On our last day in Kraków we ventured to Wawel Royal Castle. Located atop Wawel Hill, the 13th century Gothic Castle is comprised of a courtyard with surrounding structures, one of the most prominent being the Cathedral. Once residence to all Polish Kings, Wawel stands to this day as the most important historical site in Poland. As the centuries continued, so did the rulers, & thus so did the additions to Wawel Cathedral. My personal fav? The beautiful golden dome atop the Sigismund Chapel built by King Sigismund I the Old. Pretty sure he won the battle of best looking chapel, don't you agree?
We began our journey walking up Wawel Hill, through the main courtyard & into the Cathedral. It proved to be quite chilly & windy, needless to say, my hood stayed on my head the entire time! Once entering the Cathedral, we climbed our way up the narrow wooden staircases to the top of the tower to the great Sigismund Bell. What a view! Around the tower & back down the stairs we headed to the crypt located underneath the Cathedral where the tombs of the Polish kings rest. Lastly, we made our way to the base of Wawel Hill overlooking the Vistula River where the entrance to the lair of Smok Wawelski is located. The fairytale of Smok Wawelski, or the dragon of Wawel Castle, is a tale all Polish children are familiar with & I have become very fond of myself. Our descent through the cave led us out of the castle walls where we continued with our day leaving the beautiful Kraków behind.
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