A birthday cake in a reconstructed medieval town, music, dancing and fun, all with the occasion of the birthday for the Wawel Dragon. The one-of-a-kind festival will take place on Sunday, August 14, in Błonia Park in Krakow. The celebration will start at noon and will last until 18.00.
50 years old sculpture!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the sculpture of the Wawel Dragon by Bolesław Chromy. The 6-meter-high, fire-breathing dragon – the symbol of Krakow – can be seen every day at the foot of the Wawel Castle, it is one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions.
Did you know that he was supposed to be underwater?
According to the original concept, the dragon was to be partially submerged in the waters of the Vistula. However, it was found that the rubbish carried by the river current would settle on the sculpture. That is why, in 1972, it was placed in a block on the Vistula River, near Wawel Hill, next to the current exit from the Dragon’s Den. In the spring of 1973, a fire-breathing gas installation was installed inside the sculpture (by Feliks Prochownik).
New Expo! “Dragon Garden. Bronisław Chromy at Wawel”
On the occasion of the anniversary, the exhibition “Dragon Garden. Bronisław Chromy at Wawel” was opened in Wawel Castle in spring. Sculptures by the artist from Krakow can be seen at Wawel until the end of September this year.
Birthday Picnic 🙂
The highlight of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wawel Dragon will be a birthday picnic in the reconstructed early medieval settlement, which will be erected on Sunday in Krakow’s Błonia Park. The settlement will be built by the Team of Wisła Wojów “Krak”, the oldest in Krakow and one of the first groups of early medieval reconstruction in Poland.
“Composed of nearly 20 tents, sewn and erected according to the indications of iconographic sources, the town will be populated by teams of warriors, white-headed, craftsmen and musicians – in period costumes, equipped with weapons, tools, instruments and other attributes based on historical ones. There will also be a place for the prince. Krak – on that day he will accept applications, complaints and grievances from his subjects”– announces the magistrate.
What can you find in this settlement?
In the settlement, you will be able to stop at a blacksmith, potter, jeweller, mint maker, weaver and leatherman, and learn about the workshop and secrets of medieval craftsmen. There will also be an opportunity to try your hand at medieval plebeian games, such as spinning, twisted marches, sack races, Slavic wrestling or shoemaker and dragon games, and to compete for prizes. There will also be a skirmish between the dragon armies in the entertainment area.
There is also music!
There will also be music, the folk band “Daj Ognia” will be playing, and before the evening the final concert will be played on the main stage by Percival – a band that was created with a fascination with the history and culture of ancient Slavs and which successfully introduces the modern audience to the musical traditions of the former Slavic region.
For the competitive souls…
There will also be competitions, dance workshops, theatrical performances “The True Story of the Wawel Dragon”, and a dragon procession will pass through the main square of the settlement. And, as befits a birthday, there will be cake and dragon baked goods.
Timing
The dragon’s birthday will last from 12.00 to 18.00.
After a one-year break, Cracovians will again be able to admire the great dragon show in the bend of the Vistula River. The jubilee Great Parade of Dragons will take place on September 11 in a new, environmentally friendly formula. “Radically reduced noise, biodegradable, low and medium pyrotechnics that will not affect the environment” – says Adolf Weltschek, director of the Groteska Theater.
The traditions are coming back, even in COVID times
The colorful march of dragons and the evening pyrotechnic, light, and laser dragon spectacle is a tradition that has been attracting not only the youngest to Wawel for two decades. For 20 years, the Groteska Theater project has been enriched with new attractions and effects, picnics and competitions have joined the Great Dragon Parade.
During this period, the show was watched by over a million people, states Adolf Weltschek, the originator and director of the Great Dragon Parade.
The pandemic postponed the Jubilee by 1 year
Last year, the 20th-anniversary “Dragons” was to be the largest parade that took place so far – “the best of Parada”, where the most spectacular creatures were to appear with an extraordinary pyrotechnic, light and laser spectacle. These plans were thwarted by a pandemic, but after a year-long break, the dragons will not return to the Vistula until September, but, as the director of the show announces, it should be spectacular.
