Kraków

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Population 1,711,400 754,800 2,842,500 850,900

Density 8,500/sq mi 5,900/sq mi 12,600/sq mi 2,100/sq mi

Area 199 sq mi 126 sq mi 234 sq mi 372 sq mi

Kraków was 1st mentioned in 10th century chronicles

It was the capital of Poland from 12th century to 1611

Many of the landmarks were built in 14th century (St.Mary’s Basilica, Sukiennice); the Jagiellonian University was founded in 1364

19th century – the city was on the teritory of Austro-Hungarian Empire, but was autonomous and was the symbol and the center of Polishness

At the beginning of 20th century Polish political parties were only allowed in Kraków

During WWII professors from Kraków were murdered in Sachsenhausen concentration camp

… Kraków is the city of artists, scholars, and… students

Wawel – the Royal Castle The Old Town The Jagiellonian University Kazimierz

The castle was built on a limestone hill It has been there since 11th century For a few centuries, it was the Royal

Castle Many important Polish people are buried

there (Polish kings, the most important Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz (1798-55), Tadeusz Kościuszko (1746-1817))

the Wawel Cathedral with the burial chambers

Sigismund Bell the Treasury and the Armory the Royal Chambers Smocza Jama ("dragon's den") and

Smok Wawelski

… had an awful habit of eating cattle and young girls. Many brave knights tried to defeat the dragon, but no one succeeded until a young shoemaker prepared a lamb stuffed with sulphur and left it in front of the dragon’s den. The dragon devoured the lamb and became very thirsty. It went to the river Wisła and drank until it was so full that it exploded. The shoemaker married the king’s daughter in reward

The Old Town is located in the center of Kraków

See: The Main Market Square

Sukiennice (Cloth Hall)

St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościół Mariacki)

listen to hejnał – played on a trumpet every full hour from the tallertower of the church

was established in 1364 – the oldest university in Poland, one of the oldest in Europe

There are more than 52,000 students and 3,600 faculty

The most important university buildings include Collegium Novum (on the right) and Collegium Maius (both located in the Old Town)

It is a very popular, Jewish part of Kraków

7 synagogues 2 Jewish cementeries The Festival of Jewish

Culture and many restaurants,

art galleries and coffee shops

Lajkonik

obwarzanki

szopka krakowska (traditional crib)

Traditional Polish restaurants in Kraków Polskie Jadło (Świętego Jana 30) Chłopskie Jadło (Grodzka 9) Pod Złotą Pipą (Floriańska 30) Gościniec pod Zamkiem (Stradomska 11)

Restauracja Eden (Ciemna 15) – a kosher restaurant

Some traditional Polish food Pierogi (dumplings; with potatoes, meat,

sauerkraut and mushroom or cottage cheese)

Bigos (traditional stew with saurekraut) Gołąbki (stuffed cabbage) Żurek (flour soup) Barszcz czerwony (beet soup)

Kraków has excellent public transportation.

There are more than 150 tram and bus lines.

Trams Lines 1-51

Buses 100-199 500-599 – express

bus lines

You can buy tickets at newstands A single-ride ticket costs 2.50 PLN A 60-minute ticket costs 3.10 PLN A 24-hour ticket costs 10.40 PLN

Bus route maps:http://www.mpk.krakow.pl/image_popup.aspx?img=/mapki/

autobusy/Autobus%20A3%20od%202010-01-11D.jpg Tram route mapshttp://www.mpk.krakow.pl/image_popup.aspx?img=/mapki/

tramwaje/www_duza_2010.gif

Wieliczka – Salt Mine (10 miles SE)

Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains (70 miles S)

Iwona Dembowska-Wosik, the Kosciuszko Foundation fellow at Indiana University

idembows@indiana.edu

Primary sources: www.krakow.pl www.mpk.krakow.pl www.wikipedia.org www.maps.google.pl