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Krakow at a Glance
It is not a simple task to describe the unique character of Krakow to those who still have not had the opportunity to visit this city. This uniqueness is primarily due to the rare cultural heritage embodied in the city's walls. Here, in the year 1000 a Roman Catholic bishopric was founded. Here, a royal castle was built on Wawel Hill, which became the coronation and burial place of kings, for Krakow was the capital of Poland from the 11th to the 17th century. In 1364, the Krakow Academy was established; the first Polish university (today renamed Jagiellonian University).
The city's image has changed during the past centuries. In the Middle Ages, Krakow was a safe, rich, fortified city surrounded by walls with 55 towers (fragments of the city fortification have been preserved to this day). During the Renaissance, Krakow became a centre of new ideas and culture that attracted the most outstanding humanists, writers, architects and musicians. Even later, while the city was going through economic decline during the period of Modernism, the whole of the Polish artistic elite found safe haven. City life focused around the Market Square, the second largest in Europe after St. Mark's Square in Venice.
Tradition entwines with modern times nearly everywhere you go, and each stone has its own history. There is a multitude of architectural monuments - etimated at 6,000 buildings and other structures. This is supplemented by approximately 2.5 million artefacts collected and displayed in museums, churches and archives. Thanks to the extraordinary accumulation of cultural wealth, the city was registered as one of the 12 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is impossible to describe or even list all the tourist attractions in Krakow, but each tourist will discover his own "magical" Krakow. While some will follow the footsteps of Nicholas Copernicus, others will be interested in sites linked with John Paul II. Some will be fascinated by the worldwide unique underground corridors of the Wieliczka salt mine, others will wander round the Kazimierz Jewish district and many will stand enchanted in front of the Veit Stoss altar.
Benefiting from its geographical location, Krakow, aiming to become a meeting place of many cultures and nations, has successfully claimed its position as a Central European metropolis - a city of culture, art and science. Several universities are located in Krakow and many world-famous representatives of Polish culture reside in the city.
Source: Krakow.pl
About Krakow