“Usually, the Great Parade of Dragons was held in 2 parts, this year there will be no day part, i.e. the great march of dragons through the streets of Krakow. We regret it very much, but the pandemic has prevented schools and kindergartens from being able to take part in the parade, explains Adolf Weltschek. On another hand, we managed to organize a great show on the Vistula. In a traditional shape, providing great effects and a spectacular experience as usual, albeit with some changes”.
Adolf Weltschek
The Jubilee will be celebrated on 11th September
The jubilee screening will take place on September 11 at 22.00. The most important attraction of the evening will be, as every year, huge flying dragons, animated on barges and ships by actors of the Groteska Theater. In addition to the flying and floating creatures known from previous editions, new ones, specially prepared for this occasion, will appear on the Vistula during the show.
This year’s dragon show will be environmentally friendly, thanks to a new type of pyrotechnics used in the show, which is completely biodegradable.
“At least 75 percent pyrotechnics, which we will use during the show on the Vistula, is the so-called “Silence pyrotechnics”, which does not emit as many decibels as traditional explosive pyrotechnics – so the nuisance when it comes to noise will be radically reduced. It will be low and medium pyrotechnics, not significantly influencing the space where the show will take place”
explains the director of Groteska
Vaccinated people only?
The dragon show will take place in a sanitary regime, in line with the current restrictions.
“People who want to watch the show in the space designated for the public will be asked to voluntarily declare to the security staff that they have been vaccinated – explains the director of Groteska. “It doesn’t mean, of course, that other people won’t be able to see the Dragons.” Unvaccinated viewers or those who do not want to declare will be able to take their seats in the part that is not the area of the mass spectacle.
explains the director of Groteska
Originally the Great Dragon Parade was announced for September 4, the date change, Weltschek explains, was dictated by technical conditions.
Read here the article in Gazeta Krakowska, in the Polish language.
Krakow is a city that hides many romantic places perfect for a date. However, the list has been heavily truncated by the coronavirus pandemic. We will not take a loved one to a candlelit dinner in one of the restaurants in the Old Town this year. This does not mean that we can only arrange romantic meetings at home. In Krakow, we still find charming places where you can go for a romantic walk. Many of them are now deserted, so it’s the perfect time to meet outdoors with your significant other – not to mention that the freezing temperatures outside just keep everyone else in 😉
Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue is one of the most beautiful avenues in Krakow, 1.1 km long. The avenue leads from Salwator to the Kościuszko Mound, it is planted with trees, 31 of which are monuments of nature. Perfect place for a date.
Bednarski Park
Opened with great fanfare at the end of the 19th century, the park’s founder Wojciech Bednarski was reportedly carried around like a winning quarterback for his accomplishment, while newspapers as far away as St. Petersburg applauded the park’s establishment. Officially Bednarski Park occupies 9.2 hectares, but the green terrain above the center of Podgrze basically covers the entire area between Rynek Podgórski in the East and the Mateczny Roundabout in the West.
The Wolski Forest
500 ha forest complex that is totally worth your while! There are hiking trails, walking paths and bike trails. Wolski Forest has been called one of Kraków’s best diversions since it is not exactly on any beaten path yet so attractive and beautiful. The terrain is not difficult but it does include hilly areas especially Sowiniec Hill .Cross country skiing trails are popular during the winter. There are total of 35 km (22 miles) of hiking, biking trails here. Some areas are nature preserves within the Forest but entire forest is protected. The zoo is worth the visit as well and you can reach it via Wolski Forest walking trails.
The Colourful Stairs of Podgorze
One of the city’s youngest landmarks. It is located at Tatrzanska Street in Podgorze and it has been painted in many collors in 2013 – during the Fresh Zone contest. It is a very Instagramable place 😉 The project was called ‘Watch your step’ – and this is the main topic of the installation. The authors, Agnieszka Rola and Monika Pasek, wanted to give life to the forgotten steps, therefore they have covered them in colors and meaningful sentences, e.g. one of the steps is covered with a sentence ‘Nigdy nie dorosnij’, which means ‘Never grow up’.
