I came here by chance and felled very nice in the city of Krakow in Poland. It has given me many nice memories and friends since 2017. As in any city I visit, walking is a must and I did walk sometimes not even remembering where lol! After passing by the main areas for tourists I saw several nice monuments with a lot history in Krakow. I like to give them credit on a single post in my blog, just for the memories. The pictures are old the text is new; hope you enjoy it as I.
What better way to tell a country than by its religious monuments and Krakow Poland has them deep in their roots. Let me give my brief contribution to them.
The St. Stanislas and Wenceslas Cathedral Basilica of Krakow on the Wawel Hill is a must so I start with this one. The first cathedral on the Wawel Hill was created after the year 1000 during the reign of King Bolesław Chrobry in relation with the creation of the bishopric at the Gniezno Congress. It was a three-apse basilica dedicated to Saint Wenceslaus. At the end of the 11C, at the initiative of prince Władysław Herman, it was rebuilt. Most or even a whole of the pre-Romanesque edifice was demolished and obtained material was used to build a new St. Wenceslaus church, so-called Herman’s cathedral. The Consecration took place in 1142. The building was in the form of a three-aisle basilica with two choirs, two towers and two crypts. In the 13C, the Chapel of St. Nicholas was added to it ,and the Chapels of St. Peter and Paul as well. Herman’s cathedral burnt in 1305. To this day, the crypt of St. Leonard, the lower part of the Tower of Silver Bells, and the lowest part of the clock tower have survived.
The Cathedral of Saint Stanislaus and Wenceslas occupies a unique position in the history of Poland and in the consciousness of the Polish Nation. It was a place of coronation of Polish kings and burials of rulers, chiefs, leaders and national bards. Despite repeated rebuilding, its medieval, especially Gothic, but also Romanesque elements are easily discernible. The door of King Casimir the Great from the 14C has preserved to this day and leads to the inside of the cathedral. In addition, in the cathedral you can see, among others the tombstones of Władysław Łokietek and Casimir the Great from the 14C, and the tombstones of kings Kazimierz Jagiellończyk and Władysław Jagiełło from the 15C.
No picture can’t find it even if sure took at least one oh well, here for my memories to get one. The official Cathedral St Stanislaus and Wenceslas webpage in English: http://www.katedra-wawelska.pl/en/
The Basilica of St Mary is another must see. It was built in the 14C on one side of the Main Market Square, St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościoł Mariacki) is an imposing Gothic-style shrine that is part of one of the most important and famous monuments in Krakow . The tallest tower, adorned with a golden crown, is known as “Hejnalica” and was used in the past to prevent the opening and closing of the city gates as well as fires and attacks from enemies. Inside the basilica, a 15C wooden altarpiece stands out in particular, with more than 200 carved figures and 12 meters long, it is the largest in Europe. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. The church, with its mixture of Gothic architecture and Renaissance style, stands on the market square. Built of handmade bricks, the building has three naves. It is particularly renowned for its wooden altarpiece and its cloth market 13C. The basilica has two towers of different heights: the north tower, which measures 81 meters, as well as the south tower, which measures 69 meters and which constitutes the bell tower of the church with its five bells sheltered under a dome dating from the 16C. The largest Gothic wooden altarpiece in Europe, the large altarpiece, adorns the main altar: it is considered one of the masterpieces of sculpture from the early Middle Ages.
The official Basilica St Mary webpage in English: https://mariacki.com/en/
The early baroque Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built during the period of 1597–1619. In terms of seating capacity, it is the largest of the churches in Krakow. It became a Catholic Church in 1842, prior to this it was Orthodox. The church was the first building in Krakow to be designed entirely in Baroque style and one of the first Baroque buildings in Poland. It was consecrated on 8 July 1635 and was raised in rank to a Smaller Basilica in 1960. The decorations are mainly stucco, depicting scenes in the lives of the Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul. At the end of the nave is the Late Baroque high altar dating back to 1735. This contains the painting “Giving Keys to St. Peter”. Around the altar is a short rectangular chancel, with semi-circular apse covered with a hemispherical vault. In the apse of the chancel (presbytery), there are scenes from the life and death of Saints Peter and Paul, and the statues of patrons of Poland ; Saint Wojciech and Saint Stanisława. The church has excellent acoustics, and is frequently used as a concert hall for classical and Baroque ensembles and makes an excellent venue for such events.
The city of Krakow on the Church St Peter and St Paul in English: https://www.krakow.pl/english/instcbi/41907,inst,4897,324,instcbi.html
The Church of St. Andrew was built in the second half of the 11C, probably from the foundation of Sieciech, the palatine of prince Władysław Herman. It was the main temple of the Okół settlement, located in the southern part of the later Old Town of Kraków and being a suburb of the Wawel stronghold. After the fall and exile of Sieciech at the beginning of the 12C, the church came under the patronage of the Benedictine abbey in Sieciechów and around the second or third quarter of that century it was rebuilt into a basilica. In 1320, the rebuilt church was given to the Poor Clares from the Grodzisk near Skała, for whom monastery buildings were erected nearby, funded by King Władysław Łokietek. In later centuries, the church had fires several times, but it was always rebuilt without major changes in the external appearance, except for the addition of baroque dome and a portal. In the 17C, an oratory was erected between the church and the west wing of the monastery.
The city of Krakow cultural webpage on the Church of St Andrew in English: http://www.krakow.travel/en/17711-krakow-st-andrews-church
The Church of the Holy Trinity and the Dominican Monastery is a large Dominican church of the Holy Trinity at Stolarska street and Dominikanska street, a three-minute walk from the Rynek Glowny central square, is a fine example of the Krakow version of Gothic architecture. It dates back to the mid-13C and has been the stronghold of the Black Friars ever since. unfortunately, the subsequent reconstruction hasn’t been quite accurate though it’s certainly unnoticeable to the untrained eye. In 1957 Pope Pius XII has granted the title of a minor basilica to Krakow’s Church of the Holy Trinity. The vast Dominican monastery that adjoins the Basilica of the Holy Trinity was founded by Saint Jacek Odrowaz, better known abroad under his Latin name Hyacinth or San Jacinto in Spanish, who died in Krakow in 1257 and whose relics are enshrined at the church in an upstairs sanctuary-chapel.
The city of Krakow on the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Dominican Monastery in English: https://www.krakow.pl/english/instcbi/6315,inst,13401,1561,instcbi.html
There you go folks, I feel better to have told you about these wonderful monuments and a great satisfaction for me to have them in my blog. The visit to Krakow was very nice and looking forward one of these days to be back. Hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 