Monument sights in Kraków
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Adam Mickiewicz statue
A few steps north from the Church of St Adalbert on Rynek Główny (the Main Market Square) is the Adam Mickiewicz statue surrounded by four allegorical figures representing the Motherland, Learning, Poetry and Valour. The szopki (Nativity scenes) competition is held beside the statue in early December.
The flower stalls, usually to the north of the statue and traditionally run by women, have been trading on this site since medieval times. The area in between is the 'pasture' for Kraków's pigeon population, which the city - unbelievably - encourages. The area is currently fenced off as excavations for a possible underground shopping and entertainment complex are going on …
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Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland
The Church of Our Lady Queen of Polandis otherwise known as the Arka Pana (Lord’s Ark). This interesting, though rather heavy, ark-shaped construction was the first new church permitted in Nowa Huta after WWII, and was completed in 1977 entirely by volunteer labourers. Up till then, Nowa Hutans used the two historic churches that had somehow managed to escape the avalanche of concrete. They are both on the southeastern outskirts of Nowa Huta, in the Mogiła suburb about 2.5km southeast of Plac Centralny (tram 15), and are worth a visit if you are in the area.
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Barbican
The most intriguing remnant of the medieval fortifications, the Barbican is a powerful, circular brick bastion adorned with seven turrets. There are 130 loopholes in its 3m-thick walls. This curious piece of defensive art was built around 1498 as an additional protection of the Florian Gate, and was once connected to it by a narrow passage running over a moat. It’s one of the very few surviving structures of its kind in Europe, and also the largest and perhaps the most beautiful.
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Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady
The Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, better known in these parts as the Mariacki. The first church on this site was built in the 1220s and, typically for the period, was ‘oriented’ – that is, its sanctuary pointed eastward. Following its destruction during the Tatar raids, the construction of a mighty basilica began, using the foundations of the previous church. That’s why the church stands at an oblique angle to the square.
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Kościuszko Mound
The human-made Kościuszko Mound pays tribute to Tadeusz Kościuszko, the hero who embodied the dreams of independent Poland in times of foreign occupation. Enter through the chapel and climb 34m for a spectacular panorama. There is a separate waxworks exhibition called Polish Routes to Independence (adult/child 8/6zł; open 9.30am to 6.30pm). From Salwator, take bus 100 or walk about 1.5km to the monument.
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Basilica of St Francis
Duck into the dark basilica on a sunny day to admire the artistry of Stanisław Wyspiański, who designed the fantastic Art Nouveau stained-glass windows. The multicoloured deity in the chancel above the organ loft is a masterpiece. From the transept, you can also enter the Gothic cloister of the Franciscan Monastery to admire the fragments of 15th-century frescos.
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Town Hall Tower
This tall tower is all that remains from the 15th-century town hall. In summer months, you can climb 70m to the top for a bird's-eye view of the goings-on. Nearby is the 11th-century Church of St Adalbert (Kościół Św Wojciecha), which predates the Rynek Główny.
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