Ballon Flight with DobraAtmosfera.pl
You can see if the balloon from DobraAtmosfera is not flying and give that a go! Every time before coming to the balloon please make sure that flights are being held by calling +48 500 350 505. Flights take place only if weather conditions are relevant! Flights can be suspended due to the change of weather without information in advance.
From their site: The installation is first in Poland, and one of only a few around the world. Krakow is an outstanding city, which should be shown to tourists and citizens exactly from up above:
„From a birds view – unlike in many European cities, in Krakow the middle ages’ city plan is clearly visible. When we raise above rooftops, we will see rare checked street system, nowadays surrounded only by ruins of the defensive wall.
The view speaks to the mind and recalls the fascinating image of Thirteen Century’s Stronghold City, surrounded by walls, reinforced with 47 towers, ran around for 3 km. 8 main gates led to the city. Until today only one of them preserved. The walls protected not only people but also architectural pearls.”
A walk along the Vistula River
The Vistula, the longest and largest river in Poland, is the 9th-longest river in Europe, at 1,047 kilometers (651 miles) in length.The drainage-basin, reaching into three other nations covers 193,960 km2 (74,890 sq mi), of which 168,868 km2 (65,200 sq mi) is in Poland – 54% of Poland. And this lovely river passes through Krakow and provides a wonderful place to promenade with your loved one!
Father Bernatek Footbridge
Linking Kazimierz and Podgorze suburb, this over 140m long bridge spans the Wisla river providing a safe and pleasant crossing to pedestrians and cyclists since 2010. It also runs as a padlock bridge (of course we had to have one!). So… you can always buy a lock and declare your love and throw the key in the Vistula River. Though I would not recommend that… if you are eco-friendly 😉
Krakow Mounds
Krakow’s two prehistoric landmarks, the Mound of Krak (Kopiec Kraka) and the Mound of Wanda (Kopiec Wandy) have always mystified historians. Scholars maintain they were either the 7th-century monumental tombs or fortifications or pagan temples.
Tyniec
You can actually walk to Tyniec from the City center, along the Vistula River.
Inhabitants are worried about one of the most famous attractions of Krakow: the Wawel Dragon, who … stopped breathing fire. This time of year, the flames should appear every few minutes, but they don’t. What happened? Has there been any major failure? It turns out not. The gas installation is not working properly due to a power cut caused by the renovation of the dragon’s lair.
The Wawel Dragon is a landmark of Krakow, as well as a tourist attraction. His bronze sculpture was made by Bronisław Chromy in 1969. According to the original concept, the dragon was to be partially submerged in the waters of the Vistula. However, it was found that the rubbish carried by the river current would settle on the sculpture. Finally, he stood on a stone boulder at the entrance to the Dragon’s Den.
It was its renovation that – as reported by rmf24.pl – that the dragon stopped breathing fire in recent days.
This renovation means that the wardrobe that controls the dragon is not supplied with electricity. When there is no electricity, the entire gas system does not work
explains Michał Pyclik from the Krakow City Road Authority
Today I thought I might do something special with you: take you on a ride of 30 Typical Things One Could Do In Krakow 🙂 if ever you are in the area. These things are something that I do quite often, things that a local (a Cracovian) would do, things that you should also try (at least once) in order to feel the vibe of the city. So without further ado… here is the list:
1. Enjoy the view of the Barbakan (The Barbican) – the fortified outpost is a great spot to take many lovely pictures or just rest on a bench in the Planty area (the green park/circle around the Old Town). #DidYouKnow it is one of only 3 such fortified outposts still surviving in Europe? And it is also the best-preserved one!
2. Start the Royal Tour on the Royal Road that links the Barbakan – Brama Florianska (St. Florian’s Gate) – Florianska Street – Main Square to Grodzka – Wawel Castle. If you live in Krakow you probably lost count of how many times you want by foot on these cobble-stoned roads.
