Sightstation of Krakow: Wawel

On the left bank of the Vistula River is a Wawel hill, its height is 228 meters. It is here that the heart of Krakow is located – the famous architectural complex, which includes the Royal Castle and the Cathedral of the Saints Stanislav and Vaclav.

Krakow Wawel is one of Poland characters and has a large spiritual and political importance for residents of the country. For many centuries, Wawel was the center of the state.

The first castle in the Romanesque style, the ruins of which are located next to the northern wing of the modern castle, was built in the middle of the XI century. Palace, which we can admire today, was erected in the XIV century. Initially, it was built in the Gothic style, but it was repeatedly rebuilt in accordance with the dominant fashion. The courtyard is designed in the Renaissance style: the same arches and roofs can be seen in Italian palaces, but for Poland it is a very unusual architectural solution. After the fire, the northern wing of the palace was rebuilt in the Baroque style.

Many riches of Polish culture are kept in the Royal Castle. The most valuable is the coronation sword Schcherbets, as well as the collection of Flanders of medieval tapestries. In 1939, the castle experienced a looting from the German occupants, but much managed to return: in particular, the tapestries were found in Canada. See the sword and other relics of the Polish crown, as well as the old weapons can be in the treasury.

In the Cathedral of the Saints Stanislav and Waclav, for many centuries, Polish kings were crowned. Here I buried the departed rulers: the first, in 1333, in the cathedral I was buried by Vladislav I Poolek. After the loss of independence in the Council, folk heroes were buried, such as Tadeush Kostyutko and Vladislav Sikorsky. In the central part of the cathedral, the altar of the debris, to which the kings pinned their military trophies. Construction of a modern building of the cathedral began at the beginning of the XIV century, after the former temple destroyed the fire. Subsequently, he has not been completed and rebuilt – new chapels were erected. Therefore, from the southern facade, the church, decorated with multi-colored domes of chapels of different height, looks very peculiar.

View of the Wawel Castle from the opposite shore of the Vistula
The famous Renaissance courtyard of the Wovel Palace
View of the Wawel Cathedral from the South Side

Opening hours: Entrance to Wawel Hill is open from 6 am to 5 pm, most exhibitions work with 9.30 to 17.00, however, it is better to clarify the exact time on the official website. Ticket cost: Passage to the castle area is free, however, for inspection of permanent and temporary exhibitions, it is necessary to pay separately. In particular, in the territory of the Wovel Palace, you can separately see the royal treasury and weapons, the second floor room, where the official ceremonies were held, as well as private royal apartments located on the first floor. The entrance to the Wawel Cathedral is free, however, for inspection of the bell tower of Sigismund, the Royal Tomb and the Cathedral Museum, you need to pay separately. The cost of an adult ticket – 12 zł, preferential (for students, schoolchildren, retirees) – 7 zlotys. The cost of tickets for exhibitions in the Royal Castle can be clarified on the official website. The most expensive is a visit to the royal apartments – 25 zlotys, the usual price for visiting other exposures – 18 zlotys. In order to preserve the castle, the number of tickets that sell every day is limited: it is better to buy them in the morning. In addition, you should pay attention to the time of visits specified in the ticket. Route: Nearest Bus Stop – Stradom on Stradomska Street (Nos. 184, 904), Tramway – Wawel (Nos. 6, 8, 10, 13, 18, 74). Address: 31-001 Kraków, Wawel 5 www: