Today I just wanted to share with you a piece of history about Krakow.
Did You Know that on this very day, 764 years ago, on the 5th of June 1257, Krakow was established officially as a city and acquired the Magdeburg Laws? Did You Know that Krakow still holds the record for the longest time of serving as the capital city of Poland – it would perform the function 3 times in its history, loosely between 1040 and 1609.
However, Krakow was marked in history as an important town, and frequently visited trading center, as early as the 9th century! Archeologists date the oldest material evidence of human settlements excavated in the city to circa 200,000 BC. In the year 1038 Krakow became the capital of Poland.
Duke Bolesław V the Chaste proclaimed the establishment on the 5th of June 1257
The establishment of a new town under Magdeburg law, proclaimed on 5 June 1257 by Duke Bolesław V the Chaste (whose reign spanned 1243–1279), was a foundational event for Kraków/Cracow in the true sense of the word. Notwithstanding the primarily legal and planning-based character of the endeavor, the city’s foundation generated significant momentum for societal change. Within a relatively short space of time, Kraków, originally consisting of a ducal castle and a settlement at its foot, grew into a European metropolis, one of the contemporary continent‘s premier mercantile centers and the seat of a noteworthy political self-administration.
Krakow was not built in a day!
Like Rome, Kraków was not built in a day; preparations for the city’s establishment had begun many years before it became a reality. The plan for the city came into being at the court of Bolesław V’s father, Duke Leszek the White (d. 1227), and it continued under the auspices of Henry the Bearded (d. 1238) and of his son. These dukes, whose reign occurred in the turbulent period of the struggle for ducal ascendancy at Wawel Castle, perceived Kraków as possessing the capacity to secure their position throughout Poland. Isolated, yet unambiguous sources bear witness to the emergence between 1220 and 1241 of Kraków’s first, short-lived civic community, whose demise is associated with the political catastrophe that befell the Silesian Piast dynasty with the Mongol invasion of Poland in 1241.
Wawel Cathedral records from 1257
The annals kept by the Kraków chapter of what was known as the Wawel cathedral record that in 1257, ‘Cracoviensis civitas iuri Theutonico traditur et situs fori per advocatos et domorum et curiarum immutatur’ (The city of Kraków was placed under German law and the reeves altered the positions of squares, houses, and lordly residences). The chronicler, installed upon the Wawel Hill as the symbol representing the Kraków chapter’s seat, had clearly deemed these events worthy of recording for posterity. What he could not have known, and we know from our temporal vantage point of several centuries, is the extent of the changes, in terms of urban planning, demography, the economic and political sphere, and indeed of society, which were emerging in Kraków.
The first weekend of museums and galleries after lockdown is ahead of us. Krakow institutions invite you to their branches, extend temporary exhibitions and tempt you with cheaper tickets.
We invite you to permanent galleries and to ongoing temporary exhibitions. In May, we will open to the public the new Permanent Gallery of Ancient Art at the Arsenal, which has just been completed.
director of the National Museum in Krakow, prof. Andrzej Szczerski
The MNK (National Museum of Krakow) extends 2 temporary exhibitions
Until May 16, the experimental exhibition “The Power of the Museum” will be available in the Main Building. There, in only one of the exhibition rooms, 104 objects from several eras have been collected. Most importantly, you can smell, touch, watch in a different light or to the sounds of music and see how the perception of works of art changes under the influence of stimuli and information.
Without going far, you can once again visit the exhibition “Architecture as Music of Space”. This is the 2nd temporary exhibition extended by the MNK, open in winter at the former Cracovia Hotel. The exhibition presents large-format photos showing five unique concert halls in Europe. The nature of their interiors can be seen in the photos printed in 3D technology.
Cheaper tickets between 7th and 9th of May!!!
It is also worth visiting the Szołayski House at Szczepański Square, where the exhibition ‘Aleksander Kotsis. Shades of realism‘ reside. This is a story about one of the most important Polish painters of the mid-nineteenth century. The exhibition covers 2 floors, where we can admire landscapes and portraits by Kotsis as well as photographs of the artist’s lost works and works of socialist realists inspired by the painter’s work. The exhibition will be open until June 13.
The museum also encourages visitors with promotions. On the first weekend after opening, between May 7 and 9, tickets to all branches will be cheaper by half.