3. Enjoy the little entrances and pieces if unique architecture on the Florianska street – don’t just look at the shops (they will stay there for the next time you will pass through), but raise your eyes to the first floor or even above and see all the beautiful bits and pieces from the facade. These buildings have survived centuries and have so much to tell!
Vie of Mariacki Kosciol from the Underground Museum in Krakow, Poland
4. Make sure you get in front of the Mariacki Kosciol (St.Mary’s Church) a few minutes before the hour strikes and you listen to the Hejnal – it does have it is own legend 😉 so make sure to read it! When the trumpet stops paying, wave to the man in the tower – if he waves back it brings good luck!
5. Go inside the Mariacki Kosciol and listen to the ceremony. You might not understand it, but if you sit quietly and you pray, you might want to look up to the sky (that is… the ceiling). The ceiling is all blue, like the sky at dawn, and there are hundreds of sparkling stars on it. It was painted by the great Polish Painter: Jan Matejko.
Krakow’s Main Market Square and its pigeons
6. Do not feed the pigeons! Only the foreigners, the visitors do that, and it is something that is very much frowned upon nowadays. They are called “Flying rats” as they love to spread the diseases…
The view from Cafe Szal (Sukiennice) – Krakow, Poland
7. Get on the 1st floor of the Sukiennice (The Cloth Hall) – the entrance on the Mariacki Church side, close to the middle. Take the stairs/lift up to the 1st floor and enjoy a szarlotka (that is Polish for apple pie) at Cafe Szal. The view is AMAZING!
8. If you are at the Main Square at lunch, you need to drop by the Pod Sukiennice and have a traditional meal. Sundays the specialty of the house is rosol (that’s is Polish for chicken soup/broth with noodles).
They also have a mean Creme Brulee in Charlotte 😉 – Plac Szczepanski, Krakow, Poland
9. If you are around the Main square at breakfast time you can queue for something really nice at Charlotte, on Plac Szczepanski. The place does not take reservations and it is always full so you will have to stand in line… but they do have homemade goodies!
10. You should take a small detour to the Jagiellonian University quarters and listen to Gaudeamus Igitur and typical Polish song played by the clock inside the Collegium Maius courtyard. It plays at 11, 13, 15 o’clock each day. Not many know about it, it is a hidden gem. It is not like the Prague astronomy clock but still, it is worth your time 🙂
Hot chocolate at Nowa Prowincja – Krakow, Poland
11. If the weather outside is gloomy, raining, or freezing cold… I always like to head over to Nowa Prowincja. It has the best hot chocolate in town! They come with whipped cream and sour cherry alcohol inside!
12. Many locals also prefer the Pijalnia Czekolady Wedel when they wish for chocolate or they have a sweet tooth. You can order chocolate to go, or you can have it on the spot at the Main Market Square or in Galeria Krakowska.
13. As we are still on the topic of food, I believe it is worth mentioning one of the best homemade food places in Krakow: Babcia Malina (that is Polish for Grandmother Raspberry). There are 2 places: one on Slawkowska and one just in front of the Juliusz Slowacki Theater. You can always order take-away (we do that often…). They have the best deep-fried meat pierogi & the best zurek in town!
St. Peter and Paul’s Church, Grodzka – Krakow, Poland
14. Have a look at the only baroque church in Krakow: St. Peter and Paul’s Church (Sw. Piotr i Pawla) on Grodzka. The front always remained me of the Vatican DO let me know if you get the same vibe from it 🙂
15. Go visit the “Kings of Old” – The Wawel Cathedral holds the tombs of all the Kings and Queens of Poland. It is worth your while, just for the history lesson alone.
