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.
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.
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)
“We are winning the Friend of Krakow Badge” – is a campaign organized by the Grodzkie PTTK Society in Krakow. Currently, the 49th season of this campaign is underway – this time, however, unusual, because due to the epidemic, it takes the form of free, open online meetings, broadcast live on YouTube.
Who wants to earn a “Friend of Krakow” badge?
The general principles of the campaign are such that the Friend of Krakow badge can be obtained by anyone who participates in a certain number of lectures and walks around Krakow. Depending on the number of such meetings, a person can count on a bronze, silver, gold, or peacock badge.
Currently, due to restrictions related to the epidemic, walks are suspended, and meetings are only held online. They started in November and are planned until March, and are run by licensed city guides of PTTK in Krakow and museum staff.
What can you learn during these walks/sessions?
So far, several dozen online meetings have been held as part of the PTTK campaign “We are winning the Friend of Krakow Badge”. Their participants had the opportunity to listen to stories, for example, about the literary Krakow, the secrets of Długa Street, the Rakowicki cemetery, the defense of Krakow in the past centuries, about famous Krakow families, monasteries and monasteries, about lost churches or about old and modern Krakow libraries, city villas and palaces, theaters and cabarets, the Planty Park in Krakow, and the history and monuments of Podgórze.
The sessions on February 6th and 7th
This weekend, PTTK meetings also promise to be very interesting, so it’s worth making a reservation to take part in them. On Saturday, February 6, lectures on “Secrets of Krupnicza Street” (9:30) and “Krakow Synagogues” (11:30) are scheduled. However, on Sunday, February 7 at At 9:30 am there will be a meeting “Non-obvious Krakow. On the trail of Krakow artists’, and at 11:30 – lecture by the Society of Krakow History and Monuments Lovers “Krakow at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries” – for people who receive the “Pawim Piór” badge (the Peacock Badge).
Practical Information for the meetings
To take part in the walks as part of the campaign, it is enough to report to the meeting point specified in the program. Participation in the walks is free.
In the case of topics described under the slogan ” seat reservation “, you should contact the Grodzki PTTK Society in advance to download the “seat reservation ” – with the given time of entry. Seats result from the limitation of the number and size of groups in some visited facilities. Seats are issued against payment – the price includes an admission ticket to the visited facility and the VAT due.
No matter where you come from if you ever visited Kraków and if you ever saw photos from the city, there are 2 landmarks that this magical place is the most connected to Wawel Castle and the Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall). Every resident of the city knows it but might you also know its history?
The term Sukiennice refers to the trade of textiles and fabric, which is why it is also called Kraków’s Cloth Hall. Right now, it is daily visited by thousands of locals and tourists, that just pass through Old Town Kraków or that want to just stay still and enjoy the view. Being one of the biggest tourist attractions in Kraków, you can surely spend some more time on it, buying some souvenirs or enjoying a lemonade at Cafe Szal (on the 1st floor – trust me, the view is WORTH IT!).
Sukiennice – its beginnings and the great fire!
The history of Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall) begins with the history of Kraków in the mid-13th century. Part of the process of establishing Kraków was to indicate the place where the most important thing for the city would take place: trading goods. Therefore, a rectangular area was marked out in the middle of the Market Square for stalls in two rows, closed on the shorter sides with bars. Prince Bolesław the Chaste promised to build stalls for the people to sell their goods and he stuck to his word!
This place/area was turned into a brick building in the times of Casimir the Great. In the 14th century, he approved to make it into a real, Gothic market building made of red brick. Fast-forwarding to 2 centuries later: Sukiennice was destroyed by fire and only a few parts survived.
Its Renaissance form, known to all, with a characteristic attic and unique architectural details, is the result of a reconstruction in the 16th century and renovation in the 19th century. The Sukiennice is surrounded by arcades on all sides – giving it an unique look and being the top location to take very Instagram friendly photos. Inside the Sukiennice there is a vaulted ceiling and there are crests of Poland’s cities on the walls.
Not all the original Sukiennice pieces remain
To be noted that before the aforementioned renovation, the Sukiennice had outbuildings that do not exist today, which in the middle of the penultimate century were, like many Kraków buildings, in a deplorable condition. Hence, it was decided to demolish them and restore the Cloth Hall. In addition, it was decided that on the first floor, in a place where various kinds of trinkets were sold in the past centuries, the National Museum will be located.
The branch of the National Museum of Kraków holds the largest permanent exhibit of 19th-century Polish painting and sculpture, in 4 grand exhibition halls arranged by historical period and the theme extending into an entire artistic epoch. It is definitely worth your time and money!
The Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) today
So what does the Cloth Hall look like today? What is its function?
