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 the Basilicas of Krakow.
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/
There you go folks, I feel better to have told you about these wonderful basilicas of Krakow, 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, eventually. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 