The Wawel Hill

The Wawel Hill in Kraków is one of the most important hills in Poland. It is located just next to the best crossing of Vistula river,.

It is high enough to give the defenders natural cover and distant view to notice the danger early. It is also huge enough to gather significant garnisson and its logistical support.

So you should not be suprised it was settled for the last 100.000 years. The first legendary castle existed here already in VIII century and for sure the first cathedral was erected here in anno domini 1000. Below, you can see the remains of the St. Michael's chapel from XII century.

If you came as a foe you had to climb the high bastions covered by the fire from the flanks.

To enter the castle as friends you should instead take this steep road, the times when we horses could helped you are unfortunatelly over.

To assess better the size and the location of many building on the hill here comes a miniature of the place. I like it a lot because I perfectly fit into the size.

The Wawel Hill is so important for the Polish history because it hosted for more then five centuries Polish kings in the Royal Castle (on the right) and the Wawel Royal Cathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus (on the left) hosts them till now.

Although the oldest parts of the castle come from the times of Kazimierz The Great, its current look in reneissance style we owe to the Golden Age of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, King Sigismund the Old and his wife Queen Bona Sforza.



The most impressive part of the castle is its XVIth century internal courtyard.



Since now Poland is a democracy, the castle hosts today a museum with royal chambers. Unfortunately, it is not allowed to take pictures inside but you can have a glimpse at the interior of the castle under this link.

The remains of the great old times are exhibited in the Crown Treasury and Armory.

In the Armory you can see many weapons, like the very versatile halberds ...

... the crossbows ...

... and the muskets that replaced them.

I have told you that the kings are still on the Wawel Hill, because in the cathedral you can find the tombs of Polish Kings from Władysław I the Elbow-high to Augustus II the Strong. They are covered with the sarcophagus sculptured at the times of the funerals, presenting the almost real look of the kings.

Most of what you can see was constructed in XIV century, as a third try after two earlier fires, but there are inside parts, as the St. Leonard's Crypt which date to XI century. You can enter the cathedral but not to take pictures inside.

Please notice the bone left above the entrance.

It belonged to the Wawel dragon. He lived in the Dragon's Den just below the hill.

If you have never been to the dragon's apartment it is the only chance.

It is colourful,

equipped with electricity

and really high. The host waits outside.

If you wait a few minutes he can even breathe fire for you. If you are brave enough to catch him with your hands, they will be hot enough to let you have a star on the boulevard between the Hill and the Vistula river. The company there is really spendid.

But no horseshoe by now. Maybe some knight wants a ride ?

Jewish Kazimierz in Kraków

Contemporary Poland is an almost uni-nation country. It is mainly due to German Nazi's extermination of Jews and people migrations ordered by Stalin after Second World War. But earlier Poland was a melting pot for many cultures with a vast mix of influences, including obviously horses.

You may know that the creation of Poland is officially dated back to year 966. Only 72 years later, in 1038 Kraków became the capital of the country. It remained in this role for five centuries. The kings lived in the castle called Wawel, which was defended by the city only from northern side. To increase the defence and improve the control of Vistula river, king Kazimierz the Great (the only "Great" in Polish history) ordered in 1335 that on an island surrounded by the branches of Vistula river, just south of the castle, a new city of his name is set-up and surrounded by walls. This new suburb was connected to the capital by the first permanent bridge across Vistula river, called Pons Regalis, which lasted till XIX century, when a flood destroyed it and the branch of Vistula river was filled in. Nowadays the Kazimierz district is a part of Kraków.

At the end of fifteenth century, many European countries (Spain, Austria, Hungary) expelled Jews. They found their new safe home in Poland. After the Kraków fire of 1494, in 1495 the king Jan Olbracht ordered Jews to move to the eastern part Kazimierz. The population of the so called Jewish City grew rapidly. Very fast, Kazimierz became the most influential Jewish place in Europe. On the Market Square of Kazimierz its inhabitants have built a renaissance synagogue called the Old Synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue still standing in Poland.

From Bartosz Street it looks also impressive.

Currently the synagogue is no longer a place for prayers but is a division of the Historical Museum of Kraków.

It is obviously devoted to the Jewish religion and culture. This menorah, used for Hanukkah, is called the chanukiah.

The balcony in the middle of a synagogue is called bima. This is from where the Torah is read.

Next to the side wall you will find the Ark were the Torah is stored.

When the ark is closed it is usually covered with a special parochet.

When a religious Jew is praying he usually puts on his head a shawl called Tallith.

You can see the Tallith here - during a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony.

And the original walls of the Old Synagogue. Standing in front of them in 1794 General Tadeusz Kościuszko spoke to the Jews for their support in Polish struggle for independence.

The Old Synagogue, as it is called, is the oldest in Kazimierz, but obviously it is not the only one. You can see there the High Synagogue ...

... and the Isaac's synagogue.

Next to the latter, you can see the remainings of a Jewish cemetary.

But in my opinion the most beautiful synagogue in Kazimierz is this one.

It is called Tempel Synagogue and was build in neo-moorish style.

The Old Synagogue stands just next to the most representative street of the Jewish Kazimierz - the Szeroka (Wide) street, with famous Ariel restaurant and many smaller ones.

In many of them evenings you can listen to the live Klezmer music. Thanks to music and food you can feel here real culture of Polish Jews, what I strongly encourage you to do.

Here you can give it a try.

Robbie Williams in concert

When I have decided to adopt a human family I thought that it would be a great experience - I will be able to educate them and share with them the world, taking them on trips to interesting places. What I did not know at that time was that to achieve this I will have to go from time to time to places that they like. As a result today I will show you an event that was very special for my human secretary - the concert of her favourite singer that took place recently at the Kraków Arena stadium.

To be honest, he does not look too handsome.

You probably recognised him - this is Robbie Williams.

He is on a tour that took its title from his first solo single, released in 1997.

 What can I say - welcome Robbie.

The stadium was slowly filling in with people.

In the middle you may spot the sound engineers.

The lights started to slowly go down.

Finally a shape appeared on the huge screen.

All lights on the stage!

And here he comes, Robbie himself. This huge screen was a nice idea.

In front of the main stage there was a lane going into the crowd.

And yes, it's time for "Rock DJ". 

All hands into one direction (and no, I do not mean One Direction).

The laser lights go crazy.

And suddenly the music changes. Robbie sits down and ask some nice young ladies to sing with him.

But to not be fooled, "The road to Mandalay" starts slowly but develops quickly.

Finally here comes what everybody was waiting for. No need for special effects. Just Robbie, a guitar and a friend.

You guessed right - these lights are not lighters. These are smartphones. We are in the twenty-first century after all.

But even in a thousand years this song will not stop to be magic. After all, it was voted by the British public the best song in the past 25 years of British music.

That's it? The lights are up again?

Alright, I admit. I did enjoy this concert. Especially my favourite song. I am sure you guessed which one I am talking about - the one where my cousin is carrying the Amazing Darryl Hannah around snowy mountains.

And yeah, I just want to feel real love ...