Though not a large city, Kraków still has enough to see to warrant more that a few posts. There are that many museums, attractions and interesting things that you can easily fill up more than a few days. This is why we spent four nights here, and probably could have spent more with all of the day trips that are also at your disposal.

Kraków

This part contains less churches and more museums. Of course we had some time to amble through town once or twice, but since we only had a half day to see what we could, the other half being consumed by our Salt Mine tour, we saw what we could in the time alotted.

Museums

Below are the museums we visited that were very close to our hotel and hold special importance in the history, culture and defense of the city.

Barbican

The fortified outpost just outside Saint Florian’s Gate is the Barbican. The name is actually derived by a fortified outpost of the same and was once attached via a wall to the Florian Gate and the defensive walls of the city.

Diorama – Showing Defensive Walls and Barbican Integration – Kraków, Poland

The entrance to the Barbican is actually in line with Florian Gate, the entrance that would have normally spanned the moat now acts as the exit.

Iron works – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Three holes of unknown use – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

A ticket will give you access to the ramparts and each lookout tower. Since its main purpose was an outpost, any activity that was seen was reported back to the city via the old wall that used to connect it to the defensive walls. Surrounded by moats before and after it and three meter walls, its defenses were adequate enough to sound the alarm of an attack.

Courtyard – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Parapets – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Patti – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Inside Pathway – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Stairs on Path – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Florian’s Gate – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Details – Barbican Museum – Kraków, Poland

Kraków Defensive Walls

The Defensive Wall Museum contains four towers and a small section of the old wall that still survives. The towers are: Saint Florian’s, Haberdashers, Joiners and Carpenters.

Winch – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

The walls had others and most are marked by stones along the walking path of the park that surrounds the town.

Entrance – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Watch your head – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Stairs – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Erick – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Patti – Internal pathway – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Internal pathway – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Pijarska Street – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Saint Florians Gate Tower

The Florian Gate actually contains a small chapel at the gate level and another one at the rampart level. The gate stands over the street by the same name and is one of the major entries into the old town.

Chapel – Defensive Walls – Kraków, Poland

Florian’s Gate – Florianska Street – Kraków, Poland

Rynek Underground

This underground museum captures the feeling and historical elements of the old Cloth Hall that once stood on the site. The current installment of the Cloth Hall, complete with souvenir shops, is built over top of it.

Access to the site is via a stairwell and upon entry the visitor is met with a colorful exhibit of the Witness Colum.

Entry Exhibits – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Witness Colum – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Water Pump System – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Water System – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Book – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Video Exhibits – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Silver Clasps – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Silver Artifacts – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Steel Saw Blades – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Shoes – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Steel Implements – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Toys – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Rings – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Other exhibits include models of old stalls that shop keepers would sell everything from cloth, to trinkets and other necessities.

Blacksmith Shop – Cloth Mall – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Stall Roof – Cloth Mall – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Foot Bridge – Cloth Mall Road – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Cloth Mall Road – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Timbers and Cloth Mall Road – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Near the end of the museum and walk-through is a long hall that contains several interesting video shows on different aspects of the history of the Rynek.

Boleslaw Stalls – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Ruts left in cobblestones by wagons – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Stalls – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Foundation – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

The Dig – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Sewer Pipe – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Buried Horse – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Old Walls – Rynek Underground Museum – Kraków, Poland

Churches And Cathedrals

Saint Florian’s Church

Located outside the old town through the Saint Florian’s Gate off of the Jana Matejki Plaza is the eponymous church. It has a beautiful interior and altar.

Kraków, Poland – Part Two