Monuments to visit Little Poland

A ruin with romantic silhouette in a bucolic landscape. This castle was built by Casimir the Great in the th century, probably on an ancient wooden construction. A legend speaks of a beautiful treasure hidden by the knights… today, it remains the ruins of the residential part and a fragment of the tower. The castle underwent numerous destruction, the last in 1657 is due to the Swedes. He was in a state such as Jan II Sobieski, during his visit to the castle in 1683, had to sleep under a tent.

This magnificent baroque building, built between 1637 and 1641, now houses the National Museum (Muzeum narodowe). A visit to the museum is a good excuse to see the interiors with their polychrome-covered ceilings and walls, which are just as beautiful as the exterior façade. The museum contains one of the richest galleries of Polish paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries, paintings, furniture and gobelins from the 17th and 18th centuries. You can also see the shrine of Marshal Piłsudski here.

A symbol of Polish national pride and unity, Wawel Hill and its architectural ensemble overlooking the Vistula River are the historical and cultural heart of Krakow, and a fortiori of Poland. Among the tourists, you'll see a host of classes from all over Poland reconnecting with their heritage. With its Christian sanctuary and castle, Wawel has symbolized the union of religious and secular power since the ^11th century, centered around the cathedral building, which was both the coronation and burial place of Polish kings, and is now also the site of the pantheon of Poland's most illustrious men. The last ones to be installed there, Lech Kaczińsky and his wife, caused a great deal of controversy.
The complex has two entrances, on either side of the Planty (logical, given that the Planty follows the trace of the old walls). The first, opposite rue Kanonicza, is the most authentic. It takes you up a short series of steps, past the wall on which the main contributors to the ^20th-century renovation are commemorated, past the site's secondary ticket office and through the cathedral door. The second, opposite Grodzka Street, is longer but less crowded, and offers superb views of the Vistula River.

Practical advice before starting your visit: the site is divided into numerous exhibitions, each with its own admission ticket (the cathedral has a separate ticket office). We advise you to keep things simple and buy your tickets online: there's no need to queue at the ticket office to find out that the day's stock is sold out. As the site is not always accessible, we recommend that you head for the main ticket office inside the venue, where the flow is faster and you'll get much more information. We also recommend taking a guided tour of the castle's interior. Make sure you don't arrive too late (especially in the afternoon), or you'll be forced to turn back rather quickly.

Wawel Esplanade. In the center, you can see the foundations of the ^14th-century churches of St. Michael and St. George, which were destroyed by the Austrians to build an arsenal. If you face the castle, you'll see the entrance to the main ticket office on your right, and to its right a small café terrace overlooking the city. On your left is the cathedral, facing the ticket office and the ecclesiastical apartments. Behind you, the surviving Austrian barracks, which include a café.

Lost Wawel(Wawel Zaginiony). Before rushing off to the royal apartments, we strongly recommend you visit this small, modern exhibition in the castle's basement kitchens. It traces the eventful history of the site and, above all, the enormous efforts made by the Poles to reclaim and restore their heritage. The exhibition is enhanced by archival images and videos, models and computer representations illustrating the parts of the building that have now disappeared. Understanding what the Wawel means to Poles makes the visit all the more enjoyable.

Royal Castle(Zamek królewski). The estate's main building boasts a splendid Renaissance courtyard. Its three superimposed galleries with columns and arcades give it the appearance of a fairy-tale palace. The present building dates from the ^16th century, commissioned by Sigismund I the Elder to the Italian architects Francesco Florentino and Bartolomeo Berecci. The castle marked the start of the Renaissance in Poland and symbolized royal authority for six centuries, before it burned down and the Court moved to Warsaw in 1596. First plundered in 1655 by the Swedes, then successively by the Russians and Prussians, it was already in a poor state of repair when it passed into Austrian hands in 1796. After the Krakow uprising, the castle was militarized by the Habsburgs in the ^19th century, who turned it into barracks and destroyed several buildings in the complex. The Austrian Poles obtained the right to buy it back and renovate it by raising a large national subscription in 1905, but restoration work didn't really get underway until 1918, when the country became independent. In 1939, Hans Frank, the bloodthirsty Nazi governor of Krakow, made it his residence.

