Highlights of the Interior

The interior is filled with spectacular chapels, far too many to visit in one day. One of the showpieces of the church is the shrine and resting place of St Stanislas, who was martyred in 1079. This baroque chapel, with a stunning golden dome, is the first thing you see upon entering the church. A silver casket rests on a pink marble altar supported by four silver angels. The casket is extremely beautiful. This shrine is a place of pilgrimage, and crowds of tourists and the faithful gather around it. Photos are forbidden.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross I loved the Byzantine frescoes in this chapel. They cover the walls and ceiling, and there are vibrant reds, golds, and blues painted by Russian artists in 1470. They almost have a folk art look to them. This chapel also holds the tombs of King Casimir the Jagellian and queen Elizabeth of the Hapsburgs.

The gothic tomb of King Casimir the Great (d. 1370) has a wonderful renaissance canopy similar to white lace that softens the marble. The red Hungarian marble tomb was designed in 1370-82 The 17th-century choir stalls and the high baroque altar are beautiful, a setting fit for coronations of kings that took place in front of the altar.

Sumptuous Sigismund Chapel The Golden Dome, visible outside the building, is this chapel’s ceiling. Its renaissance interior holds beautiful sculptures of sandstone and marble and sarcophagi of King Sigismund and his family. Completing the chapel are two stunning altarpieces of silver artwork dedicated to the blessed virgin.

Don’t miss the"Miraculous" Crucifix. The black marble figure of Christ is purported to have spoken to Jadwiga as she knelt to pray. She had been ordered to marry the pagan Duke of Lithuania but was unwilling. Jesus asked her to go ahead with the marriage so that Lithuania would accept Christianity. Her remains are buried at the foot of this cross even though her tomb lies opposite the Sigismund Chapel. She was Poland’s most loved Queen, and although she died young, she helped found a dynasty.

The Crypts and Royal Tombs This is the final resting place for many of the nation’s national figures and royalty. St Leonard’s Crypt is the only remnant of the 2th-century church, and it was here that Karol Wojtyla said his first mass. The Royal Crypts are very atmospheric. Several national heroes are also buried here, and some of the tombs were wreathed in flowers and flags. The royal crypts tour exits outside the cathedral, so it is best to do this tour after you have completed your visit in the cathedral and after the visit to the Sigismund Tower. Access is through the Czartorski Chapel, and you will need a ticket to see them (the cathedral admission is free).

Do climb the very narrow stairway to reach the Sigismund Tower. Your reward will be panoramic views over Krakow, and you will see five medieval bells, the largest of which (cast in 1520) weighs 11 tons. It peals on important occasions, like for Karol Wytya when he became pope, on his death, and for the new Pope (we heard its beautiful tone).

Royal Tombs includes zygmunt bell. Admission. 10 zlty. Open 9am-4pm. Sun. 12:15- 4pm

The restaurant is one of the most expensive in Krakow, but the café is a great resting place for feet tired out by stairs and tours.

The castle tours are great for anyone who likes princesses and knights, or furniture, architecture, and interior decoration. A unique collection of heads (sculpted in wood, not chopped off!) is exhibited in the audience hall’s ceiling to remind the king that he is under scrutiny and to give him the benefit of different experiences.

For kids, the grotto at the foot of the hill by the river is guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. But he only manages to breathe fire in the summer. Perhaps the Polish winter is too cold for him!

Go early in the morning to get your tickets, since even on a freezing February weekday with snow, tickets to the castle tours were selling out before 10am.

The castle is run by the state and is closed on Mondays and free on Wednesdays.

The cathedral, run by the Catholic Church, is subject to a separate entry fee. Like the castle, it is very interesting from an historical and architectural point of view. It has the tombs of kings, poets, and saints.

The tours are not suitable for wheelchairs, and buggies must be left in the cloakroom. It is quite interesting to look around the outside even if you can't get in.

The best way to reach Wawel Hill from Rynek Glowny is on foot. From Krakow's huge square, walk south along ul Grodzka for about 400 metres until you reach the Church of St.Peter and St.Paul, its front courtyard adorned with the colonnaded statues of the twelve apostles. Once here, take a sharp turn right, then turn left again and walk further south along ul Kanonicza that leads directly to the foot of Wawel Hill. From here, a lane takes you up a rather steep hill past the equestrian statue of the Polish hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko and leads you to a large central square. This majestic place ringed with an abundance of stately buildings still retains an air of history, symbolism and magic.

The most splendid building here is unquestionably the cathedral, its present form completed in 1364. Its beautiful external architecture enhanced by Renaissance chapels that were constructed around the main building is as outstanding as its amazing interior. Once inside, the first attraction that catches the eyes of visitors is the silver coffin of St.Stanislaus, patron saint of Poland and former bishop of Krakow. Standing right in the middle of the church and adorned with ornate bas-reliefs in silver, it is one of the most beautiful artistic works anywhere in Poland. The coffin is further enclosed within an ornamental canopy that makes it even more beautiful.

More than a score of chapels enhance the beauty of the side naves but the most splendid is unquestionably the Sigismund Chapel, its dome gilded on the outside makes it easily recognizable. This artistic showpiece is a Renaissance gem of unique beauty; you'll never find anything of this sort elsewhere. On the southwest corner of the cathedral, the Holy Cross Chapel, enriched with Byzantine frescoes and artistic works by the master craftsman of Nurnberg Veit Stoss is another extraordinary artistic achievement.

The inside of the cathedral is a permanent exhibition of marble tombstones and burial vaults where the remains of Polish kings have been preserved for centuries. If these are not enough however and you want to see more, go down to the Royal Crypt where more kings and Polish heroes are laid to rest. From the cathedral's sacristy, climb the steps to the Sigismund Tower to see the 11 ton Wawel bell, the largest bell in the country.

A second building constructed in splendid Renaissance style is Wawel castle, its present structure dating back to the mid-16th century. Neglected and partly destroyed several times by the Prussians and the Austrians, the castle was restored after World War I. The restoration works that took several years to complete were a huge success since the castle's original form and grandeur were meticulously preserved.

Today, the castle is used to house a multi-section museum. The most impressive section contains the Royal Chambers, restored to their original Baroque style and adorned with artistic furnishings and 136 splendid tapestries. Other highlights inside the castle that you shouldn't miss are the embroidered 17th-century Turkish tents, the collection of artistic Chinese porcelain, the huge display of Persian carpets and the exhibition of Oriental Art. The Armoury on the ground floor houses a collection of original weapons dating back to the 16th century and another collection of colourful banners reproduced from those recovered from the battle of Grunwald in 1410.

Walk west along the whole stretch of Wawel's central square until you reach the west corner of Wawel Hill. From here, the view of the mighty Vistula below stretching around the Jewish district of Kazimierz is excellent. Take a look far away on the horizon at the Kosciuszko Mound, an artificial hill constructed in 1820 to pay tribute to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Polish defender of liberty and independence.

From here, you can climb down a flight of steps that leads you towards the Dragon's Cave. Enter the cave and walk through its interior until you exit right on the bank of the Vistula. The huge bronze statue of Wawel's legendary dragon is nearby.