The melody which we heard just a few seconds ago is one of the most important
symbols of this place. It's played every hour and every day but a real trumpeteer.
My name is Bart
and I'm going to be your guide. I'm one of the guides for the Krakow Explorers' team.
Krakow - its over 1000 year olds
town. And for over 600 years it used to be a host for Polish kings and dukes. Today,
Krakow is one of the largest cities in Poland, after Warsaw, with approx. 1 million inhabitants.
But we can talk about statistics every single year with the 14 million tourists. Krakow is one
of the most popular touristic destinations, not only in Poland but the whole of Europe.
So of course there are some reasons why and why Krakow was on the first list of
World UNESCO Heritage in 1978. Guys, at the beginning of the UNESCO list.
Why was it like that? Why Krakow is so special?
Why Krakow is so popular? Let's find out on our video!
St. Mary's Basilica is one of the oldest churches in Krakow. One of the most important
churches in Krakow because it's one of the main parish churches for Krakow citizens.
It's a great example of 14th century Polish Gothic Style.
However, St Mary's isn't famous because of its architecture, its famous because of a few legends.
One of them is about the melody. The melody which we heard a few minutes ago. The melody
stops at the half of a note and doesn't have a proper ending. But if you were wondering why.
So properly that is why the legend was created.
The melody stops at the half of the note, according to the legend, because
the trumpeter unfortunately was killed. He was killed by a Mongolian arrow.
So look, in 1241 Krakow was invaded by Mongols,
by a western tribe of Mongols called Tartars. The trumpeter was trying to warn citizens.
He took the trumpet to play a melody to prepare a battle. But this melody was heard not only
by Krakow citizens but also by Mongols. One of them aimed the target and shot the
guard straight in the throat. That's the reason why the melody stops in the half of the note.
The legend is not that old like many people think.
It was created in the 20s of the 20th century by American tourist Eric Kelly.
St. Mary's Basilica is standing in the corner of Market Square, which is the largest medieval
market square in Europe. 200 meters by 200 meters - guys that is the largest medieval
market in Europe so some of you might ask - "Why was the largest medieval market built here,
in Krakow? Not in London, Paris, nor Rome?"
The answer is simple. In medieval ages there were no RyanAir or EasyJet.
People were riding their horses or walking across the European continent.
So Krakow was more or less in Central part of Europe so thanks to trade Krakow developed.
In the middle of the market square is standing the Cloth Hall. Guys,
the Cloth Hall is one of the oldest shopping malls all over the world.
It was built over 700 years ago. However, today it is used not only to buy some clothes,
not only to sell fabrics and clothes but today it is a very popular place to buy some souvenirs.
You may buy over there amber jewelry. However, in medieval times apart from jewelry
and clothes, a very expensive item you could buy at the main market square was the white gold.
No guys, the white gold isn't cocaine. The white gold is salt. Salt was really
important. Salt was very expensive because people needed to have salt to preserve meat.
There were no refrigerators several hundred years ago. And definitely the salt mine was
important for Krakow city. Nearby Krakow about 12 km from the city center is Wieliczka.
Wieliczka salt mines is one of the largest and one of the oldest
salt mines all over Europe. It is also UNESCO Heritage, the same like the city center of Krakow.
So if you come to Krakow you must go to salt mine. Don't forget about that, its very important.
Usually in the city center of Krakow you will find campers,
trucks, tents but today is an exception because today they make a film. Krakow is
famous because of films. One of the most famous film which was made over here in the 90s, which
is probably very very well known for you, which is Schindler's List. So if you come to Krakow
we are going to show you some sites connected with this outstanding film by Steven Spielberg.
Nowadays, Krakow is not only famous because it's
a popular tourist destination, Krakow is one of the largest academic centers in Poland. In Krakow
actually we have one of the oldest universities in Europe and that would be the oldest in Poland,
which is was established by our King, Casimir the Great in the year 1364. So guys over 650
years ago we had the university over here and the university still exists.
But there is not only one university in Krakow. In total we have about 20 colleges with
over 220,000 students. So yes Krakow is definitely a very important academic town.
However guys this building which is right next to us, which is the oldest university building
that is still standing. It was built in the beginning of the 1400s and its called Collegium
Maius. It still belongs to the university but daily we do not have lectures over there,
only for special occasions. Daily this building is used a museum where you can find
many items connected with medieval scholars and you
can find many items connected with students who used to study over here.
One of the most important items in the collection is astrolabe used by
Nicolaus Copernicus who used to study over here between 1491 until 1493.
One of the most famous Krakow students besides Nicolaus Copernicus and me,
was Karol Wojtyła. Karol Wojtyła, he
used to study Polish theology but he couldn't finish his studies because the dark times began.
In 1939, WWII has started and unfortunately all of Krakow's professors
were imprisoned and universities were closed.
Over 180 Krakow professors were taken to concentration camps
and killed. But after international protests, after several months, Krakow professors
who were released from concentrations camps
came back and they decided to give lectures in secret as a symbol of the resistance.
But Karol Wojtyła couldn't finish his Polish language theological studies he decided to fight
in his own way. In 1942 in this yellowish building, he started secret lectures of theology.
And after WWII, he became a priest. And after that he became Bishop of Krakow and after that
he became the cardinal, where in 1978 the Pope died in Rome, the Vatican.
Karol Wojtyła, he went to conclave. He came back taking the name of Pope John Paul II.
WWII was the worst part of our history. During 5.5 years of tragic history,
approximately 17% of population have been killed. Guys, 17% of the population at the time
that was more or less 6 million citizens. You can imagine 6 million citizens were killed over here.
Unfortunately, many of them were killed in very terrible places like Auschwitz-Birkenau.
So if you come to Krakow, defintely you must go to Auschwitz Camp. I know its difficult,
it might be very difficult for most of you. However, we need to remember what happened here.
