Wawel Cathedral is very much the holy of holies, and not just in Cracow; Poland-wide. Only the Black Madonna of Czestochowa can rival Wawel for spiritual resonance. Today's cathedral is the third on Wawel Hill, the K motif on the door recalling King Kazimierz the Great, who completed the rebuilding in the fourteenth century. Chapels were added on over the years, mainly for monarchs or grand names from amongst Poland's aristocracy. Many of the most revered names in Polish history were laid to rest in the tombs beneath the cathedral, including Romantic poet Adam Mickiewicz and 'Father of Independence' Jozef Pilsudski. Look out for the Dragon's bones as you enter the building...
| |
