In my first year teaching in Korea, I had made many good friends. One of these, an English girl I'll call Alice, was at that time living and teaching in the city of Krakow. As I was in the neighbourhood (the European continent), I decided to take up her offer of a place to stay while I visited.
But first, some history (Yay!).
Poland first came together as a nation in the late 10th century, when various Slavonic tribes in the Vistula River basin merged. There were two centuries of internal strife and civil war that followed, but the nation's fortunes began to rise with the 1320 restoration of Krakow as the capital.
In 1386, the country was united with Lithuania when that country's Grand Dule, Ladislas, married Poland's queen, Jadwiga. This family's descendants ruled until the 1570's, and is credited with beginning Poland's golden age. The Poles expanded to the north and east, and defeated the Teutonic Knights (a great rival) at the Battle of Tannenburg in 1410.
Poland became Europe's granary, supplying much of its food. It was a country where the kings were elected, and the parliaments held most of the power. The great wars that disrupted life in the 17th and 18th centuries sapped much of Poland's strength, and the country was partitioned by Austria, Prussia, and Russia until it disappeared from the map.
There were many uprisings that followed, as the Polish people fought to regain their independence. This was not to occur until the aftermath of World War I, when the Poles were able to carve territory from revolutionary Russia and defeated Germany.
Poland disappeared from the map once again during World War II, and had to sruggle for freedom during the years it was a satellite of communist Russia. The Solidarity movement, born in the shipyards of Gdansk, eventually helped bring about the end of the Soviet empire.
There are many sights to see in Krakow, not the least of which is the castle that dominates the old town, called the Wawel (pronounced Vavel).
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Alice's apartment had an excellent view of this castle from just across the Vistula River, only partly spoiled by the floating tour boats tied up on the bank.
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The Wawel, according to legend, sits atop a dragon's den, and there is a metal sculpture of the dragon as it looked in its heyday, complete with real flames occasionally shooting from its mouth.
There are two seperate entrances, on the east or west sides. Walking up the east side, you pass through a massive gate beside a six story tower covered in ivy.
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The battlements overlook the river, and the buildings are well preserved. This is where the kings of Poland ruled for over three centuries, and where the Nazi governer Hans Frank instituted a reign of terror and became directly involved in the mass murder of Polish Jews.
Tourists can "customize" their tour so that they can see what they want, and pass over the rest. Perhaps the best sights to see are the State Rooms, and the Private Apartments, which give a good idea of how the kings used to live. There are fabulous works of art, furniture, and architecture that are literally "jaw-dropping."
The armoury houses a vast collection of various types of weaponry, including swords, cannon, and musketry.
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On the west side of the castle is the cathedral, which is just as interesting, and with just as much to see. There are no less than 18 chapels built as additions to the main building, featuring artwork, statuary, and tombs for many of Poland's kings and queens, bishops, and other notables. It was quite something to see the tombs of Ladislas II and his queen, who I had written about in a university paper 15 years previously. To actually see their final resting place, as well as the castle they ruled from, is something the historian in me cannot adequately describe in words.
After all that, I needed a drink. It is fortunate that Krakow has many places to rest and relax after doing "the tourist thing." We will explore them, and much more again soon.
