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ROYAL CASTLE AND ITS COMPLEX

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Zamek Królewski na Wawelu, Colline du Wawel, Krakow, Poland
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+48 12 422 51 55
2024
Recommended
2024

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

Practical advice before starting the visit: the site is divided into many exhibitions, each with its own entrance ticket (the cathedral has a separate ticket office). We advise you to go for the simplest and to take everything on the Internet: no need to queue at the ticket office to learn that the stocks of the day are sold out. As the site is not always accessible, we advise you to go preferably to the main ticket office which is inside the venue, the flow is faster and you will have much more information. We also recommend that you take a guided tour of the interior of the castle. Be careful not to show up too late (especially in the afternoon) or you'll have to turn around pretty 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 will see on your right the entrance to the main ticket office and on its right a small café terrace with a view of the city. To your left is the cathedral, which faces its ticket office and the ecclesiastical apartments. Last you, the buildings of the Austrian barracks still standing, which contain among other things a café.

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

Royal Castle (Zamek królewski). The main building of the estate has 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 and was commissioned by Sigismund I the Old to the Italian architects Francesco Florentino and Bartolomeo Berecci. The castle marked the beginning of the Renaissance in Poland and symbolized the royal authority for six centuries, before it burned down and the court moved to Warsaw in 1596. First looted in 1655 by the Swedes, then successively by the Russians and Prussians, it was already in a bad state 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 the restoration work did not really start 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 eras, intended for the leaders of the country. 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 tour is the collection of 16th-century Flanders tapestries that adorn the walls of the apartments of King Sigismund the Old and the state apartments on thesecond floor. The tapestries, which came from the workshop of the Brussels artist Michiel van Coxcie, were evacuated to Canada and only returned to Poland in 1962.

The State Apartments(Komnaty Królewskie). Its enfilade rooms are a less lively and more solemn mirror of the royal apartments. It contains luxurious styles from all eras, in former ceremonial and meeting rooms that hosted foreign ambassadors, balls and weddings, and several throne rooms. The most surprising room is the Poselska Hall , which has thirty carved heads on its ceiling that watch you. The most impressive and symbolic hall is the Senatorska Hall where Szczerbiec, the sword of the Polish kings, is displayed in all its splendor.

The exhibition of oriental art(Sztuka wschodu) shows the trophies brought back from the legendary battle of Vienna (1683) by John III Sobieski. The Turkish banners and tents of the 17th century were impressive works of art, marking the power and might of the Ottomans against their enemies. The tents were exceptionally rich and could be worth several years of income of small kingdoms. After this victory and the parade of the most beautiful Ottoman pieces, the Polish aristocracy adopted the orientalist "Sarmatian" fashion, in clothes, objects or furniture. If you are short of time, you should skip this one: 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 is also not very entertaining and one marvels 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 justify more a visit but, again, without having done its research, it will be difficult to understand the emotion of the Poles who surround us.

The Sandomierska Tower(Baszta Sandomierska). This artillery tower was built around 1460, during the reign of Casimir IV Jagellon, to reinforce the castle's defenses. In times of peace, it was used as a prison. From its top, a beautiful view of the city opens up.

The Dragon's Cave(Somcza Jama). Legend has it that the Krakow dragon once lived here. It is reached from the top of the citadel by a small tower leaning against the wall, a staircase of 135 steps leads to the bowels of the hill before you emerge 70 meters further on the banks of the Vistula. The little ones who will be fascinated by the fire-breathing bronze dragon (every 5 minutes) installed at the exit (no need to pay a passage through the cave to see it), erected in 1972 by the sculptor Bronisław Chromy. We advise you to finish the visit of the Wawel Hill with the Dragon's Cave, which will lead you directly to the banks of the Vistula River.


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Members' reviews on ROYAL CASTLE AND ITS COMPLEX

4.1/5
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flos06
Visited in august 2022
Value for money
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A découvrir
Nous n'avons pas eu le temps de visiter l'ensemble du château. Les 2 visites principales nous ont réservées de belles découvertes. Je recommande.
nimar42
Visited in march 2020
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Originality
Beau
Un incontournable de la ville,jolie visite une grande partie gratuitement A faire absolument.
Barnabs
Visited in october 2019
Value for money
Service
Originality
Oui pour les extérieurs mais les intérieurs..
Très beau château qui mérite la ballade (surtout pour voir la cathédrale). Les extérieurs méritent le coup d’œil. Pour les appartements, les salles d’Etat, le trésor... Très cher pour ce que c'est à mon avis.
fute_546540
Visited in may 2019
Value for money
Service
Originality
Wavel Château royal
Le site est à voir. La difficulté des visites réside dans leur organisation : Pas de réservation globale et un billet par site (cathédrale, musée, chanteau, tour...) avec un nombre de visiteurs limité sur chaque lieu.
Il est bon d'être matinal pour acheter ses billets
chambod
Visited in october 2018
Value for money
Service
Originality
Nous n'avons visité que la partie gratuite.
Très joli château et cour. L'église est superbe. Vraiment à voir.
Très belles vues sur Cracovie

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