Krakow attractions
Royal Road
Royal Road is the most attractive and most often busy tourist route in Cracow - at the church St Florian near the Square of Matejko is the beginning, where Rector along with the Senate of the University used to welcome the new king. The route is passing by Barbican and remains of ancient municipal fortifications and through main gate - Gate Floriańska - is entering into the range of the old town. In the St Mary's Basilica tourists can find magnificent work of Wit Stwosz - the biggest Gothic altar in Europe. From the higher tower of the church a bugle call is being played in every hour. Almost opposite facades of the church there is a monument of Adam Mickiewicz, which is the most popular place of meeting inhabitants of Cracow and also tourists.
In the center of the Main Market Square there is a Cloth Hall which is the biggest medieval Market place of Europe. On the way to the Wawel we can admire Gothic churches and monastery complexes of Dominican and Franciscans friars. By the church there is a Wielopolskich Palace, which is a registered office of the Cracow municipality nowadays. Continuing the trip Grodzka Street tourist can explore romanesque St Andrzej church and a baroque St Piotr and Paweł church. There is a tomb of Piotr Skarga priest, whereas a few metres farther there is a small St Idziego church and the St Marcin church.
Parallel to the Grodzka Street there is Kanoniczna Street with fresh renovated tenements and the unique atmosphere. Those streets are leading straight to the Wawelski Hill with the Royal Castle, which is being regarded as one of the most wonderful Renaissance residences in Europe.
Kazimierz
Kazimierz is a district as equally lively as the old town, having an own unique climate, separate history and wonderful monuments. It is a perfect district both to daily walks, as well as night frenzies.
The route of Jewish monuments is beginning in the centre of Jewish Culture (Meiselsa Street) and is leading towards Jewish temples - one by one: Tempel Synagogue (Miodowa Street) from 1862, Kupa Synagogue (Warszauera Street) and Synagogues of the Isaac (Jakub Street.) - both from the 17th century and finally to High Synagogue (Józefa Street) from 1590, the highest in Cracow.
Szeroka Street finishes the tour - street with three Jewish temples, in it with the one most valuable - Old Synagogue (Alte Schul), which is the oldest Jewish building in Poland, dating back on the 15th century At present in Old Synagogue there is a branch of the Historical Museum of Cities of Cracow, presenting the exhibition devoted to history and the culture of Cracow Jews. Behind the Renaissance Remuh Synagogue from 1557, one from three oldest in Europe, a historical Jewish cemetery is situated. In the end we can visit the Popper Synagogue, and then we can leave Kazimierz historical centre in order to see a New Jewish cemetery on the Miodowa Street.
Currently, Kazimierz is a Jewish cultural centre, which is plenty of refined Jewish restaurants with klezmerska music, and every year in June here is an International Festival of the Jewish Culture. The grand final of the Festival attracts crowds of young people from Poland and foreigners.
Cathedral on the Wawel
The Cathedral was a place where the Polish kings were crowned. In the row of chapels there is the most excellent work of Renaissance architecture and sculptures in Poland and for entire north Europe – Zygmuntowska Chapel. Exhibit items from the cathedral strongroom are:monstracje and liturgical dishes, reliquaries, regalia, the royal insignia. There are also five bells suspended in the belfry, one is the biggest in Europe - "Zygmunt".
In tombs of cathedral there are graves of kings and their families, and also graves of bardes and national heroes.
Open: mon - sat 9:00 - 14:45, sunday and holiday 12:15 - 14:45