It is difficult to answer with one sentence because its function is multiple. Currently, it is the seat of branches of 2 museums – the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art of the National Museum of Kraków and the Underground Market Museum. Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall) also has stalls, souvenir shops, restaurants, including one of the icons of Krakow’s café life, the Noworolski Cafe.
It is also a living lesson in history and art because we can see, for example, a symbol of the Magdeburg Law, which was used in Kraków in the past. You can also find out where torches illuminating the darkness in the past centuries were put out (hint: check the side of the Sukiennice, as you enter – a set of small holes in the side).
“Gardens, Courtyards, St. Gereon’s Church” is a new Wawel sightseeing route launched on July 30th, 2020. Walking among inaccessible and charming places, you will be able to see the unique Wawel.
The “Gardens, Courtyards, St. Gereon’s Church” route begins with the “Lost Wawel” exhibition, on the model of the 18th-century Wawel Castle.
The next points of the route are: Courtyard called Batory, the archaeological and architectural reserve of the church of St. Gereon and the Church of St. Mary of Egypt, the Arcade Courtyard, the entrance hall called Tatarska, the northern slopes of the castle and the Royal Gardens.
Opening hours and prices
The route is open on dry days from 30 July. Visiting the route takes approx. 90 minutes and is only possible with a guide.
Tickets are 25 PLN and 15 PLN reduced.
Make sure to put that on your list 😉
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug, Bringing You The Latest News 🙂
On the day Karol Kot celebrated his high school diploma, militia knocked on his apartment. All of Kraków could breathe a sigh of relief. The two-year-old nightmare has ended.
As Wikipedia points out, a serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, usually in service of abnormal psychological gratification, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three murders, others extend it to four or lessen it to two.
Although psychological gratification is the usual motive for serial killing, and most serial killings involve sexual contact with the victim, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) states that the motives of serial killers can include anger, thrill-seeking, financial gain, and attention-seeking. The murders may be attempted or completed in a similar fashion. The victims may have something in common, for example, demographic profile, appearance, gender, or race. A serial killer is neither a mass murderer nor a spree killer, although there may be conceptual overlaps between serial killers and spree killers.
Who was Karol Kot?
Karol Kot (18 December 1946 – 16 May 1968) was a Polish serial killer who terrorized the city of Kraków. Kraków was the city he was born and raised in, until his capture in June 1966. Due to trial evidence and to the seemingly random choices of victims, which included children and elderly people, Kot was nicknamed the “Vampire of Kraków”. After the trial, in which Kot pleaded guilty to all the crimes he was charged, he was sentenced to death on 14 July 1967. After an appeal, the death penalty was reinstated and carried out on 16 May 1968 when Kot was 21 years old.
Karol’s background
Karol Kot, popularly known as “Lolo”, attended the Technical High School in Krakow at Loretańska Street. He came from an intellectual family, his father was an engineer, his mother was a housewife and a social activist. Karol was a member of the National Defense League, the Socialist Youth Union and the Citizens’ Militia Volunteer Reserve.
There were signs…
When Karol Kot was caught, through further investigation, it turned out that as a high school graduate he was enjoying the abuse of animals. In his cruel aspirations he killed birds, moles or calves. During one of the holidays, he assisted with slaughter at the slaughterhouse. As he mentioned, he loved to drink warm blood.
My parents went on vacation to Pcimia (it’s a hole near Myślenice). It was boring, so I went to the slaughterhouse there and assisted in killing calves. I liked this view and finally tasted warm blood.
Karol Kot – “Vampire of Kraków”
In an interview given later, he said directly that he was killing for pleasure and that if he could, he would kill all the women in the world. He also betrayed his unfulfilled fantasies of orgy, which he wanted to have with his classmates, which were to be tortured. Here is what he told about his interests:
One of my dreams came true, I wanted and I was an executioner of people, although I was thinking about a bigger slaughter, a real big crematorium. If there was a war, I would like to be the head of a concentration camp, cut off the breasts of women and put them under the helmets of soldiers, so that they do not oppress their heads. I dreamed of mass murders in gas chambers, round-ups, quartering people. I wanted to kill all the women, except maybe two – my sister and cousin. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it. I don’t know who lost it.
Karol Kot – “Vampire of Kraków”
Kraków of the mid-1960s was filled with horror, paralyzed by fear
In the mid-1960s, the inhabitants of Kraków were paralyzed with fear. In particular, older people of Kraków began to be afraid of leaving their homes, fearing a killer attack. Terrified residents began to speculate who might be responsible for the terrible crimes. The beginning of the long chain of fear lasting two years was the event of September 1964, when a stabbed woman was brought to the Kraków hospital.
