga Piłsudska receives her aircraft pilot license and in July 1942 she joins the Air Transport Auxiliary. During wartime in Britain, she flew unarmed military aircraft in the dangerous skies of that time – she had the rank of Second Officer (Flying Officer). She was one of the several Polish women who served as wartime ferry pilots in Britain during the Second World War – alongside Anna Leska and the Lithuanian-Pole Barbara Wojtulanis. In an opinion issued by British superiors in November 1943, she was rated as “an extremely promising pilot with above-average skill.”
Due to the Communist takeover in Poland, she remained in England after the War, as a political émigré. Jadwiga has never accepted British citizenship. She used a Nansen passport, valid for all countries in the world, except Poland.
In 1990, with the collapse of the Communist government, she returned to Poland and lived in Warsaw. She died on 16 November 2014, in Warsaw at the age of 94. May God rest her in peace!
NOTE: The Cross of Merit with Swords is awarded for deeds of bravery and valor during times of war not connected with direct combat, and for merit demonstrated in perilous circumstances. The Order of Polonia Restituta (Polish: Order Odrodzenia Polski, English: Order of the Rebirth of Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, national defense, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries.
Hope you enjoyed Jadwiga’s story and I hope you will start looking into her story more yourself 🙂
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
Not only in Krakow but the City Cards can also be found in any of the big cities around the world. I have used them in Paris, in Vienna and London and they always come in handy. They come paired with a free map that holds all the hot spots that you should go to + discounts for the museums and specific shops + free public transport. Depending on your stay in this fair city, you can select a 1-day card at 25 dollars or a 2 day for 40 dollars or a 3 day for 45 dollars. The longer the stay the cheaper the card gets and the more discounts 😉 You can buy the card online or from any of the Info Points in Krakow. There are several Krakow Museums for free with it, so do make sure you look into this offer before you book your trip here!
Saint Peter and Paul’s Church on Grodzka, Krakow, Poland
2. Enjoy Krakow by Walking
There is no method better to really feel the beating heart of a city than by walking it and mingling with the locals! The Krakow Old Town – Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter – Podgorze… they are all within walking distance. The pavements are good and the only problem you might encounter is if you will take high heels, as the streets in Old Town Krakow are cobblestoned. Wear flats or some sports shoes that you are comfy in and you are set up for the day. When I first came here – 10 years ago – I would roam the streets all day long, looking for new nooks and corners that brought up the magic of this city. I still do that… when time permits 🙂 If you are too tired, you can always grab a tram. They are fast and almost always on time (exception: when we have heavy rain/rainstorm and the streets tend to get flooded).
Lovely pierogi from Babcia Malina, Krakow, Poland
3. Experience Street Food
Street food in Krakow is not the regular street food you would think of. There are plenty of food trucks spread around the city that provide healthy snack options for everyone. Some offer meals in a jar – from local market products – some even offer hand-rolled fresh sushi! But the more traditional options include maczanka krakowska (kinda like a hamburger on a bun), zapiekanka (kinda like pizza, but on a half of a baguette, with loads of toppings), obwarzanek (kinda like a pretzel but… not quite), or paczki (kinda like donuts but without the whole in the middle).
You need to be prepared in detail for this trip, before heading out to Krakow. We have here cobbled streets – so no high heels for you! We have the electricity supply at 220 V – so the visitors from the US/UK will need adaptors for their electronic devices! We have a pretty strict rule about medicine and most of it is sold on a recipe – make sure you bring your own, or else you will probably need a doctor to prescribe you something and there is a possibility that the drug you use might not be on the market here!
Oscypek (Mountain Cheese) – Krakow, Poland
5. You must try the local cuisine
Obwarzanek Krakowski – Protected by the EU Traditional Foods list. It is kinda like a pretzel or a bagel but a different process to it and taste. To learn more about its history and significance, I encourage you to go to the Obwarzanek Muzeum in Krakow.
