Krakow KRK Poland

Towering over Old Krakow, Poland

a building with a spire on top
Krakow Sukiennice – Cloth Hall

Krakow was the capital city of the Kingdom of Poland from 1069 to 1596, when King Sigismund III Vasa moved the royal court to Warsaw and that city became the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Unlike Warsaw, devastated by World War II, Krakow came through World War II minimally damaged. The Nazi government established Krakow as its central administrative center for Poland and the Germans retreated from Krakow as the Soviet army advanced, thereby avoiding urban battles and keeping most of the city’s historic structures out of harms way.

Walking around Krakow offers many pleasant views of centuries old structures. Without a bird’s eye view, many of the finer details at the top of the buildings are hard to see clearly. That is where my telephoto lens came in handy.

Krakow Bazylika Mariacka – St. Mary’s Basilica

a statue in front of a building
Krakow Rynek Glowny – Bazylika Mariacka Market Square view of St. Mary’s Basilica
a close-up of a building
Krakow St. Mary’s Basilica

a close-up of a building

Krakow Town Hall Tower (originally built c. 1300)

a tall building with a clock tower
Krakow Town Hall on Rynek Glowny-Market Square
a clock tower with a cross on top
Krakow Town Hall
a clock on a tower
Krakow Town Hall

Krakow Cloth Hall – Sukiennice

Krakow’s Cloth Hall had its golden age in the 1500s. Today the ground floor houses many souvenir stalls for tourists and Sukiennice restaurant. The upper floor houses Sukiennice Museum of the National Museum.

a building with many arches and people walking in front of it
Krakow Cloth Hall. Sukiennice Restaurant has surprisingly low food and beer prices.
a statue of a man in a city
Krakow Sukiennice Cloth Hall
a building with a spire on top
Krakow Sukiennice – Cloth Hall
a building with a blue sky
Krakow Sukiennice – Cloth Hall
a building with a tower
Krakow Sukiennice – Cloth Hall

Jagiellonian University (1364)

Jagiellonian University is the second oldest university in central Europe founded in 1364. Only Charles University in Prague is older (1384).

a close-up of a building
Jagiellonian University
a close-up of a building
Jagiellonian University Krakow
a spiral staircase inside a house
Jagiellonian University is a wonderful tour of the interior and even better if your guide speaks comprehensible English.

Wawel Royal Castle

Wawel Castle was originally constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle today represents medieval, Renaissance and Baroque architecture over the centuries. Wawel Cathedral was originally built over 900 years ago and contains architectural elements through the ages.

a building with a green tower
Wawel Castle
a green tower with a cross on top
Wawel Castle
a horse carriage in front of a brick wall
Wawel Castle Krakow
BoardingArea