Krakow, Poland (30th of January 2006)

Cloth Hall, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

Standing in the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), originally built as a covered market the present building dates from the mid-16th century, with some 19th century additions (the arched galleries down either side). It’s an attractive renaissance building that looks particularly impressive when lit-up at night. The ground floor of the Cloth Hall has now returned to its original function and now houses an impressive collection of market stalls selling all kinds of high-quality tourist tat, including amber, jewellery, hand-carved wood, and various other bits of arts and crafts. The arcades now mostly hold cafes. On the first floor is a department of Krakow’s National Museum, the Gallery of 19th Century Polish Painting and Sculpture, which holds some paintings by Poland’s best-known 19th century artist (within Poland at least) Jan Matejko. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cloth Hall, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

Standing in the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), originally built as a covered market the present building dates from the mid-16th century, with some 19th century additions (the arched galleries down either side). It’s an attractive renaissance building that looks particularly impressive when lit-up at night. The ground floor of the Cloth Hall has now returned to its original function and now houses an impressive collection of market stalls selling all kinds of high-quality tourist tat, including amber, jewellery, hand-carved wood, and various other bits of arts and crafts. The arcades now mostly hold cafes. On the first floor is a department of Krakow’s National Museum, the Gallery of 19th Century Polish Painting and Sculpture, which holds some paintings by Poland’s best-known 19th century artist (within Poland at least) Jan Matejko. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St Florian’s Gate, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

By 1500 Cracow was not only one of the richest cities in Europe but also one of the best fortified. The Old Town was ringed by a great wall, and this was punctuated by forty-seven towers and encircled by a moat. Immediately beyond this lay a further line of defense, comprising of a second wall and yet another moat. This outer wall was pierced by two barbicans, one of which, a splendid edifice, still survives. Owing to these formidable defenses, marauding armies were faced with a great dilemma. Much as they might wave the dismembered heads of those unlucky souls that had been caught beyond the city limits, more often than not they could not traverse the wall. Indeed, for a period of about two hundred years, Cracow was unbroken by foreign invasions.

In spite of its military purpose, the defensive wall was a thing of great character. This was not least because each tower differed from the next. They had their own idiosyncratic qualities – some were squat whilst others were lean and elegant. Furthermore, each tower belonged to one of the myriad guilds that had sprung up within the city. So, there was a cobblers’ tower, a saddlers’ tower, even a gunpowder makers’ tower. And responsibility for guarding the city lay not with a troop of Royal soldiers but with the merchants themselves. Each guild had its own tower and its own stretch of wall from which to keep an eye on things.

By the close of the eighteenth century several towers had collapsed whilst others were so dilapidated that trees were growing up out of their roofs. When the Austrians took over they decided to raze the complex to the ground. However, owing to the efforts of one Feliks Radwanski, a professor who was inspired by the patriotic and romantic associations of the fortifications, a campaign was launched to save them. They managed to salvage the most northerly section, which included four towers and a barbican. At the centre of this was St. Florian’s Gate, which is topped by the Furriers’ tower. This gateway is the historic entrance to the city, and the starting point of processions that hail back to ancient times. This route, which leads down Florianska street and on to Wawel, is known as the Royal Way.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size