We need to remember the tragic history because if we forget we may repeat the history again.
Many Jewish citizens who used to live in Krakow,
many homosexuals, many Roma, many Jehovah's Witnesses, many people who were just different,
political prisoners, their families, have been killed in the name of the Nazi ideology.
Auschwitz-Birkenau is one of the darkest places on the map of Poland when we talk
about the history of the Poles. However, WWII was lost by Poland.
Of course, as you probably know, Hitler, he committed suicide. Nazi Germany failed. Luckily,
they didn't kill everyone. However, we lost WWII not only because of Nazis. We lost Second World
War because of Allied politicians. Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt met each other in Yalta in
Crimea in Feb. 1945 to discuss about the future. To discuss about Europe after they win the war.
So unfortunately Europe had been divided by the Iron Curtain. The Iron Curtain
that was the line, that was like a border between communist and capitalistic system.
Poland stayed on the wrong side of Iron Curtain and we became a communist country after the war.
People did not want to become communist. That was another regime. That is not what we had been
fighting for. That was the regime that many people had been judged in fake political trials.
Where many people had been tortured by the communist secret police. Where many people
were imprisoned. Many people were trying to fight. However, the communists last for over 40 years.
In 1989 luckily thanks to Solidarity movement, communist collapsed. On 4th
of June, 1989 we got the possibility to vote and luckily we got freedom.
Right before WWII, Krakow was relatively small. In Krakow lived approx, 280,000
citizens. So Krakow was easy to control and regulate by Gestapo and Nazi occupants.
Here in Krakow, actually in the Royal Palace was the main office of Hans Frank. Hans Frank was one
of the most important people in Nazi Germany. He was Hitler's lawyer, a very trusted person. He got
total power. He became our general governor. Hans Frank obviously doesn't live in ordinary building
when he came to Krakow. He decided to live in the Royal Palace, where we are right now.
He was calling himself the last King of Poland. And if you look right over there, you may find the
yellowish building. Guys, this building wasn't built in Italian Renaissance, it wasn't built
a long time ago. It was built actually during WWII. They were the main offices of the Nazis.
And what's interesting,
guys, is that the building fits. The Nazis were sure they were going to win the war.
They were sure they were going to stay over here in the city of Krakow forever. They didn't want
to destroy Krakow. Krakow survived. That's why Krakow is a very unique place. It wasn't
destroyed in WWII. Everything in the old town, everything in the city center is actually old.
If you are going to come to the castle, definitely I would recommend to stay over
here for a whole day. There are lots of things to visit, lots of things to see, like the cathedral,
like the church where Polish kings were crowned and where Polish kings are buried.
The cathedral is one of the oldest churches in Poland, which is approx. 1000 years old.
On the church you may find many different architectural styles,
starting from Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical. Everything just in
one church! Everything just in one building. That is outstanding. Definitely must see.
We know where Polish kings were crowned. We know where Polish kings
were buried, now let's go see where they used to live. Let's go to see the Royal Palace.
The castle is the oldest part of Krakow. During archeological excavations, we found remains
from first settlements - probably 8th/9th century. But of course across centuries,
architecture was changing. So the castle today is a great example of Renaissance
art which was brought in the 16th century from Italy. So guys, in the 16th century Poland was
quite wealthy and we could afford to rebuild the castle in this way. So this courtyard
with columns, with loggia is the best example of Italian art from 16th century outside of Italy.
So guys Krakow is called Krakow because of some reasons, there is a reason. Many people
who are coming here now thinks its called Krakow because of the people smoking crack. No guys,
there is a different story. Let's go to find out.
So guys Krakow, actually Krakoof in Polish pronunciation,
it's called like that because of the first mythical ruler, called Krakus.
He established the first settlement on the very top of the hill.
However, the first settlers who decided to live on this place called today Krakow,
they were bothered by the dragon which used to live in the cave just underneath the castle hill.
The dragon's favorite food was cattle and young girls. So obviously Krakus couldn't send
all the young girls to the dragon - that is why he organized a competition for
knights and soldiers, whoever would come to city of Krakow
and slay the beast would get the hand of the princess and have the kingdom.
So many handsome knights in shining armor,
big warriors with big grand swords were trying to kill the beast. But it wasn't that simple
because the dragon was spitting fire. Many of them were burned by the dragon's flame.
However one simple man, a Krakow citizen, a shoemaker, he decided to try to kill the beast.
He knew it was impossible to kill the dragon with a spear or a grand sword. He decided to
kill the dragon with a trick. He stuffed a lambskin with sulphur and oil and set it
outside the cave and was waiting. The dragon was thinking this was a gift from Krakow citizens,
that it was a tasty sheep, so he swallowed it. That was a mistake.
The fire starts to burn the dragons stomach when he swallowed the lambskin full of sulphur.
He became really thirsty. He jumped into the river which was just next to the castle. The dragon was
drinking and drinking but it was impossible to extinguish this fire. So the dragon kept
drinking and he was drinking more and more and more and more and explodes at the end.
In this way the dragon was defeated and the Krakow citizens were free.
When you come up to the castle, on the castle hill next to the entrance of the
cathedral, you'll find bones. Very big bones which were examined a couple of years ago
and are obviously are not bones of the dragon. But people
in the medieval times had no idea there was something called Ice Age. So those bones of
rhinos and mammoths probably convinced people that there was a mythological creature called a dragon.
However there is a legend connected with the bones.
According to legend there are bones hanging on the cathedral walls and when they call fall and touch
the ground that will be the end of the world. As you can see they are still hanging so I hope
this madness connected with COVID-19, that is not the end of the world.
Bart from Krakow, Krakow Explorers - don't be a tourist,
be an explorer. Come to Krakow and join our tours.