Oscypek – Highlanders Cheese, straight from the mountains. It can be smoked as well. Paired with zurawina (cranberry) jam is marvelous! You can find it at any of the fairs around Krakow and it is a #mustEat when in the area. Usually brought in from the Zakopane region.
Kremówka papieska – This classic dessert was a childhood favorite of Pope John Paul II – and when the people of Poland found out, they renamed it ‘Papal cream cake’ in his honor. It is a typical, traditional Polish dessert – very old-school. Everybody loves it!
Maczanka krakowska – crusty bun to be loaded with the tender, juicy pork, and soaked until dripping in delicious onion gravy. One of the best “hamburgers” you will have 😉
Saint Mary’s Basilica (Kosciol Mariacki) has always been a symbol of Krakow. A Symbol containing multiple other Krakow Symbols, like The wooden carved altar by Veit Stoss or the Bugle Call Tower with its Hejnal or The Legend of the 2 Brothers. After Tartar raids in the 13th century left the original church in ruins, St. Mary’s Church was rebuilt in Gothic style on the existing foundations and consecrated in 1320. In the early 15th century the towers took the iconic form they have today when the northern tower was raised to 80m high and made into a watchtower for the city. From that watchtower, the Bugle Call plays every day, every hour, no matter rain or shine!
How can one visit the Bugle Call Tower – Mariacki Church?
The Tower cannot be visited during all the months of the year, so make sure you don’t plan to visit it during wintertime as it is closed then. There is always a chance of frost on the stairs so only the Bugle Call player gets to go on top. But! During the summer months, it is always open for visitors and you can check the schedule below.
From July to October (except religious holidays) Monday — closed from Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00 a.m.- 6.00 a.m. Sundays – 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.
January, February, March, November, December — closed
The ticket price, as of July 2021 is 15 Zloty per person or 10 for 7 to 18 years olds.
Come check the video I did on my first climb up to the Bugle Call Tower – Mariacki Kosciol, Krakow, Poland
Things you should know about the tour
Children up to 7 years old are not allowed to go – due to the steep steps (danger ahead!)
There is a limited amount of tickets everyday. You cannot book/buy tickets in adavnce. Just for the same day. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office only (Plac Mariacki 7).
Children between 7 and 18 years old get a discount.
People with walking dissabilities cannot get to the top as there is no elevator or method to pull up any wheelchairs 🙁 sorry for that 🙁
In case of bad weather the tour (just like the Eiffel Tower, in Paris) gets closed down.
The Tower entrance is located on the side of Mariacki Church, from Florianska Street.
A group of no more than 10 people can enter every 30 minutes.
Krakow Kosciol Mariacki – St. Mary’s Church, Krakow, Main Market Square
Did you know?
That the Bugle Call (Hejnal) players are actually firemen? They stay there (up in the tower) on shifts that are 12 hours long! They need to “get to work” by climbing the 271 steps, every day, and they play the Hejnal every hour, for their 12-hour shift. Before the stairs were built, there was no way to get on top except with the help of a very tall ladder (wooden). Thank God they don’t use that anymore!
Yours always truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that loves views from the top (of the world)
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
MPK_Tram-line-for-11-November_Krakow_Poland
1. Validating public transport tickets
In order to use public transport in Krakow – be it a tram or bus – you must first buy a ticket. Small kiosks sell them, but your quickest and safest option is buying them from the MPK vendor machines. You will be able to spot them right away as they are present next to the tram/bus stops and they have the colors of the city: white and blue. The nice thing about them is that you can pay either by cash or card (even PayPass/contactless or BLIK). The menu is in several languages: Polish (main, of course…), English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
The MPK (Public Transport Authority of Krakow) tickets can be for single usage – 20 min, 40 min, 60 min – but there are also weekend tickets (or week-long or even monthly ones) that you can use on your stay in the city. However, if you will look at point #3 below, and if you plan to really get to know Krakow… you can always walk it and get a tram only if you are tired or if it rains. But when you do take a tram/bus, make sure you do these 2 basic steps: 1) Buy a ticket; 2) When entering the bus/tram make sure you validate it by using the yellow boxes on the bars inside. Without validation your ticket means nothing, and if you will get caught you will have to pay a big fine!