The royal apartments(Prywatne Apartamenty Królewskie) include rooms from all periods, intended for the country's leaders. Several rooms have retained their Renaissance architecture and ceilings, while others with marble floors copy Versailles. The apartments also recreate the presidential suite, last occupied in 1938. The highlight of the visit is the collection of ^16th-century Flanders tapestries adorning the walls of the apartments of King Sigismund the Old and the state apartments on the^2nd floor. These tapestries, from the workshop of Brussels artist Michiel van Coxcie, were evacuated to Canada and only returned to Poland in 1962.

The State Apartments(Komnaty Królewskie). These enfilade rooms are a less lively, more solemn mirror image of the royal apartments. Luxurious styles from all eras can be found here, in former ceremonial and meeting rooms that once hosted foreign ambassadors, balls and weddings, and several throne rooms. The most surprising room is the Poselska Room, with its ceiling featuring thirty sculpted heads watching you. The most impressive and symbolic room is the Senatorska Hall, where Szczerbiec, the sword of the kings of Poland, is displayed in all its splendor.

The exhibition of oriental art(Sztuka wschodu) features trophies brought back from the legendary Battle of Vienna (1683) by John III Sobieski. The ^17th-century Turkish banners and tents were impressive works of art, marking the power and might of the Ottomans in the face of their enemies. The exceptionally rich tents could be worth several years' rent for small kingdoms. After this victory and the parade of the finest Ottoman artefacts, the Polish aristocracy adopted orientalist "Sarmatian" fashions in clothing, objects and furniture. If you're short of time, don't bother: better preserved and presented pieces can be found in the Czartoryski Museum.

The Crown Jewels and the Armory. The Armory has some superb pieces, but they are interchangeable with those in the National Museum or the Czartoryski Museum. It's also not very entertaining, and we marvel at the craftsmanship of the weapons and the exoticism of the hussar armor without knowing what they represent. The crown jewels suffer a similar fate. Unique and with a strong symbolic value, they're more than worth a visit, but then again, without having done your research, it's hard to understand the emotion of the Poles around you.

The Sandomierska Tower(Baszta Sandomierska). This artillery tower was built around 1460, during the reign of Casimir IV Jagellon, to reinforce the castle's defences. In times of peace, it was used as a prison. From its summit, there's a fine panoramic view of the city.

The Dragon's Cave(Smołka Jama). Legend has it that the Kraków dragon once lived here. Accessed from the top of the citadel via a small tower set against the surrounding wall, a 135-step staircase leads down into the bowels of the hill before bringing you out 70 meters further on to the Vistula quays. The little ones will be fascinated by the fire-breathing bronze dragon (every 5 minutes) installed at the exit (no need to pay a visit to the cave to see it), erected in 1972 by sculptor Bronisław Chromy. We recommend ending your visit to Wawel Hill with the Dragon's Grotto, which will take you straight to the banks of the Vistula.

A true symbol of the city, the Cloth Hall stands in the center of the Rynek. Built in the 14th century, it was destroyed by fire in 1555 and then remodeled during the Renaissance by the Italian Giovanni il Mosca. The building has since retained this appearance except for the neo-Gothic side arcades, added between 1875 and 1879. On the second floor there is the Gallery of Polish painting of the nineteenth century and a bar perfectly located to admire the view of the basilica.

Throughout the year, crowds of pilgrims flock to the entrance of the house where Karol Wojtiła lived with his family. The house is located on the rynek and the main entrance, right next to the statue made in his honor. His birthplace unveils a state-of-the-art, four-story exhibition tracing Wojtiła's life and work in Poland until his departure in 1978. On display are photos, documents, personal items as well as clothing worn during his pontificate.