16. Go see the biggest bell in Krakow (probably of all Poland!): Sigismund Bell. It rings only on special occasions. The Bell used to ring when a King would die or when a new one would be coronated; it also did for the death of Pope John Paul the 2nd. It is said that if a young maiden touches it, then luck will come upon them and they shall be married within the year! The bell takes at least 4 grown men to start moving it…
A view of the Wawel Cathedral – Krakow, Poland
17. If it is summertime, take a stride in the inner garden and courtyard of the Wawel Castle. In springtime, when the magnolia blossoms, it is indeed a sight for sore eyes!
18. If you are a yoga/pilates enthusiast, you might like to know that one of the 7 chakra points in the world is located inside Wawel’s Castle inner courtyard. There are many people who come visit, lean against the wall, touch it, stroke it, and “get inspired”!
19. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love museums. Every Sunday the Krakow National Museum branches are open for free. Mondays they are usually all closed down, resuming the activity fresh Tuesday morning. Visiting museums for free, on Sunday’s, is a very local thing 😉
The mummies at the Czartoryski Museum – Krakow, Poland
20. If you are in love with paintings, you should know that “The Lady With The Ermine” by Leonardo Da Vinci (his second most famous painting after the “Mona Lisa”) can be found at the National Museum in Krakow. And you can see it way more up-close-and-personal than the Smiling Mona. It is not crowded and miles away!
21. In love with history and especially ancient history? Then you should definitely drop by and check out the mummies (including one of a cat!) & read parts of The Book of Dead at the Czartoryski Museum.
22. A stroll along the Vistula River is always a very pleasurable thing to do. You can admire the sunset over the water and feed the swans or the seagulls.
23. Visit the KładkaOjca Bernatka – the “pedestrian bridge only” in Krakow. It also is named Love Locks Bridge as people tend to put locks and throw away the key (in the name of love). At nighttime it is very colourful and the artistic sculptures/installations make it even more attractive.
Vistula River & Kładka Ojca Bernatka- Krakow, Poland
24. Do go and pay your respects at the Plac Bohaterow Ghetta (The Square of The Heroes of the Ghetto). #DidYouKnow that each chair there signifies 1000 of people that were killed in the labor camps of Auschwitz and Plaszow? Do not sit on them – it is disrespectful!
25. If you enjoy StreetArt, Krakow has some amazing pieces to offer for the eye – most of them are in Old Town, Kazimierz, and Podgorze. Take the stroll along the Vistula River, as I have mentioned, and you will for sure see the floating pink pig on the waters… funny thing 😉
Kazimierz Mural – Krakow, Poland
26. A very local thing to do, when going out to part in Kazimierz, is to drop by and eat sausage from the communist blue van. Located in front of Hala Targowa, the van can be found during the weekends – it is hard to miss out on it, just follow the people queueing in! They may not be the best ones, but they are a 40+-year-old tradition. The place has been there since the 80s!
27. Partying in Kazimierz is a must, and the fast-food of choice is always the same: zapiekanka at Plac Nowy. That is kinda like a pizza… a baguette sliced in half – the long way – and with a lot of toppings. People say that Endzior makes the best, but I have found that others in Plac Nowy make great ones too. Also… when you are hammered… they all taste the same!
28. There are 4 mounds in Krakow – Polish people name them Kopiec.My favourites are Kopiec Koszciuski and Krakusa – pick one that you would like and make sure you get there before sunset. Sunset on Kopiec gets you a large view of the city and peaceful surroundings where you can enjoy the sun setting down – great photo opportunities also!
29. Enjoy one of the smaller movie theatres and forget those Multiplex, Multikino, Cinema City huge spaces. Go local and enjoy a more intimate space, smaller and different from the rest you can choose from Kino Ars, Kino Pod Baranami, Kino Agrafka, Kino Kijow… They show European selection of movies as well 😉 in Kino Pod Baranami I was even able to see Romanian movies with Polish subs!
Mushrooms hand-picked locally – Nowy Kleparz Market – Krakow, Poland
30. Shop locally – at least while in Poland, make sure you try out the local markets. Don’t go buying things from big chains (Carrefour, Auchan) but support the local economy by purchasing products from the local farmers. Make sure you have change though, as you cannot pay by card there. In Krakow, I recommend 2 markets very close to the Old Town: Stary Kleparz and Nowy Kleparz. In Kazmierz you can try Plac Nowy or Hala Targowa.