Drinking in Public is permitted only on the terrace/bar areas – Krakow, Poland
2. Drinking in public
It is illegal to drink in Public in Poland! Don’t even try it as you will get a fine! Public spaces – including parks, benches, and everywhere else you may try to open a beer to cool yourself on a hot day – are off-limits!
You can, however, choose to go to a pub or lay down and enjoy the sun from a terrace, while sipping on your Aperol Spritz or your beer. Outdoor seating areas that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages do not count 😉 However, if you take your drink and step outside of the premises to have a smoke… you’re up for a fine!
Drinking alcohol in public places can land you in a dry-out cell for the night and you may get also a hefty fine. The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving is just 0.02 percent! The fines can get up to 300 euros + the “prison” sentence for the night, so you can sober up.
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
3. Book a hotel in Old Town or very near it
If you wish to have a nice stay in Kraków, not be touristy and actually experience the city like a local, then you should book an Airbnb or apartment in the Old Town. Or if you wish to splurge, take a hotel – there are plenty to choose from! Why Old Town, you may ask, rightly so… well… everything is within walking distance. You need not get a cab, or even public transport, as all the most notable places can be reached and discovered on foot.
It is true, the streets in the Old Town are cobbled stoned so high heels would definitely not be a good fit. Think sports shoes and flats and you’ll be fine 😉 plus, by walking you will truly learn and feel the heartbeat of the city. Make sure you check the side streets, the small shops, the old-school architecture of the “Kamienicca” – most buildings in the Old Town are from the 18-1900s. Unlike Warsaw (which was heavily bombed during the Second World War and destroyed almost 90%), Kraków has managed to keep its historic buildings.
Vistula River at Autumn-time – Krakow, Poland
4. If visiting avoid June-August (High Season)
I know everybody loves taking time off for holidays during summertime, but if you will choose the months of June, July and August to come visit Kraków, than be prepared for loads of tourists. Those 3 months consist of the High Season here.
Instead of summer, I highly recommend you to try the Polish Autumn. It’s not as hot, the trees are changing their leaves and they look marvelous, you can taste the famous fresh “szarlotka” (PL: apple pie) and local ciders (which are absolutely yummy!). Also, if you are a fan of skiing, winter may be a good time to come over too. The Tatra mountains are near (Zakopane is just a few hours away) and you can enjoy the lovely views.
Czartoryski Museum, Krakow, Poland
5. Pre-book tickets for the museums online
Museums in Kraków are definitely worth being put on the list. Everyone will be able to see something interesting: from 19th century paintings as big as an entire wall, by the local artist Jan Matejko, to the Stained Glass windows; from modern art at MOCAK to Spitfires at the Aviation Museum; from real mummies (including a cat mummy!) to pages of the original Book of Death. You name it, Kraków has it!
The best way to experience the museums is without the queues though. For that, you can always go online and reserve and even pay for the tickets. Print them or download them to your phone and just get to the museum at the designated time. There are multiple branches that you can choose from, so just click here for the full list.
To be fair to my dear readers, I was not born in Poland. Nor raised. This country happened upon me! I did not know much about Poland before my first visit here, about 11 years ago. All I knew was that it was a post-communist country (like my homeland: Romania), that the capital was in Warsaw, that Helena Rubinstein lived here and made amazing cosmetics, that the Schindler’s List was filmed here and that Auschwitz was just a stone throw away from Krakow. You could say… quite limited knowledge!
I moved here 10 years ago, during summertime, and I never regret that step since. Of course, as we live we learn and we absorb information from around us, so I thought I might share with you 10 Interesting Facts about Poland – my adoptive Homeland.