This university was the third to be founded in the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth. Inaugurated on March 15, 1595, it quickly became the most prestigious and sought-after university in the country, surpassing even the University of Krakow. Its activity was supported by that of its publishing house, a system that was very rare at the time. However, its decline accompanied that of the city and the university was closed by the Austrians in 1784. It then housed secondary schools, until today. Unfortunately, it has lost its beautiful decorations and arcades.

This imposing building, whose construction began at the end of the 16th century on a project by Bernardo Morando, was the residence of Jan Zamoyski, his family and his successors. Unfortunately, it was rebuilt in the 19th century by the Russians, who installed a military hospital there, and lost its delicate Renaissance splendor, leaving only its imposing silhouette. Since 1918, it has housed the city's court. In front of the palace stands the equestrian statue of Jan Zamoyski, built in 2005 for the 400th anniversary of his death.

Largely gone today, the walls that once surrounded Zamość have preserved the remains of a bastion and some walls, east of the city. Taking Grodzka Street eastward, one can access a gate of the fortress, the Lviv Gate (Stara Brama Lwowska) and walk along its walls for a few hundred meters. It is also possible to make a route from the postern on Łukasińskiego Street through the shooting galleries (for more information, see www.nadszaniec.zamosc.pl).

This solid medieval building in Gothic style is a precious testimony of the ramparts that surrounded the city in the 14th century. Over the centuries it has been remodeled: the clock dates from the 16th century and the baroque roof from the 18th century. In its tower is the Lublin Historical Museum (Muzeum Istorii Miasta Lublina), which exhibits for visitors a collection of engravings and photos tracing the history of the city. From the top of the gate, you can enjoy an interesting view of the old city, of which this point marks the main entrance.

Józef Mehoffer (1860-1946) was one of the greatest artists of the Polish Secession movement. In the 1930s, he bought this absolutely magnificent building and turned it into a musical and literary salon, the atmosphere of which can be clearly perceived during the visit. During the Second World War, he produced several works here, as the Nazis had forbidden him access to his studio at the Academy of Fine Arts. Some of his stained glass windows, paintings, projects and drawings can be seen here. The house has a pleasant garden and a café with terrace.

At the end of Rue Floriańska, this ^13th-century medieval gate and the two adjacent towers are the only remains of the old town fortifications demolished in the early ^19th century. At the time, the city wall comprised seven gates and forty-seven towers. You can access what remains of the old fortifications and walk the walkway between the two bastions still standing. The gate takes its name from the nearby Saint-Florien church.

This small circular fort was added to the fortifications in the ^15th century to ensure more effective defense of the town. Now isolated in the middle of the Planty, the fort was originally linked to the Porte Florian by a corridor known as "le cou". It is one of Europe's best-preserved barbicans, a marvel of medieval military architecture. It is open to visitors and, in summer, is sometimes used as a backdrop for medieval shows (sword fights and folk dances, of questionable quality, but entertaining).

Away from the village stands a magnificent late Renaissance stately home from the 16th and 17th centuries. It was the estate of the influential Leszcziński family, who commissioned the Italian Sante Gucci. Called mały Wawel, or little Wawel, it is beautiful and its inner courtyard is surrounded by arcaded galleries and easily recognizable columns. Inhabited until World War II it is now home to a luxury hotel, the Zamkowy Hotel.

Built in the sixteenth century in Renaissance style, it was one of the country's largest and finest. Swedish invasions and twentieth century wars severely damaged it. Today there are only a few rooms and a beautiful eighteenth century manor house. Exhibitions are organized around the history of the castle, its various owners and the life of the time. There are many objects in everyday life. The panorama on Vistule and the small village is magnificent from the small butte on which the site is located.

In 1587, Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński, a powerful Polish nobleman, gave the Ujazd estate to his son Krzysztof as a wedding present. The latter decided to build the most beautiful fortified residence in Poland. Today, all that remains of this beautiful star-shaped palace, built in the early ^17th century, are majestic ruins testifying to its lost grandeur. The site remains quite interesting, all the more so as it is possible to camp directly around the castle and also build a fire to liven up the evening.

