Foto: Cathedral of Kraków (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Poland - Today we explore the old center of the city. We begin our walking tour in the old Jewish quarter, as our hotel is located here. Right on the corner of the street stands the first Jewish temple. Already in the 19th century, the Jewish population concentrated in the Kazimierz district. Just before World War II, 67,000 Jews lived here. During the war, the Germans first relocated them to the Podgórze district on the other side of the Vistula River, and later deported them to Auschwitz. The outcome is well known. Via the market square, we walk through narrow streets to Szeroka Square, still within the Jewish quarter. On the south side stands the old synagogue. After the war, it was turned into a museum. Today, only a few hundred Jews live in Kazimierz. In addition to the exhibition on Judaism in Poland, the synagogue also displays the original iron bimah (elevated platform used for preaching). Photos show how the synagogue looked before the war. From Szeroka Square, we walk to Rynek Square in the old town. As we cross the square, trumpet music sounds from the tower of St. Mary’s Church. It's eleven o'clock. Every hour, the trumpet sounds from the tower. The square is surrounded by beautifully decorated townhouses. In the center stands the Cloth Hall, an old market hall now mainly housing souvenir shops. In the corner stands the tower of the old town hall—the town hall itself has been demolished. Remarkably, Kraków's center emerged from the war relatively unscathed, especially compared to other Polish cities we’ve visited. From the square’s west side streets, we pass old theaters and cafés. On a corner, we stop for coffee—well timed, as a sudden downpour starts. When we come back out, the rain has stopped. We continue to the northern city gate. At Matejki Square begins the Royal Route through the old city, all the way to the royal castle on Wawel Hill. The Royal Route is now a major shopping street, lined with elegant buildings housing familiar retail chains. The route passes Rynek Square and St. Mary’s Church. Tourists can visit the church with a ticket, which also grants access to the altar and choir. The interior is stunningly Baroque. The high altar is the largest in Europe—eleven meters wide and thirteen meters high. Back at the market square, we continue along the Royal Route, flanked by beautiful townhouses and churches. Along the way, we visit the Saints Peter and Paul Church before heading to Wawel Hill. Towering above the old town and the Vistula River sits the cathedral and royal castle. We buy a ticket for the cathedral with an audio tour. The cathedral is one of Poland’s most important churches. Its interior is an extraordinary blend of styles: Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic. At the center is the shrine of Saint Stanislaus, a bishop murdered by King Bolesław. Narrow wooden staircases lead to the bell tower, which holds a large bronze bell. From the top, we enjoy views over Kraków’s old town, spotting the towers of St. Mary’s Church and the town hall tower. Back in the cathedral, we follow the route past the high altar and several chapels. The visit ends in the crypt below, where Polish kings are buried—though we can't quite tell who lies where. We leave the audio tour behind and exit. We skip the royal castle and descend back into the old town to grab a bite in one of its narrow streets. Through the park along the old city wall, we walk to the other side of the city. The green belt between the old and new parts of town is a peaceful haven.
Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Poland - The city of Kraków is closely connected to World War II history. About sixty kilometers from Kraków was the largest Nazi extermination camp: Auschwitz. At nine o'clock, we drive out of Kraków and head toward Oświęcim, the current Polish name for ...
Malbork Castle
Poland - Outside it's cloudy as we open the curtains. It rained last night. When we load the luggage into the car, it's still lightly drizzling. We drive out of Gdansk on our way to Warsaw. About fifty kilometers southeast of Gdansk lies Malbork Castle. This medieval ...
Old town of Gdask
Poland - We start the day slowly. After having coffee in the hotel room, we walk to the Motlawa River quay for breakfast. The weather is beautiful. The sun is shining and it’s about five degrees outside. In a small café, we order breakfast with cappuccino, ...
The beautiful churches of Pozna
Poland - Upon entering Poznan, the streets are busy. The evening rush hour starts early here. The hotel is located right next to the old town, but unfortunately, the road leading there is closed due to construction. We take a right turn at random. The navigation ...
The old town of Warsaw
Poland - Today we explore the city of Warsaw. Right next to the hotel stands the Staszic Palace, with the statue of Copernicus on the square in front of it. We cross over to Piłsudski Square, the largest square in the city. At the edge of the square, next to ...
The Wieliczka Salt Mines
Poland - Before heading to Kraków, we first visit the Wieliczka salt mines. The salt mine complex is located just past Kraków. Since we had already booked tickets in advance for the English-language tour, we don’t have to queue at the ticket counter. We are ...