Poland - Eastern Europe - page 429

playing his lonely hourly dirge to the defenders of the Kraków from the Tartar
hordes—in order that the people below know the correct time.
Rynek Glówny 4. & 012/422-05-21. Mon-Sat 11:30am-6pm; Sun 2-6pm.
Wyspia^ski Museum Fans of Polish art will have heard of Stanis l aw Wyspia ^ ski,
one of the originators of a turn-of-the-20th-century art movement known as M l oda
Polska (Young Poland). The M l oda Polska movement, based largely here in Kraków
and Zakopane, reinvigorated Polish culture in the years before World War I. You'll
note parallels between Wyspia ^ ski's paintings and drawings and the Art Nouveau
movement in Paris and Brussels, and Jugendstil in Vienna.
Szczepa^ska 11. & 012/422-70-21. www.muzeum.krakow.pl. Admission 6 zl ($2/£1); free Thurs. Tues 10am-4pm;
Wed 10am-7pm; Thurs 10am-4pm; Fri-Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 10am-3pm.
EXPLORING WAWEL CASTLE
Wawel Castle (www.wawel.krakow.pl) is Poland's pride and joy. With Warsaw having
been flattened by the Nazis, this ancient castle, and former capital, rising 45m (150
ft.) above the Vistula, has become something of a symbol of the survival of the Polish
nation. Understandably, for non-Poles, Wawel has less symbolic significance, but is
still a handsome castle in its own right and well worth an extended visit.
The original castle dates from around the 10th century, when the area was first cho-
sen as the seat of Polish kings. For more than 5 centuries, the castle stood as the home
of Polish royalty. The original castle was built in a Romanesque style, and subse-
quently remodeled over the centuries, depending on the architectural fashions of the
day. What you see today is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque.
The castle fell into disrepair after the Polish capital was moved to Warsaw at the end
of the 16th century, but its darkest days came during World War II, when it was occu-
pied by the Nazi governor of the wartime rump Polish state, Hans Frank. The castle
luckily escaped serious damage during the war.
Aside from the castle, the complex comprises a Cathedral, including the Royal
Tombs, the Cathedral Museum, the Royal Chambers, with an impressive collection
of tapestries, and the Treasury and Armory. (There are actually more things to see
than this, but these are the highlights.) It's a lot to see and the tourist office and guides
will recommend putting in a whole day. But if castles are not your thing, or if your
interest in Polish history leaves something to be desired, don't overdo it. Two to 3
hours is usually enough to see the main castle and cathedral complex.
The grounds are open to the public free of charge, but entry to the castle and var-
ious other sites requires buying separate tickets. Note that in high season, the number
of visitors is restricted. To ensure you get to see what you want, phone ahead to the
main ticket office ( & 012/422-16-97 ) to reserve. The castle hours are: Tuesday
9:30am to 4pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30am to 3pm, Friday 9:30am to 4pm,
Saturday 9:30am to 3pm, and Sunday 10am to 3pm. Admission is 15 z l ($5/£2.60)
(and 75 z l /$25/£14 for an English-speaking guide).
Wawel Cathedral and Cathedral Museum This is the spiritual home of the
Polish state, testifying to the strong historical link between the Polish royalty and the
Catholic Church. The chapels here, and the Royal Tombs below, hold the remains of
all but four of Poland's 45 rulers (King Kazimierz the Great's tomb is in red marble to
the right of the main altar.) Admission includes the tombs and the climb to the top of