Located in the center of the Rynek, this imposing 14th-century Gothic tower is all that remains of the old medieval town hall, which was destroyed in 1820. You can go up to the tower at different times of the year, and on the way up you learn more about the building and its importance at the time. The visit ends at the clock mechanism from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the church of Our Lady.

The ruins of this castle, the largest and most beautiful in the Cracovian Jura, stand 2 kilometers from Ogrodzieniec, in Podzamcze, on the road to Pilica. Built in the ^14th century on the highest hill in the region, it was remodeled in the ^16th century in Renaissance style. Its purpose was to protect southern Poland from Czech and Tatar attacks. Ransacked and pillaged following the Swedish invasion, it was abandoned in 1810.

At the entrance, on the left, are the former stables. In front of the same gates, a small fragment of the moat remains. The château's courtyard is impressive for its size, its protective wall and the huge white boulders built into the wall. A path leads to the ruins, which you enter through a well-preserved gate. You enter the château via a tower that opens onto the inner courtyard. This leads to the kitchen with its well, the bedrooms and toilets, the refectory... The château also contains basements and a tower from which you can admire the surrounding area. Its construction is perfectly integrated into the natural rock. During the high season, the castle hosts knights' shows every Sunday.

The fortress (2 km from the castle) Built of wood, it lets you imagine what a bastion looked like under the Piasts dynasty. It also offers a fine view of the castle. Not an essential visit, but it does offer another view of ^13th-century defense systems.

The palace was built in the years 1736-1742 and features a lavish French-style park, perfectly preserved baroque interiors and a beautiful rococo façade. The museum also has a fantastic collection of socialist realism paintings and sculptures, with representations of the great figures of world socialism, led by Stalin and Mao Zedong, but also scenes of everyday life under communism. It is an amusing contrast that is played out in the best preserved noble residence in Poland.

Built by the architect Tylman Van Gameren between 1676 and 1679, this magnificent palace has been redesigned several times before acquiring its final neo-classical appearance. Today it hosts an agronomic research institute and cannot be visited. The palace is located in the middle of a beautiful English park, wanted by the Princess Izabela Czartoryska in the eighteenth century. This beautiful green space has many pavilions that host temporary exhibitions in summer, or classical music concerts.

Gothic house. Opened in 1809, the Gothic house (Dom goticki) was used mainly for art exhibitions from abroad. Here was also the Lady at the Hammerard de Vinci. Following the insurrection of November 1830, most of the collection was transported to France, where Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, the last owner of Pulawy, exile. At the end of the nineteenth century, Władysław Czartoryski brings the collection to Krakow, where it is to date. Today, the Gothic house displays a collection of objects from the Czartoryski family, including many portraits.

Sybille Temple (Şwiatinia Sybilli). It was built in 1798-1801 on the model of Tivoli Temple near Rome; It is the most important historical monument in the city. According to Princess Izabela Czartoryska, who asked the foundation, he had to serve as a temple of memory. Here, the objects of the Sieniawski, Lubomirski, Czartoryski and other Polish nobles were exposed to remind everyone of the greatness of the Polish nation. In 1830, before the uprising in November, the collections were transported to Paris, and then to Krakow, where they became the nucleus of the Museum of the Czartoryski Princes.

Caves. In the north-west of the palace, along the Vistule, we arrived at caves (groty, 3.50 zl, tickets for sale at PTTK office, flares supplied), created in 1791 when Izabela decided to enlarge limestone quarries.

Regional Museum (Muzeum Czartoryskich w Puławach, ul. Czartoryskich 8). 200 m north of the palace, presents an ethnographic and archeological collection. Between May and October, part of the collection is exposed to the Gothic house and the Sybille temple.

Chapel Czartoryski. 200 m further, on Piłsudskiego Street, is the Czartoryski chapel, dating from the beginning of the nineteenth century, a copy of the Roman pantheon. It is a pity that interior parts are no longer of origin, but we will still appreciate the quality of the interior decoration.