MOCAK: exhibitions and tours
The MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow has also prepared a gift for visitors. Together with the Przekrój quarterly, it prepared a brochure, a reprint of a fragment of Szpilki from 1976, a crossword puzzle, drawings by Marian Eile, and a poster with a reproduction of the artist’s work. The gift can be collected with each purchased ticket.
Tickets can be purchased for permanent and temporary exhibitions, among which the “Final Song” by Paweł Althamer and Artur Żmijewski will be available for the shortest time – until May 23. Until 30 May, you will also be able to see the exhibitions “Artists from Krakow. Generation 1950-1969” and “Marian Eile Artist and Editor”, “Dialogue with space” and “Contemporary models of realism” will remain for longer.
Additionally, MOCAK invites you to mini-guided tours every Wednesday at 12 noon. You can join these short meetings around selected works of art at the exhibition or watch a live broadcast on MOCAK’s Facebook. On the other hand, every Friday, between 15:00 and 16:00, the representatives of the Museum will talk about the activities of the institution and will visit people asking questions.
Krzysztof Penderecki’s score and garden
Meanwhile, the second Krakow facility presenting contemporary art offers an exhibition devoted to the memory of Krzysztof Penderecki. In Bunkier Sztuki, temporarily located at 20 Rynek Główny, the exhibition “Score and garden. Music against the image, garden against music” was opened on 4 May. Visitors to the Gallery will see, among other things, private sketches – called by Maria Anna Potocka as prepartures – and drawing concepts for the garden, portraits of Krzysztof Penderecki by Beata Stankiewicz, Marcin Maciejowski, and Bartek Materka, and photographs of Marian Eili.
New exhibitions at the Krakow Museum
Also new after the reopening of museums and galleries in the open-air exhibition “Museum in the neighborhood – Prądnik Biały”. From 5 to 30 May, in the green surroundings of Dworek Białoprądnicki, you can see an exhibition about Prądnik Biały and the identity of its inhabitants. “The exhibition is to be an opportunity to reflect on the identity of the inhabitants of Prądnik and whether the rich history of this space is a sufficient bond for the creation of a contemporary local community” – the organizers explain.
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory has a new temporary exhibition!
The Krakow Museum has opened yet another completely new temporary exhibition – “Separation – Search. The wartime fate of Krakow citizens”. It is available from May 5, 2021, in the Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory. The exhibition consists of six parts and tells from the individual perspective of the inhabitants of Krakow about the tragic events of World War II. Both those who left the city when the war broke out and those who moved there later tell about the war experiences. Their journey to Krakow sometimes took years and led across several continents.
In turn, in the House under the Cross at ul. Szpitalna, the exhibition “In Chocholim Taniec” is available again, presenting a synthesis of the history of subsequent directors’ interpretations of the drama and social reactions to the performances, at the same time proposing a reflection on how Poles saw and showed themselves in the mirror of this drama.
Exhibitions on both sides of the Vistula
On the occasion of weekend walks, it is worth visiting Wawel, where you can see the Wawel tapestries again. “All tapestries of the king. Returns 2021–1961–1921″ is the only display in the history of the Jagiellonian residence of the entire preserved collection in the interiors for which the tapestries were created. Permanent exhibitions, including Representative Royal Chambers, are also open to visitors. As the director of the Wawel museum announces, the official and ceremonial opening of the Wawel has also been planned and it is to take place between 20 and 23 May.
Wawel misses its visitors and waits for them every day. We are ready to accept them with the WAWEL program. RENEWAL – it is a ceremonial re-opening of the Castle after lockdown in a truly Renaissance style
prof. Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle
As part of this event, in addition to exhibitions, meetings with visitors in a unique setting, a publishing fair, as well as meetings for families with children are planned. On the occasion of 20 and 21, the exhibition “All tapestries of the king” can be visited with a ticket for only 1zloty!
Manggha Museum has also something up their sleeve 😉
On the other side of the Vistula, the exhibition “Botanical Searches” at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, which runs until September, features works by contemporary artists presenting the phenomenon of contemporary European and Japanese botanical art. An exhibition devoted to the work of Maria Sibylla Merian, the entomologist who first formulated, illustrated, and documented the appearance of living insects and their four-stage development cycle, is open until June. The Museum now also houses the exhibitions “Paradise 101” and “The End of the World 2011”, movingly referring to the tragedy in Japan 10 years ago.
