Kraków
FOR BEGINNERS
A LITTLE BIT OF GEOGRAPHY
A LITTLE BIT OF GEOGRAPHY
A LITTLE BIT OF GEOGRAPHY
A LITLE BIT OF NUMBERS
Warszawa
Kraków
Chicago
Indianapolis
Population
1,711,400
754,800
2,842,500
850,900
Density
8,500/sq mi
5,900/sq mi
12,600/sq mi
2,100/sq mi
Area
199 sq mi
126 sq mi
234 sq mi
372 sq mi
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
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Kraków was 1st mentioned in 10th century chronicles
It was the capital of Poland from 12th century to 1611
Many of the landmarks were built in 14th century
(St.Mary’s Basilica, Sukiennice); the Jagiellonian
University was founded in 1364
19th century – the city was on the teritory of AustroHungarian Empire, but was autonomous and was the
symbol and the center of Polishness
At the beginning of 20th century Polish political parties
were only allowed in Kraków
During WWII professors from Kraków were murdered in
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
AND NOWADAYS…
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… Kraków is the city of artists, scholars, and…
students 
WHAT TO SEE IN KRAKÓW
Wawel – the Royal Castle
 The Old Town
 The Jagiellonian University
 Kazimierz
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WAWEL
WAWEL
The castle was built on a limestone hill
 It has been there since 11th century
 For a few centuries, it was the Royal Castle
 Many important Polish people are buried there
(Polish kings, the most important Polish poet
Adam Mickiewicz (1798-55), Tadeusz
Kościuszko (1746-1817))
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WAWEL – WHAT TO SEE
the Wawel Cathedral with the burial chambers
 Sigismund Bell
 the Treasury and the Armory
 the Royal Chambers
 Smocza Jama ("dragon's den") and Smok
Wawelski
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SMOK WAWELSKI (THE WAWEL DRAGON)
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… had an awful habit of eating
cattle and young girls. Many
brave knights tried to defeat the
dragon, but no one succeeded
until a young shoemaker
prepared a lamb stuffed with
sulphur and left it in front of the
dragon’s den. The dragon
devoured the lamb and became
very thirsty. It went to the river
Wisła and drank until it was so
full that it exploded. The
shoemaker married the king’s
daughter in reward 
THE OLD TOWN (STARE MIASTO)
The Old Town is located in the center of Kraków
See:
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 The
Main Market Square
THE OLD TOWN (STARE MIASTO)
 Sukiennice
(Cloth Hall)
THE OLD TOWN (STARE MIASTO)
 St.
Mary’s Basilica
(Kościół Mariacki)
listen to hejnał – played
on a trumpet every full hour
from the taller
tower of the church
THE JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY
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was established in 1364 –
the oldest university in
Poland, one of the oldest in
Europe
There are more than
52,000 students and 3,600
faculty
The most important
university buildings include
Collegium Novum (on the
right) and Collegium Maius
(both located in the Old
Town)
KAZIMIERZ
It is a very popular,
Jewish part of Kraków
 7 synagogues
 2 Jewish cementeries
 The Festival of Jewish
Culture
 and many restaurants,
art galleries and coffee
shops 
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SYMBOLS AND TRADITIONS
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Lajkonik
SYMBOLS AND TRADITIONS
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obwarzanki
SYMBOLS AND TRADITIONS
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szopka krakowska
(traditional crib)
WHERE TO EAT
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Traditional Polish restaurants in Kraków
 Polskie
Jadło (Świętego Jana 30)
 Chłopskie Jadło (Grodzka 9)
 Pod Złotą Pipą (Floriańska 30)
 Gościniec pod Zamkiem (Stradomska 11)
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Restauracja Eden (Ciemna 15) – a kosher
restaurant
WHAT TO EAT THERE
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Some traditional Polish food
 Pierogi
(dumplings; with potatoes, meat, sauerkraut
and mushroom or cottage cheese)
 Bigos (traditional stew with saurekraut)
 Gołąbki (stuffed cabbage)
 Żurek (flour soup)
 Barszcz czerwony (beet soup)
HOW TO MOVE AROUND THE CITY
Kraków has excellent
public transportation.
 There are more than
150 tram and bus
lines.
 Trams
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Lines 1-51
Buses
100-199
 500-599 – express bus
lines
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TICKETS
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You can buy tickets at newstands
A single-ride ticket costs 2.50 PLN
 A 60-minute ticket costs 3.10 PLN
 A 24-hour ticket costs 10.40 PLN
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Bus route maps:
http://www.mpk.krakow.pl/image_popup.aspx?img=/mapki/autobusy/
Autobus%20A3%20od%202010-01-11D.jpg
 Tram route maps
http://www.mpk.krakow.pl/image_popup.aspx?img=/mapki/tramwaje/
www_duza_2010.gif
OUTSIDE OF KRAKÓW
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Wieliczka – Salt Mine (10 miles SE)
OUTSIDE OF KRAKÓW
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Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains (70 miles S)
DZIĘKUJĘ 
Iwona Dembowska-Wosik, the Kosciuszko Foundation fellow at
Indiana University
idembows@indiana.edu
Primary sources:
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www.krakow.pl
www.mpk.krakow.pl
www.wikipedia.org
www.maps.google.pl