Manuscript of the Constitution of the 3rd May 1791 – Poland
1. Poland Constitution is the 1st in Europe and 2nd in the World
Date Ratified: May 3, 1791 Last Amended: October 21, 2009 Author(s): Historical – Ignacy Potocki, Hugo Kołłątaj, King Stanisław August Poniatowski, Stanisław Małachowski, Stanisław Staszic, and Scipione Piattoli; Modern – Komisja Konstytucyjna and Zgromadzenia Narodowego Government Type: Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
Although the Constitution of San Marino is technically older, Poland’s Constitution of 3 May 1791 is generally considered the world’s 2nd-oldest modern constitution and the oldest in Europe.
2. Marie Curie was NOT French, but Polish!
Her original name was Maria Salomea Sklodowska before she married a Frenchman named Pierre Curie. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win twice, the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different fields.
Born in Warsaw (7th November 1867), at the age of 16 she won a gold medal on the completion of her secondary education at the Russian lyceum. Due to the fact that at that time women could not join the University in Poland, she moved in 1891 to Paris. Married Pierre Curie in July 1895 and they started their partnership – discovering polonium (Maria calling it after her native homeland).
3. Holds the biggest castle in the world: Malbork Castle
UNESCO designated the “Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork” and the Malbork Castle Museum a World Heritage Site in December 1997. The Malbork Castle is the largest castle in the world measured by land area. Build some time in the 13th century, it was meant to be a fortress for the Teutonic Order. The purpose was to strengthen the Order’s control of the area, following the Order’s suppression of the Great Prussian Uprising of 1274 (of the Baltic tribes). The castle is now a museum and can be visited – it is also a stone’s throw away from the Tri-City (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot).
4. Nicolaus Copernicus was Polish too!
Yes, you read that right! Like Marie Curie, Nicolaus Copernicus was Polish too! Copernicus was born and died in Royal Prussia, a region that had been part of the Kingdom of Poland since 1466. Born on the 19th of February 1473 in the city of Torun, he attended the University of Krakow (now Jagiellonian University).
Copernicus’ 4 years at Kraków played an important role in the development of his critical faculties and initiated his analysis of logical contradictions in the two “official” systems of astronomy—Aristotle’s theory of homocentric spheres, and Ptolemy‘s mechanism of eccentrics and epicycles—the surmounting and discarding of which would be the first step toward the creation of Copernicus’ own doctrine of the structure of the universe.
Collegium Maius – Inside the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
5. Poland has the second oldest University in Europe
The Jagiellonian University was founded by King Casimir III the Great in 1364. It means that it’s the second University in Europe as the first one was created in Prague sixteen years before. Founded in 1364 by the King of Poland Casimir III the Great, the Jagiellonian University is the oldest university in Poland, the oldest Slavic university, the second oldest university in Central Europe, and one of the oldest surviving universities in the world.
Notable alumni of the Jagiellonian University
Notable alumni include astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, poet Jan Kochanowski, Polish King John III Sobieski, constitutional reformer Hugo Kołłątaj, chemist Karol Olszewski, anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski, writer Stanisław Lem, and President of Poland Andrzej Duda. Students at the University who did not earn diplomas included Nobel laureates Ivo Andrić and Wisława Szymborska. Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) enrolled in the Jagiellonian University of Krakow in 1938 to study Polish Studies at the JU Faculty of Philosophy, but shortly after enrollment, his studies were interrupted by Sonderaktion Krakau. In 1953, Father Wojtyła presented a dissertation at the Jagiellonian University of Krakow on the possibility of grounding a Christian ethic on the ethical system developed by Max Scheler.
Auschwitz Memorial – Oswiecim, Poland
6. Auschwitz – the largest Holocaust tool
#LestWeForget I will always remind myself and my readers of the horrors of the Second World War and the destruction that Nazi Germany brought. Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi death camps and it was comprised of actually 3 camps (closely connected to each other): Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II (Birkenau), and Auschwitz III. It was originally created to be a prison for Polish prisoners but then Auschwitz II was built in the vicinity and… well… it’s all history! Auschwitz II became the mass killing site for Jews, gypsies, and unwanted human beings.
