Krakow Guide: History
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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
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 the [...]
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 in Royal Castle, made [...]
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
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
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. Almost every [...]
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 true.