Articles about History


default thumbnail The Musician and the Holy Cross

In the Zwierzyniec district there is a little church dedicated to the Holiest Salvator that is one of the oldest around Kraków. Many centuries ago in the church there was a Cross considered miraculous – according to the tradition it was founded by the Polish prince Mieszko I more than one thousand years ago. That [...]

default thumbnail The Cross from the Wawel Cathedral and St Jadwiga

Jadwiga was a daughter of Louis d’ Anjou, King of Hungary and Poland. According to decision taken by her father and Polish nobles she was supposed to come to Krakow to become King of Poland. It is not the error – she was supposed to be a ruler and she was supposed to be crowned [...]

default thumbnail Black Lady from Mount Lasota

Long time ago there was a wonderful mansion on one of the hills in Krzemionki that was called Mount Lasota. In that house there lived a very beautiful young and rich girl – she was as much beautiful as much her heart was full of cruelty – she obliged peasants to a very hard work [...]

default thumbnail The most important dates in history of Krakow – Till 13th Century

50 000 years ago ( late Stone Age ) – traces of settlements on the Wawel Hill 2nd century BC – 6th century AD presence of Celtic tribes in the area of Krakow around 6th century settlement of Slavonic tribes

default thumbnail The most important dates in history of Krakow 13-14th centuries

13-14th centuries 1241 – Tartars invasion destroys wooden city, stone church of St.Andrew and the Castle remain 1257 – location of Krakow on Magdeburg’s Law , to help rebuilt the city Prince Boleslaw gives many privileges to the settlers in Krakow the old city gets its present chessboard shape 13th century end – work on [...]

default thumbnail The most important dates in history of Krakow -15-17th centuries

15-17th centuries 1477 -89 – Veit Stoss works on Main Altar for Saint Mary’s Church around 1500 – beginning of Wawel Castle rebuilding in Renaissance style 1503 -05 – first renaissance masterpiece in Royal Cathedral made by Francesco Fiorentino 1517-1518 – arrival of Bartolomeo Berrecci – Italian artist with invented name who continued the works [...]

default thumbnail The most important dates in history of Krakow – 18-19th centuries

1734 – last Royal coronation in the Wawel Cathedral 1794 – insurrection organized by Kościuszko against Russians

default thumbnail The most important dates in history of Krakow – 20th century

1918 Nov 11 – Krakow returns to Poland when the country regains the independence after 124 years of partitions 1939 Sep 1 – outbreak of WWII

default thumbnail Cracow on the UNESCO list

World Heritage List The present Market Square has been located in the year 1257 after the former city had been destroyed by the Mongol invasion. For more than seven centuries the medieval web of the streets and parcels remains untouched, and the mansion houses are still standing on their original positions, unchanged after the centuries. [...]

default thumbnail the real name of the city Cracow

Kraków or Cracow ? Legend has that the city has been founded more than a thousand years ago by the king Krak. So the name Kraków [Crack-oo-f] means the site of king Krak. According to the archeologists indeed there was a family Krak living near Vistula river around that time, so maybe the legend is [...]