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Poland |
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Krakow
After completing the first leg of
my Eastern Europe trip by exploring Prague and the Czech Republic countryside,
I headed east to Poland. As my time was limited, focused simply on Krakow and
its surrounding environs. Krakow is officially the capital of the Molopolska
region and the unofficial bohemian culture capital of Poland. It is also an
extremely popular and lively city that attracts tourists and artists alike.
This is due to the fact that Krakow was the only major city in Poland not to be
completely obliterated by the Germans during World War II. Therefore, many of
its historic monuments have stayed intact and there is plenty to see and do
here.
Krakow revolves around its Main Market Square, Rynek Glowny;
which, at 200 sq. meters, -stands as the largest medieval town square in
Europe. Several of Krakow's most renowned monuments are located here, including
St. Mary's Basilica (cathedral), the Skiennive Cloth Hall market and St.
Adalbert's Church. The vibrant essence of the square makes one of its many
nearby hotels or hostels a good place to stay, as I inevitably wound up doing.
The numerous streets and alleys leading from the square are filled with
pleasant restaurants and shops and a walk down the vibrant Grodka St.
eventually leads to the Wawal Castle, where Poland's rulers lived for over 500
years until the late 16th century. |
above: St. Mary's Basilica from
Rynek Glowy Main Market Square. |
| Krakow also offers several intriguing day-trip sites
accessible from the city's main train station. Although the Soviets managed to
save Krakow from imminent Nazi destruction during World War II, the nearby
Auswitz and Birkenau former-concentration camps are a grim reminder of the
atrocities committed by the Nazis in Poland. A slightly more sanguine
experience can be had at the stupefying Wieliczka Salt Mines. |
Above: The entrance to the Auswitz
concentration camp |
Above: Lost in the tunnels of the
Wielczka Salt Mines |
above: around Krakow / below: St.
Mary's church |
above: jazz bar in Krakow / below: St. Mary's
church |
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Auschwitz - Birkenau (Oswiecim)
& Wieliczka Salt
Mines
Although not really a great place to go if you're
on a honeymoon, world war II history buffs will definitely want to make the
trip to the nearby Auschwitz & Birkenau former concentration camps nearby
the town of Oswiecim. It was at these camps where the Nazis committed their
worst atrocities of genocide. Some 1.5-2 million people, mainly Jewish, met
their deaths here. The camps have now been turned into memorial centers and are
visited by the thousands daily. A more uplifting experience can be found at the
Wieliczka Salt Mines - about 15km south of Krakow. Although I never quite got
the pronounciation right, the Wieliczka Salt Mines tour takes visitors some 300
meters below the surface into underground caves made up almost entirely of
salt. Amazingly, there's even chapel constructed over a century ago located in
the mines. If you're Krakow, than both Auschwitz and Wieliczka should
definitely be on your itinerary!
below: the entrance to
Auschwitz |
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above: Auschwitz |
below: Birkenau |
above & below: Wieliczka Salt Mines |
above: memorial at Auschwitz |
above: Wieliczka Salt Mines |
above and below: Chapel of the Blessed Kinga,
located in the Wieliczka Salt Mines |
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