Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

(Ben Green) #1
188 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp218–21 and pp222–5


Fortifications on the
Wawel have been
demolished and renewed
several times since the
Middle Ages – right up
to the 20th century 8

Street-by-Street:


The Wawel


In about 1038 Kazimierz the Restorer
made the citadel on Wawel Hill the seat
of Polish political power. In the 16th
cen tury the Jagiełłonian rulers trans-
formed the Gothic castle into a magni-
ficent Renaissance palace. Once the site
of coronations and royal burials, the
cathe dral is regarded as a shrine by
Poles. The Wawel Royal Castle beside
it is a symbol of national identity.


. Wawel Royal Castle
Once home to the Jagiellonian kings, the
Wawel Royal Castle has survived without
major damage. It incorporates the walls of
older Gothic buildings w
. Cracow Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral, lined
with royal burial chapels
from different ages, has
some extraordinarily
valuable furnishings q


Cathedral Museum
On display are religious and
royal regalia from the cathedral
treasury, including the magni-
ficent robe of Stanisław August


Poniatowski (see p176) (^9)
0 metres
0 yards
50
50
Monument
of Tadeusz
Kościuszko
STAR SIGHTS


. Cracow Cathedral
. Wawel Royal Castle

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