Poland: Architectural Riches of Krakow

Unlike Poland’s capital city, Warsaw, Krakow escaped heavy bombing during World War II and still boasts many unscathed churches, palaces, and museums. Market Square, designed in the 1200s, remains a vital gathering place for Krakovians and features some of the city’s loveliest buildings dating from that time. For instance, Sukienice, an indoor marketplace for selling jewelry and displaying paintings, has been standing since the Middle Ages.

Attending Mass or choral concerts allows visitors to truly appreciate the ornate cathedral interiors that testify to Krakow’s embrace of Catholicism. Although all of these sanctuaries are guaranteed to impress, St. Mary’s Church, in particular, awes with its impressive murals, stained glass, and gilded altarpiece figures. A stay at the Hotel Copernicus affords a spectacular view of Krakow’s cathedral and castle on Wawel Hill. Indeed, no visit here is complete without a trip to this popular attraction. The center of the monarchy for centuries, Wawel Hill encompasses another breathtaking cathedral, a castle filled with glittering tapestries, and a pleasant park.

Krakow’s splendor sometimes makes us forget its dark history; in addition to invasions from neighboring Russia and Germany throughout the years, the city also suffered the elimination of most of its Jewish citizenry in the 1940s. By the time the Nazis were defeated, only 1,000 out of 50,000 Jews remained. Steven Spielberg filmed part of "Schindler’s List" in Krakow, and tours arranged by a local synagogue will take you to Oskar Schindler’s factory, where the 1,200 Jews he saved were employed. Bus tours also go to concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau, 40 miles from Krakow. These sights are grim reminders that this city, despite its beauty and charm, still bears the scars of tragedy.