For the first time at Wawel, all the preserved royal tapestries will be made available to visitors. The exhibition “All tapestries of the king. Returns 2021-1961-1921” will be available until October 31st. – This exhibition is supposed to be a magnet attracting tourists to Wawel, allows you to experience something unusual – says Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle. The exhibition is accompanied by works by contemporary artists, a rich program of educational events and publications.
Hidden from the Swedes, robbed at the behest of Tsarina Katarzyna, taken by the Vistula galley three days before the Germans entered Krakow in 1939. During the war, valuable Wawel monuments found their way first to Romania, then to France and, via England, to Canada.
For the first time, all preserved Wawel tapestries will be presented to visitors in the interiors for which they were created. From March 18, at the Wawel Royal Castle, the exhibition “All the King’s tapestries. Returns 2021-1961-1921”.
This exhibition is not only works but also a story. This is the history of these tapestries, it is also the history of the great undertaking which is the conservation of tapestries, as well as a great educational story. All three themes are very much present at this exhibition.
Dr hab. Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle
The collection of Wawel tapestries was made in the years 1550-1560 in workshops in Brussels. The fabrics are made of wool and silk as well as silver and silver gilded threads. Among the exhibits presented at Wawel, you can see one of the tapestries after recent conservation, which to some extent has regained its original color.
This is a unique exhibition showing the entire stock of the most important 16th-century tapestry in Poland, one of the most important and interesting in Europe. For the first time, we show fabrics that viewers have never been able to see. We tried to show it in reverse chronology, we start with two contemporary works of art that were created especially for this exhibition, to go from 1961 to 1921, to end up in the Senator’s Hall in 1553.
Magdalena Ozga, curator of the exhibition
The contemporary context, which is an introduction to the exhibition, are the works of Mirosław Białka and Marcin Maciejowski, who commented on the contemporary aspect of receiving tapestries and the mapping that is the key to reading the reverse narrative of the exhibition.
After a 5-month exhibition, some tapestries will be returned to museum warehouses. It is possible that part of the collection will be presented at special shows in Europe.
The exhibition is to commemorate the return of the royal tapestries – on March 18, 1961, when the ceremonial display of tapestries took place after their return from Canada, and on March 18, 1921, when under the Riga Peace Treaty, a collection of tapestries and people stolen during the Third Partition of Poland was brought from Russia, thanks to which the tapestries survived.
I would like the exhibition to be remembered as a monument to the importance of the royal foundation, as a commemoration of those who created the collection and cared for it for centuries – emphasized Andrzej Betlej.
Andrzej Betlej
The exhibition is accompanied by numerous publications, incl. richly illustrated album “Arrasa Zygmunt August”, “Essays on the tapestries of King Zygmunt August” by Magdalena Piwocka and a program of educational events, including the first match of a jerk at Wawel (June 19), culinary reconstruction of the wedding of Zygmunt August and Katarzyna Habsburgian Women (19 July), or monthly meetings with conservators who will introduce the backstage of their work on the renovation of tapestries (March 31, April 21, May 26, June 23, July 21, August 25, September 22, October 13). , noon)
The exhibition “All the King’s Tapestries. Returns 2021-1961-1921” will be available from March 18 to October 31.
I, for one, look forward to visiting this expo, once the exhibition and Wawel Museum will open!
On Monday, February 15, a new traffic organization was introduced near Wawel. The changes will result in the passage of ul. st. Idzi and Podzamcze will be severely limited. There will be no more transit on this route. The ride is still to be made available there only for selected vehicles, including those belonging to the inhabitants of the center of Krakow.
Changes in the traffic near Wawel Castle / Wawel Hill
We are finishing the process of introducing changes to the traffic organization near Wawel, which has been going on for over a week. We are implementing a project prepared by the Public Transport Authority and the Municipal Traffic Engineer to calm traffic in the area of the Royal Castle. As part of the changes, from Monday, St. Idzi and Podzamcze will be included in the restricted traffic zone. Most of the people who have used this ride so far will not be able to do it anymore
Michał Pyclik from the Road Administration of the City of Krakow
In the office, they emphasize that arranging parking spaces for cars, the movement of electric cars, facilitating the movement of pedestrians, and thus increasing safety, are the main goals of the solutions being implemented near Wawel.