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
Here I am, the 1st of August – standing in Warsaw, the Capital of Poland. It is getting closer and closer to 5 PM and I feel the rush of people gathering… preparing… waiting for the magic to begin!
Each year on the 1st of August the City of Warsaw stands still for a minute. Every year, on the exact same day, at the exact same hour, at 5 PM, people stop – no matter what they do and no matter where they are located – and stand still for a full minute. Buses, trams, cars… they all stop on the great crowded streets and the people inside the cars usually come out and stand straight for that minute – from 5:00 to 5:01 PM.
Thousands of people stand still and think about the year of 1944 and pray for the heroes that fell that day. They remember them and pay their respects, from their heart. But why, you might ask…
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
The “W-hour” – “WYBUCH”
They all stand still to commemorate the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising that started at 5 PM on the 1st of August 1944. In Polish, it’s known as the ‘W-hour’ (where ‘w’ stands for the Polish equivalent of the word explosion – ‘wybuch’).
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation led by the Polish resistance Home Army (PL: Armia Krajowa), to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. The uprising was timed to coincide with the retreat of the German forces from Poland ahead of the Soviet advance. While approaching the eastern suburbs of the city, the Red Army temporarily halted combat operations, enabling the Germans to regroup and defeat the Polish resistance and to destroy the city in retaliation. The Uprising was fought for 63 days with little outside support. It was the single largest military effort taken by any European resistance movement during World War II.
The Warsaw Uprising Movie 1944
Fighting With Their Hearts For Their Country
Some people, some historians, might call the Warsaw Uprising as the biggest mistake they could make. I call it bravery and love for their own country, for their Motherland. It is true, they did not have military equipment, their opponent was stronger, but their hearts were pure and brave and they did the best they could – considering the circumstances…
Of course, one of Warsaw Uprising’s results was infuriating even more the Nazi’s and that resulted also to the bombings that took place that month – ruining the city, rendering it inhabitable in proportion of almost 90%!
Although the exact number of casualties is unknown, it is estimated that about 16,000 members of the Polish resistance were killed and about 6,000 badly wounded. In addition, between 150,000 and 200,000 Polish civilians died, mostly from mass executions.
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
Brutal Facts about The Warsaw Uprising
Stalin wanted the Uprising to fail, this is why he never answered to Warsaw’s Underground Army call for help! Soviet Army was on the banks of the Vistula river and they waited until Nazi Germany rained down bombs upon Warsaw, grazing it to the ground.
The fighting lasted for 63 days!!! – that is a long time, considering the Polish resistance Home Army (PL: Armia Krajowa – AK) calculated the weapons and ammo to last only for 1 week! It was supposed to be a shock operation but it bled through… no help was coming…
Sewers were important during the Warsaw Uprising – the water was cut out by the Nazis so the sewer system drained and the AK made great use of it as a network to travel between districts.
Nazi Germany used their newest machines in the Uprising combat – Tiger, Panther guns, and… The famous Goliath tracked mine (robotic weapons)!
Nazi Germany send over to Warsaw their most brutal Commanders to stop the unrest – Oskar Dirlewanger had over 40.000 people (some sources even say 50.000 Polish people) rounded up and shot in the Wola Massacre. Most of the victims were the elderly, women, and children.
Operation Tempest(PL: Akcja “Burza”) – AK was the largest and the best equipped Underground Army at that time, in Europe! They attempted to liberate Warsaw, to coordinate it all with Stalin’s Army… but we all know how that ended up…
The wonderfully brilliantly done music video by Sabaton – a tribute to Warsaw “City at War” – “Uprising” – some of the videos are originals from the 1940s in Warsaw – a MUST SEE!
Ending today’s post (in order to get ready for the 5 PM celebration), I leave you with this song I absolutely love.
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug In Love With History
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