Jewish Quarter, Krakow, Poland

The Jewish Quarter in Krakow is one of the most moving places I've been (second to Anne Frank's house).

This map is focused on the Old Synagogue. Zoom out and scroll slightly to the North-North West and you'll see the Remuh Jewish Cemetery.

While their web site says there "has also been a reawakening in the importance of Jewish history and culture," it didn't feel like that to me. It felt like a place that had had it's soul killed, eerilly still and hollow.

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St. Mary's Basilica, Krakow, Poland

The icon of Krakow to me was St. Mary's Basilica on the Market Square. Here's the wikipedia article.

On every hour, a trumpet signal - called the hejnał (pronounced hey-now) - is played from the top of the taller of St. Mary's two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city.

You can listen to the trumpet here.

Here are my pictures of the basilica in the daytime and in the nighttime.

The basilica sits on the northeast corner of Krakow's Market Square. For many centuries it was the largest marketplace and town square in Europe. In the center of the square is Cloth Hall. Here's my picture of Cloth Hall.

Also in the square is the Town Hall Tower, built in the 13th century. Here are my pictures of the tower in the daytime and in the nighttime.

Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland

Wawel Castle overlooks the Vistula River.

Here's the wikipedia article and here's their web site.

The Sunday we were there was Saint Stanislaus's Day. My pictures begin here.

We toured the Royal Private Apartments. It was really kind of sad in that so many of the country's artifacts had been stolen by conquerors over the centuries.

St. Florian's Gate, Krakow, Poland

St. Florian's Gate was just 1/2 block from our hotel in Krakow. The permit to build it was issued in 1285. It was part of the medieval city walls. Here's the wikipedia article and here's my picture of the gate.

Just north of the gate is the Barbican of Krakow, built around 1498. Here's the wikipedia article on it and here's my picture.

If you zoom out 3 clicks, you can see the park area that was built where the old wall was torn down.