A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established on the orders of King Casimir III the Great and enlarged over the centuries into a number of structures around an Italian-styled courtyard.

It represents nearly all European architectural styles of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods.

The current castle is built in the 14th c.

LOCATION

https://goo.gl/maps/meyCzM8dv1WgzUV3A

HISTORY

Wawel Castle is a fortified residency established on the orders of King Casimir III The Great and enlarged over the centuries

The history of Wawel is deeply intertwined with the hisotry of the Polish lands and Polish royal dynasties in the Medieval Ages

As the Polish Lithuanian commonwealth formed and grew, Wawel became the seat of one of Europes largest and most important states, the status was only lost when the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1596

It is 228 m above sea level, Polish monarchs were crowned and buried at the Cathedral on the premises and can be traced back to 970 AD

Wawel hill has archeological remainsqhich shows settlement from the 4th c.

Wawel Castle is now one of the country’s premier art museums which was created in the 1930s

The beautiful religious images on the walls of the buildings

Some of the old ruins remaining of the older fortifications

You can see the differenet eras in the colours of the building

The inner courtyard tiered arcades of Sigmunds I the Old – an italian renaissance courtyard

The Crown Treasury and Armoury presents a large collection of royal insignia and weaponry from Krakow’s many years of history. In Casimir the Great’s Room, the last remaining example of the 14th century formal apartments may be found, alongside relics and precious stones belonging to Polish rulers over the centuries

The inner courtyard looking over to the Cathedral, so many people!

Architectural styles of Romanesque / Gothic / Renaissance / Early Baroque

WAWEL CATHEDRAL

The cathedral has many side chapels surrounding a central nave and there are so many different styles of buildings! This is prob one of my most favourite buildings ive EVER visited!

Itsnearly 1000 years old and a national sanctuary served as the coronation site of Polish monarchs

Sigismunds Chapel is the one with the golden roof – the styles are Romanesque / Gothic / Renaissance / Baroque / Neoclassical

This is the main gate between the Holy Cross Chapel and the Holy Trinity Chapel

One of the entrances to the Cathedral

The Wawel Cathedral has been the main burial site for Polish monarchs since 14th c. and has been extended and altered over time as individual rules have added burial chapels

Sarcophagus of St Stanislaus

Vasa Chapel

Holy Cross Chapel

The current gothic cathedral is the 3rd edifice on this site, the first was constructed and destroyed in the 11th c. and the 2nd one constructed in the 12th c. was destroyed by fire in 1305 – the exiting church began construction in 14th c. and as it expanded new rulers added their own style to it and leaves the beautoful building we hae today!

One of my all time favourites, I would love to visit this place again, i truly felt at home and loved the diverse styles

An 1847 oil painting of Wawel Hill