“Do you know that the easiest way to the heart is through the back?”
Karol Kot – “Vampire of Kraków” – final interview
The First Victim
September 21st, 1964 – as he later said, something urged him to kill. Karol took two knives with him and went to the city. He concluded that it would be easiest for him to kill some lonely woman praying in church. First he went to the Capuchin church, but he did not find a faithful fit for a potential sacrifice. Then he went to the church of the Monastery of Sercanki at Garncarska St. He waited a long moment before the opportunity arose. 48-year-old Helena W. came to the church, and when she knelt down, “Lolo” pulled out a knife and pushed her in the back. Drunk, he escaped and licked blood at one of the nearby gates. He did not know that the blow he inflicted was not serious and the victim survived.
Karol Kot confessed to all his crimes and many more…
In the summer of 1966, the Civic Militia knocked on the door of Kot’s state and he was caught (much to Kot’s surprise, who did not know he has under surveillance for several weeks).
During the interrogations, Kot confessed not only to the two murders and four attempted murders but also to poison and arson attempts. It turned out that he tried to deprive people of life not only with a knife but also by adding sodium arsenate to various liquids. For example, in a bar “Przy Błoniach” he poured the poison into a bottle of vinegar, but he deeply regretted that no one had poisoned himself. He also tried to leave poisoned orangeade and beer in different places.
The Death Sentence
Experts for a long time could not judge whether Karol Kot is mentally ill or not. Some of them were of the opinion that he was a psychopath and should be directed to involuntary isolation treatment. He underwent a battery of psychological tests. The prosecutors amassed 8,000 pages of evidence in 18 volumes.
The prosecutor, however, did not accede to these opinions and in the indictment, he presented “Lola” as a healthy person, and only to the bone marrow immoral. Despite the defenders’ position, the accused also tried to present himself as a read and aware person of his actions.
The court did not believe the defenders and sentenced Karol Kot to death. As a result of his appeal, the second instance court turned him into life imprisonment, but as a result of the prosecutor’s intervention, he was again sentenced to death. The sentence, by hanging, was carried out on May 16, 1968.
“Soon, where I’m going, I’ll meet with my victims, and we can speak. Here on Earth, I have no one to talk to.”
Karol Kot – “Vampire of Kraków” – final interview
The… Aftermath?
The autopsy of the corpse, after Karol Kot’s execution, revealed a massive tumor in his brain. It is nowadays widely known and accepted that brain tumors can completely change one’s personality – their thoughts and desires. It may have been bad luck and lack of diagnosis, making his brain tumor grow, and pushing him into doing these unthinkable things… or it might have been just his nature to kill – we will never know…
P.S. You can find more about Macabre Krakow and Karol Kot’s story also by joining in the Macabre Krakow: Free Walking Tour – I sincerely and wholeheartedly recommend it! 🙂
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug, Bringing You Scary Stories About Krakow
Is the Wawel Royal Castle on the list of your tourist destinations for 2020-2021? Have you ever visited Wawel Castle? If you have been at least once in Krakow, you – for sure – had this on top of your TO SEE List. 100 years ago this monument underwent a general renovation under the supervision of prof. Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz. Importantly, the goal of the excellent restorer was not only to protect the castle but also to make it available to visitors to the greatest extent possible.
New Wawel Sights on display as of July 1920
The embankments were opened to tourists and a new descent to Dragon’s Cave (Dragon’s Den) was arranged and electric lighting was installed in it. Visitors were also allowed into the rotunda of St. Feliks and Adaukta, probably from the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries.
In an interview given to Rzeczpospolita, published on July 10, 1920, prof. Szyszko-Bohusz made plans for the future. His team was in the process of designing an electric heating installation inside the castle. The future designation of individual rooms was also planned. Today, this plan may surprise some – Wawel was to become primarily a temporary residence of the Chief of State! The 2nd floor was to be occupied by representative rooms, and on the ground floor and the first floor by prof. Szyszko-Bohusz intended to organize a museum. Thank God that plan did not fell through!
Work on Wawel was possible due to Government subsidies
It is worth mentioning that work at Wawel was possible thanks to government subsidies. Like today, 100 years ago they were the main source of financing for the conservation of monuments. Professor Szyszko-Bohusz did not hide, however, that he was counting on the generosity of Poles – private donors. He announced that their names would be immortalized on the walls of Wawel. He fulfilled his promise. Today, going to Wawel along the road to Herbowa Gate, we pass a wall with built-in bricks with the names of the donors. Be sure to devote a moment to them during a holiday trip to Krakow!
Yours sincerly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug – Bringing You Krakow’s History
Share:
Reading time: 1 min
Get more stuff
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.
Recent Comments