Krakow, long heralded as ‘
The New Prague’, is now well established as a major tourist destination. At the height of summer,
Poland’s fourth largest city throngs with tour groups, all manner of tourist tat, and countless
pavement cafés that seem to occupy every cobble of the main square. Out of season, late at night or even in the first slivers of morning light, it is clear why so many people flock to visit. T
his
magical city, situated in the
southeast of the country, between the Jura uplands and the Tatra Mountains, on the banks
of the Wisla (Vistula) River, has one of the
best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe. Dozens of
churches cover almost every architectural period and are surrounded by
monasteries and
abbeys - walking through the
Old Town streets is like drifting back through the musty pages of a historical novel.
The city has largely been left
intact since the Tartar raids of the 13th century, which accounts for the mostly
unspoilt Old Town - now a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Laid out in 1257, the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square) is one of the
largest medieval market squares in Europe - as well as a remarkable set piece fronted by elegant façades. It is dominated by the 16th-century Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), which continues to perform its role as a trading center with
lively market stalls and pavement
cafés in and around the building.
The surrounding lanes of the Stare Miasto (Old Town) are ringed by the Planty - a
leafy park that follows the line of the Old Town walls. The voluminous hulk of
Wawel Hill, to the south, is home to
Wawel Castle - the seat of Polish kings from the 11th to the early 17th century. It was at this location, in 1000 AD, that the bishopric of Krakow was established and the
cathedral remains the
spiritual home of Poland.
One area that has seen
traumatic times is the Kazimierz district. For centuries it was a center of
Jewish culture, until the Nazis killed most of its residents and deported many of the survivors to the wartime ghetto of
Podgorze and thence to nearby
Auschwitz. Kazimierz had largely fallen into decline since World War II, but the area underwent something of a renaissance in response to the renewed interest brought about by the film
Schindler’s List. The Jewish culture of the area is being revived, with lively
art galleries,
kosher restaurants and regular
cultural events, such as Klezmer concerts (see
Culture). In fact, Krakow’s
cultural attractions in general are manifest, with almost a quarter of Poland’s museum holdings housed here, and the city’s cultural scene is without equal in Poland.
Its cultural heritage is mirrored in its
intellectual achievements - the
Jagiellonian University is the oldest in Poland. The student population of the city numbers over 100,000 and it fires a
lively nightlife scene that burns brightly in the atmospheric
cellar bars away from the tourists above.
Krakow has sharply
contrasting seasons with cold, snowy winters and ‘fresh’ springs and autumns. Visitors should beware of the locals’ use of the word ‘fresh’ - an optimistic reference to blatantly cold weather. The
labyrinthine cellars of the
Old Town are an ideal place to escape the winter chill. However, come summer, the quintessential Krakow experience is relaxing in a
pavement café on the main square enjoying one of the long and balmy nights.
The number of tourists to Krakow has increased significantly in recent years, partly due to the introduction of easier
visa regulations, and also because of the media coverage the city received in the international press in the months leading up to Poland’s accession to the
EU in May 2004. The death of Pope John Paul II (born Karola Wojtyly) in 2005 brought even more
pilgrims to the city where he lived for several years and which he served as archbishop and then cardinal before leaving for Rome to start his Pontificate in 1978.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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