In the heart of Krakow rises Wawel – a hill that has witnessed the city’s history since ancient times, from the first settlements to today’s metropolis. As early as the time of the Vistulans tribe, the first fortified strongholds were built here, surrounded by legends of Krakus and his daughter Wanda.

Around 965, the merchant and traveler Ibrahim ibn Yaqub described the city as a meeting place for merchants traveling between northern and southern Europe. By the second half of the 10th century, the stronghold was incorporated into the Piast state, and in the year 1000 a bishopric was established, marking the beginning of Wawel as a center of both ecclesiastical and secular power.

Walking around the hill, you will see a place that has been at the heart of the city’s political, spiritual, and cultural life for centuries. Historic districts, cobbled streets, and scenic views of the Vistula River surround the area. In spring and summer, it attracts tourists, walkers, and history enthusiasts, while in winter it enchants with tranquility and the atmosphere of old Krakow.

KRAKOW AS THE SENIORAL CAPITAL
According to the testament of Bolesław the Wrymouth in 1138, Krakow became the senioral capital, meant to safeguard the unity of a divided Poland. Despite devastation during the Tatar invasion of 1241, the city quickly recovered. A turning point came in 1257, when Prince Bolesław the Chaste granted city rights based on Magdeburg law. At that time, an urban plan was created with the largest market square in Europe and a regular street grid — a layout preserved to this day. From the 14th century onwards, Krakow became Poland’s political and spiritual center.

In 1320, Władysław the Elbow-high was crowned in Wawel Cathedral, starting the tradition of crowning Polish kings in this very place. As one historian wrote:

"Krakow was not only a city but a symbol of Polish unity and culture in turbulent times."

GROWTH UNDER CASIMIR THE GREAT
During the 14th century, under Casimir the Great, the city experienced immense growth.
The king built numerous fortifications and Gothic churches, and reconstructed the castle on Wawel Hill.

He also founded the town of Kazimierz in 1335 and Kleparz in 1366, and in 1364 established the Krakow Academy, one of the oldest centers of learning in Central Europe. Economic growth was fueled by trade in salt and metals, with the Cloth Hall becoming the main hub of exchange. Membership in the Hanseatic League attracted artists and craftsmen, producing iconic works such as the Gothic altar by Veit Stoss and the Renaissance Sigismund Chapel on Wawel, designed by Bartolomeo Berrecci.

AN INTERNATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER
As early as the 15th century, the Jewish community played a significant role in the city’s life.
After being moved to Kazimierz by King John I Albert in 1495, the district became a center of Talmudic scholarship.

The eminent scholar Moses Isserles (Remu) wrote his commentaries here, and his grave continues to attract pilgrims from around the world. In the 16th century, Krakow had a truly cosmopolitan character — Poles, Germans, Italians, and Jews lived side by side, making the city a vibrant meeting ground of different traditions and cultures.

CHALLENGES AND RESILIENCE
At the end of the 16th century, the royal court moved to Warsaw, weakening Krakow’s status.
The following centuries brought epidemics, fires, and wars. During the Swedish Deluge in the 17th century, the city was severely damaged, though later reconstruction endowed it with splendid Baroque churches, such as St. Anne’s, designed by Tylman van Gameren.

• In the 18th century, during the partitions, Krakow came under Austrian rule.
  
• In 1794, Tadeusz Kościuszko began his uprising, taking an oath on the Main Market Square.
  
• In the 19th century, despite political hardships, the city regained importance as a hub of science, art, and patriotism, establishing Planty Park, the Scientific Society, and the Academy of Fine Arts.

KRAKOW IN THE 20TH CENTURY
During World War I, Krakow became one of the starting points of Poland’s rebirth, as Józef Piłsudski’s First Cadre Company set out from the city in 1914. In the interwar period, industry and cultural life flourished. World War II was a tragedy for the city — the German occupation led to the annihilation of the Jewish community and harsh repression of Krakow’s elites. In 1939, professors of the Jagiellonian University were targeted, and the Jewish population was confined to a ghetto and later deported to extermination camps.

KRAKOW TODAY
After the war, communist authorities initiated the construction of Nowa Huta, an industrial district intended to transform Krakow’s character. Nevertheless, the city preserved its academic and cultural identity.

Today, Krakow has nearly 800,000 inhabitants and is one of the most visited places in Central Europe, combining medieval heritage with modern dynamism.