Christmas market at the main market square 2009

The market will open from today (27 November) and remain open until 27 December.


I'll try to add photos and information in few days.

Meanwhile check what other say about this event started in the beginning of XIV century.

The church that is so small that even the apostols stay outside.

The Church of SS. Peter and Paul – is the most beautiful architectural monument of baroque in Krakow.

Erected during the years 1597 and 1635

The interior contains an excellent stucco decoration from the first half of the seventeenth century, made by an Italian stucco decorator Giovanni Battista Falconi.

The crypt under the chancel contains the tomb of the famous Polish preacher, Piotr Skarga, who died in the year 1612. There is a Foucault’s pendulum located in the church, proving the revolution of the earth around its axis.

In the square outside the church where before a St. Mary Magdalene’s church used to be, a monument of Piotr Skarga is placed on a high column.

A friend and advisor of King Sigmund Vasa the third, the Jesuit was sculptured by Czesław Dzwigaj, the most famous Cracovian artist during the last years.
for the Jesuit order as a foundation of King Zygmunt Vasa the third.

How to pay less for the taxi service?

I strongly recommend ordering by phone.

Advantages: You know that you won't pay more than you should, if you leave something in the car you can track the driver by calling again and saying the time when you used the taxi (it's all in the system).

Disadvantages: cars aren't always the top models as they usually are in hotels.

Write down at least one of this numbers in your cell, you may need it when you'll be coming back from a party in the middle of the night.

Radio Taxi Barbakan
1-96-61

Radio Taxi Kraków PARTNER
1-96-33

You can also use taxi like transportation

I car – is cheaper then the taxi service and when you call you already know the final price

0048 12 653 5555 and +48 12 653 5555 (mobile)

Shopping spree

Don't forget to do some shopping.

I recommend two biggest shopping malls in Krakow, hundreds of shops in one place, international brands and constant sale.

Start cleaning your closet to arrange some free space for new things you'll probably buy.

Check two biggest galleries:
GALERIA KRAKOWSKA

BONARKA CITY CENTER

Kazimierz - Jewish traces

Kazimierz – originally an independent town, presently a district of Krakow founded by King Kazimierz Wielki in 1335.

The specific character of Kazimierz was the coexistence of Christian and Jewish culture connected with a Jewish city established at the end of the fifteenth century, with its specific cultural and everyday ambience created by the dwellers.

Picturesque streets and historical synagogues like for instance the Synagogue and the Remu’h Cemetary, the Old Synagogue, the Tall Synagogue and the Isaac’s Synagogue.

Check walking guided tours offer and discover this part of Krakow

What makes people in Krakow look in the same direction?

The bugle call (hejnal) is played every hour from St. Mary's church tower and breaks off suddenly in commemoration of the heroic death of the city guard.

The history of the bugle call dates back to medieval years when the taller tower served as a watchtower and the guard used to give a call for opening and closing the city gates and gave an alarm in case of a coming danger.

Legend has it that in the thirteenth century during the attack of the Tartars, the guard facing the coming danger trumpeted to warn the Cracovians.

He did not finish the melody – shot by a Tartar arrow, died defending the city.

St. Mary's church

St. Mary’s Basilica – gothic, three nave structure with a facade held into two uneven height towers.

The history of the existing church dates back to the fourteenth century when the erection of a brick church began in the location of a rock temple from the thirteenth century.

In the interior of the church one can admire a splendid gothic cross – ribbed vault and the oldest stained-glass windows in KraKow, renaissance gravestones, baroque altars and unusual polychrome designed by Jan Matejko by the end of the nineteenth century.

It is worth to note the extraordinary wooden altarpiece from the fifteenth century – the work of Wit Stwosz (in English Veit Stoss), the greatest altar of its kind in Europe.

Polyptych comprises of 5 segments: The ark and two pairs of panels out of which, one is movable. Polychromic and gilded sculptures and reliefs in the main part and panels present scenes from the life of Mary and the Son of God.

Market Square- the heart of the City

Main Market Square – the largest medieval square in Europe of the area of about 40,000 square metres, laid out in the year 1257.

The incorporation charter involved also street demarcating, establishing the City Council, creating new buildings and incorporating older structures into the city planning. This is why we have the feeling that the Mariacki church and church of St. Adalbert are located sort of sideways towards the square.

From the Middle Ages until today only the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), the Town Hall tower and a small Church of St. Adalbert are standing to this day in the Market Square.

Centuries back, also buildings of the city Greater and Smaller Weight Houses and Cloth Shearing House, Town Hall, Odwach and city granary stood here.

In the old days, state, national and patriotic ceremonies, such as Prussian Homage or the oath by Tadeusz Kościuszko took place here. Nowadays, the Main Market Square is called the Saloon of Europe, for being gladly visited both by Cracovians and by tourists from all over the World.

PLN - Polish zloty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Polish złoty
Polski złoty (Polish)

ISO 4217 Code PLN
User(s) Poland
Inflation 4.2%
Source The World Factbook, 2008 est.
Subunit
1/100 grosz
Symbol zł
grosz gr
Plural The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms. See article.
Coins 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 gr, 1, 2, 5 zł
Banknotes 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 zł
Central bank National Bank of Poland
Website www.nbp.pl
Mint Mennica Polska
Website www.mennica.com.pl

The złoty (pronounced [ˈzwɔtɨ] ( listen);[1] sign: zł; code: PLN) literally meaning "golden", is the currency of Poland. The modern złoty is subdivided into 100 groszy (singular: grosz, alternative plural forms: grosze; groszy).

Exploring the city...

First of all you should visit the city it selves. Here are some tips for you:

• You can go on organize walking tour with the guide
• You can use electric cars that are very popular and offer 9 different languages, in two hours you will see Old Town, Jewish district and former Jewish Ghetto with Schindler’s factory
• You can hire a guide yourselves
• You can use audio guides (you’re renting out the monuments I pod with gps and audio tracks about the monuments)
• You can finally buy a guide book and walk on your own

When in Krakow…

You’ve been wondering for some time where to spend your weekend or holidays. You chose Krakow, good for you.

This city offers you so many attractions that a month wouldn’t be enough to see most of it.

Let me guide you threw the must see places and recommend some good restaurants and clubs.