“The next step in the implementation of the city’s transport policy plan, as well as part of improving the quality of space in the cultural park, is the inclusion of Podzamcze and św. Idzi, where there is already a residential zone to the currently restricted traffic zone” – explains the city hall. “According to the assumptions, the new traffic organization together with the currently binding residence zone in this area is to significantly contribute to the improvement of the safety of vulnerable road users” – they add.
Who will be able to move freely there?
Only the following persons will be authorized to enter the restricted traffic zone: – residents with a K type parking subscription for sectors A1, A2, A4; – from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. only for and for the duration of loading and technical service – bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, consular corps, diplomatic corps, public transport, taxis, post office special services, municipal services, labeled medical assistance; – commuting to the property, garage, or reserved space at ul. Podzamcze, ul. st. Idzi and the Wawel Royal Castle; – commuting to the property at ul. Grodzka 64; – supplying the property at ul. st. Gertrude 26-29; – drivers with a permit from the Krakow City Roads Authority.
On April 10, 2020, the elite of Law and Justice politicians flocked to the Wawel Cathedral on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Smolensk disaster. It was the time of the greatest lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, PiS politicians did not keep an appropriate distance and did not wear masks. Now the prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into this matter and will check whether there has been a crime. Previously, the prosecutor’s office saw no such need.
Rules are made to be broken by those who hold the power :/
April 10, 2020, was the 10th anniversary of the Smolensk disaster. That day at Wawel Cathedral, at the grave of Lech and Maria Kaczyński, not only President Andrzej Duda appeared, but also a large group of leading PiS politicians. Among them was Prime Minister Beata Szydło, Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz, Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk, and Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Ryszard Terlecki. The entire delegation appeared at Wawel Castle during the coronavirus pandemic when everyone was advised to stay at home at that time, and there were calls not to visit their relatives’ graves.
They broke the law – where are the consequences?!
The Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior informed about the possibility of a crime being committed by PiS politicians. Its representatives notified the prosecutor’s office about the possibility of the crime. They referred to the ban on the organization of assemblies in force at that time and the possibility of causing an epidemiological threat.
However, the prosecutor’s office found that there were no grounds for the investigation and refused to initiate it. Now she has changed her mind after the appeal was lodged by representatives of the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior.
“The complaint against the refusal to initiate proceedings submitted by the president of the Center, Konrad Dulkowski and the founder, Rafał Gaweł, was accepted. The District Prosecutor’s Office in Kraków considered it justified and decided that an investigation would be conducted into the illegal meeting of politicians associated with PiS and President Andrzej Duda at Wawel, to which occurred during the pandemic,” we can read in the Center’s statement.
The photo report showed that the tomb of the tragically deceased presidential couple was also visited by prominent politicians of Law and Justice. At that time, it was the time of the greatest restrictions in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. You could leave the house only in essential life situations, such as going to work or going to the store to buy food, to the pharmacy or clinic
One of the regulations of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki introduced at that time, inter alia, a ban on the use of areas with public functions and green areas covered with vegetation. According to the 2004 Nature Conservation Act, cemeteries also belong to such areas.
PiS politicians who visited Wawel on April 10, 2020, did not have masks and did not keep a sufficient distance between themselves.
What are your thoughts on this? I, for one, hate it when the Law is many only for some and can be broken by others. Others that are in power and give no flying f*** :/
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:
Rynek Krakow: Sukiennice and Mariacki
Old Town and its Pigeons
Rynek Krakow and the Pigeons
Walking down Florianska Street – Krakow
St. Mary’s Church – Krakow
The Florianska Street, Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
The Royal Route to the Wawel Castle starts on Florianska
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.
“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.
“Gardens, Courtyards, St. Gereon’s Church” – NEW Wawel sightseeing route Photo by Anna Kaczmarz – Dziennik Polski – Polska Press
“Lost Wawel” exhibition & the new route
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.
“Gardens, Courtyards, St. Gereon’s Church” – NEW Wawel sightseeing route Photo by Adam Wojnar – Polska Press
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 🙂
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.
Krakow Royal Castle and Cathedral – Wawel Hill, Krakow, Poland – Postcard from 1920-1921 – Source: National Library
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
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