Cracow, the largest city of southern Poland, is located on the banks of the Vistula River. It was a capital of Poland between the 11th and the 16th century. Today, the city is one of the most important academic, scientific, and cultural centres in Central Europe.
 

According to an old Polish legend, Cracow has been founded by Duke Krak and, consequently, named after him (Krakow). He is believed to save its inhabitants from a blood-thirsty dragon hiding in a cave dug into the Wawel Hill on the banks of the Vistula.  Cracow has a long history of occupation beginning with the Paleolithic Period and continuing until present day. The settlement  itself has been founded at the turn of the 9th century occupying mostly the Wawel Hill and its surroundings known as Okół. The Wanda and the Krak mounds, two unique huge earthen monuments are dated to this time.

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Through the ages, the city of Cracow was a principal trade center located at the crossroads of the main European trade routes leading from the north to the south and from the west to the east, including the most important one from Kiev to Prague and further to the west.  In 1257 Cracow has been officially recognized as an urban center. This event was marked by building a centrally placed market square whose dimensions 200 m by 200 m made it the largest market square in the Medieval Europe. Its plan has remained unchanged for 700 years. Cracow's Old Town with Wawel Hill and the Jewish Kazimierz district have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.

CRACOW HALF DAY TOURS, Sunday, 24th September 2006
 

Cracow in 1493 (Hartmann Schedel, "Nuremberg Chronicle")
 

The 360° Panorama of Cracow's Main Market Square at Night. 

 

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