Krakow - Wawel Cathedral

Wawel Cathedral: Poland’s National Sanctuary, and What Makes It Different from Other Cathedrals

Wawel Cathedral is the burial site of Polish kings, queens, and national heroes. The crypt contains 37 sarcophagi, and the names on them trace Polish history from the 14th to the 20th century: Casimir III, Jan III Sobieski (who defeated the Ottoman army at Vienna in 1683), poet Adam Mickiewicz, and President Jozef Pilsudski. This is not a tourist attraction with historical significance as a side feature. It is a genuinely significant place.

The cathedral sits on Wawel Hill alongside Wawel Castle, an 11-minute walk up from the main market square via the hill’s western approach. The complex is free to enter the grounds; separate tickets cover the cathedral interior (18 PLN), Royal Tombs crypt (16 PLN), the Sigismund Bell Tower (18 PLN), and the cathedral museum. The combined ticket for all four runs 52 PLN (about $13).

Inside the Cathedral

The building itself is a layered record of Polish architectural history: Romanesque foundations, Gothic nave, Renaissance royal chapels, and Baroque additions. The Sigismund Chapel, the gold-domed Jagiellonian mausoleum on the south wall, is the outstanding architectural piece; built in 1519-1533 and considered the finest example of Renaissance architecture in Poland, its details reward close examination.

The crypt is the reason many visitors come. The long corridor of royal tombs is not grandly lit or dramatically presented; you move through it at close quarters, reading the names, which is more affecting than theatrical presentation would be.

The Sigismund Bell Tower has the Sigismund Bell (15th century, the largest in Poland, rung only on major national occasions) accessible from a wooden staircase. The bell itself and the view of the castle and city from the tower both justify the climb.

Wawel Castle

The Royal Apartments in Wawel Castle (from 30 PLN) are the primary castle attraction; the tapestry collection, assembled under Sigismund II Augustus in the 16th century, is exceptional and rarely discussed in the same breath as the great European tapestry collections, which is an oversight. The Dragon’s Den (accessible via a spiral staircase and separate exit through the castle wall, 6 PLN) has a mechanical fire-breathing dragon at the entrance that delights children and is harmlessly amusing for adults.

The Old Town

Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny) is 400 metres from Wawel Hill and is consistently rated among the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe. St. Mary’s Basilica on the square’s northeast corner has a famous wooden altarpiece by Veit Stoss completed in 1489; a trumpeter plays from the tower every hour, cutting off mid-phrase in commemoration of a medieval trumpeter who was killed mid-alarm during a Tartar invasion.

Where to Eat

Pod Nosem at ul. Kanonicza 22, on the hill approach to Wawel, does traditional Polish food with good beet soup (barszcz) and pierogi with various fillings; dinner for two with beer runs 120-180 PLN. Milk bars (bar mleczny), the Polish communist-era cafeterias that survived into the present, offer bigos, pierogi, and zurek soup for 12-25 PLN per plate. Kuchnia u Doroty on Ulica Szewska is the most consistently recommended. For beer: Krakow’s craft beer scene is excellent; Piec’Art on Szewska Street has 16 Polish craft taps and no tourist markup.

Hotels near the Old Town: Hotel Wentzl on the Main Square charges from 500-800 PLN for rooms with direct square views. Budget travellers find hostels in Kazimierz (the Jewish quarter, 15 minutes’ walk) for 80-120 PLN per dorm bed, with better cafes and bars per square metre than the Old Town.