History of Krakow

The medieval city of Krakow began its life with the death of a dragon, which supposedly lived in a hillside cave. Legend tells us that upon slaying the dragon, a legendary Slavonic prince built a castle atop this rocky hill overlooking a bend in the Wisla River. Krakow is a city of myths, where its 13th century splendour blends perfectly with the 21st century promise it holds. As one of the few Polish cities to escape destruction during WWII, Krakow is a glorious reminder of this country’s romantic past. 

A new capital

By the end of the 10th century, Krakow had been absorbed into the Kingdom of Poland, which was then ruled by a king of the Piast dynasty. As the importance of Polish amber trade increased across the globe, Krakow quickly rose to prosperity, and by 1038, the city was sufficiently wealthy enough to be declared the capital of Poland.

The Tartar raids

The beautiful capital was all but destroyed by two Tartar invasions in 1241 and 1242. The ruler of the time, King Wstydliwy, called for a massive plan to rebuild Krakow and protect it with defensive walls, towers and a moat, which completely encircled the city. He also designed a central square larger than any in Europe, which today, boasts more than 8,000 historic monuments and buildings.

Kazimierz the Great

A generous patron of the arts and sciences, King Kazimierz had an enormous impact on the city during his reign from 1333 to 1370. In addition to building the original Wawel Castle, he established the famous Jagiellonian University, in 1364. Only the second university to be opened in central Europe, after the one in Prague, this academy quickly became one of the most respected institutes on the continent.

The Golden Age

Krakow flourished immensely during the 15th and 16th centuries, a time known as its Golden Age. Many artists and scholars settled in the city including the astronomer Copernicus and the great medieval sculptor Wit Stwosz. After the king married an Italian princess, talented men from Renaissance Italy arrived to build splendid new buildings, frescos and sculptures, most of which survive today.

A capital no more

When King Zygmunt III moved his royal entourage to Warsaw in 1609, he moved Poland’s capital as well. With the monarchy gone, Krakow’s influence diminished and the church stepped in to fill the power void. Krakow retained the coronation and sepulchral churches for the kings of Poland, ensuring its future role in the realm.

Invasions and rebellions

When the Swedes marched into Poland in 1655, it set off a long period of invasions by the Russians, Austrians and Prussians. Krakow was ruled by other countries, the last being the Austrians, right up until the end of WWI. Throughout this long period of occupation, Krakow developed a reputation as a centre of rebellion against foreign invaders. The final tragic invasion came in 1939, when the Germans took the city and decimated the once lively Jewish district of Kazimierz.

The post-war years

Fortunately, the city was spared the wholesale destruction of WWII and retains much of its 13th century architecture, a rarity for Europe. Communism replaced the Nazis, eventually resulting in the Solidarity movement, which naturally had its birth in Krakow. Since the fall of communism, Krakow has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the greatest historical cities in Europe.