Wawel Royal Castle
Feel free to walk through the garden and the spacious court, as early monarchs of Poland did, before the capital was moved away from Krakow (at the beginning of the XVII century).
Wawel Castle History through ages
Castle existed roughly from the beginning of the twelfth century, but until our times it was repeatedly extended, rebuilt after fires and renewed after recovering it from the hands of many invaders. Currently it represents a unique architectural complex, where the overlapping influences of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque can be recognized. For thous curious of it’s history a Lost Wawel museum shows the reconstruction of buildings that no longer exists!
What to see in Wawel Castle, permanent exhibitions
Attractions available to visitors are divided into several separate exposure:
- State Rooms – richly decorated rooms where you can admire the portraits of rulers as well as famous sculptures and tapestries
- Royal Private Apartments – not less ornamented than the official rooms, they also displays paintings, porcelain and carpets used by rulers
- Crown Treasury and Armory – treasury contains the spoils of war expeditions, works of art and historical relics – including the famous coronation sword Szczerbiec in the armory you can watch the exposure of personal weapons and heavy, as well as armor and other accessories used by the soldiers through the ages
- Oriental Art – trophies and souvenirs from the trip of John III Sobieski, including flags, sabers and tents, Turkish as well as Chinese and Japanese porcelain vases
- Lost Wawel – shows how the castle used to look befor the modern times, it also displays objects found in the excavations at this place
- Sandomierz Tower – a fortified tower, which served as headquarters for guards and prison; from the top floor you can admire the panorama of Krakow
- Be sure to check out other temporary exhibitions organized in the castle
Visiting the Castle, tickets and guided tours
A large part of Wawel Hill, the courtyard of the castle and the main level of the Wawel Cathedral can be visited free of charge. Tickets to the exhibitions can be bought separately. There is also a possibility to get a guided tour, during which you will learn many amazing and interesting facts about Polish monarchs and the castle itself. Please visit the official web page (available in English) for the details on opening hours and the displays.
The cash desk for the Royal Castle is independent of the cash desk for the Cathedral.
