CRACOW, POLAND
Cracow proves to be Poland's prime tourist attraction. The site has been settled at least since the Stone Age. The Old Town district is actually the medieval city established in 1275. Its well-preserved original grid of streets with a huge square, Europe's largest, is the best example of the perfection of city planning in the Middle Ages. The famous Cracow Academy (Jagiellonian University) founded in 1364 by King Casimir the Great is one of the oldest universities in Europe. In its long history Cracow has seen many ups and downs. The proud capital of a mighty kingdom for hundreds of years, it was turned into a sleepy borderland in the 19th century. Then it became a vital centre of Polish national awakening at the turn of the century and the cradle of Poland's rebirth. In the year 2000 Cracow is an European City of Culture. Wawel Hill in Cracow, the Mecca of every Pole and a must for foreign tourists, is a microcosm of Polish history and culture. From the 11th century on Poland's monarchs took up their residence here, in the Royal Castle. They were both crowned and buried here, in Wawel Cathedral. The museum in the Wawel Royal Castle is a historical residence in character. The place is full of glory, magic, history and fable. 
photos: Wojciech Gorgolewski
| 