Auschwitz II was created specifically to be part of the “Final Solution” – Nazi Germany’s plan to annihilate all European Jews. The older people, women that were weak, and the children were immediately taken from the cattle carts and killed in the immense gas chambers (multiple) built there. Men were used for hard labor until they dropped dead on the spot. Even with the gas chambers, they were evil… disguising them as shower houses so that the prisoners would not try and fight their way out of it.
More than 1.1 million people were killed in Auschwitz! Overall estimates state that around 6 million European Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
Palace of Culture and Science – Warsaw, Poland – Spring 2020
7. Warsaw was not the first Polish capital
Everyone knows that nowadays the capital of Poland is Warsaw, however… did you know that Gniezno was the first Polish capital? Gniezno is a town in central-western Poland which was among the earliest Polish settlements. Alongside places like Poznań and Ostrów Lednicki, it was one of the primary places of residence of Poland’s first historical ruler, Mieszko I, who lived in the 10th century (his birthdate is unknown, but he passed away in the year 992).
The second one was Krakow. Kraków was the capital of Poland from 1039 until 1079 + from the year 1138, the city once more enjoyed the status of the capital of Poland until the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Kraków became the capital of a monarchy that extended over natively Polish lands as well as vast Lithuanian-Ruthenian areas. The royal court played an important part in the shaping of cultural and artistic life. (…) The Wawel Castle became a pearl of Renaissance architecture; (…) it proudly served as the residence of the rulers of a modern and strong state. At the end of the 16th century, the capital was moved to Warsaw, Kraków lost its importance, retaining only its representative role as the city of royal coronations and funerals.
From ‘Historia Krakowa’ (Kraków’s History), www.krakow.pl, trans. MK
8. Pope John Paul the 2nd was also Polish 😉
Pope John Paul the 2nd was born Karol Józef Wojtyła – John Paul II was the second-longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th-century Pope Adrian VI. To be fair, he lived a pretty amazing life!
Born in Wadowice, moved to Krakow, enrolled at the Jagiellonian University. He volunteered there as a librarian and did the compulsory military training in the Academic Legion – where he always refused to fire a weapon. He had a talent with languages – learning as many as 15! Karol worked as a messenger for a restaurant, manual labourer in the limestone quarry in Krakow. He also was the very first pope to visit a mosque AND the White House!
9. Polish King Kazimierz Jagiellończyk is the “Father of Europe”
Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; Polish: Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.
Of his 9 children, one became a cardinal, 4 became kings, one was canonized, and the 3 daughters were married off to become mothers of the heirs of the greatest dynasties in Western Europe (Sophie (6 May 1464 – 5 October 1512); married to Margrave Frederick V of Brandenburg-Ansbach + Anna Jagiellon (12 March 1476 – 12 August 1503); married Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania; they had eight children, including Sophie of Pomerania, who became queen of Denmark + Barbara (15 July 1478 – 15 February 1534); married Duke Georg dem Bärtigen of the Saxony )
10. The last Polish monarch died in prison 🙁
Stanisław Poniatowski was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. A controversial figure in Poland’s history, he is criticized primarily for his failure to resolutely stand against and prevent the partitions, which led to the destruction of the Polish state. On the other hand, he is remembered as a great patron of the arts and sciences who laid the foundation for the Commission of National Education, the first institution of its kind in the world and sponsored many architectural landmarks. To be noted that during his rule the famous Polish Constitution of the 3rd of May was written!
He died in semi-captivity in 1798 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Well… I do hope you enjoyed my facts about Poland 🙂 Do let me know how many you knew before and what surprised you the most from what was written here. And don’t forget: Sharing is Caring!
Yours always truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug
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