To appreciate Poland you must understand Krakow, its soul and the one-time capital. And it helps to be Catholic. In fact, the ability to speak Polish and the Catholic faith are the bond between Poles, whether they live in Warsaw or London or Chicago. Five centuries of Polish history, devout Catholicism and a mythical dragon are interwoven within Wawel Castle and its cathedral. Wawel Cathedral has been the site of coronations and royal entombments for 500 years and is where, more recently, the future Pope Jan Pawel II sat as Archbishop. The dragon, it's said, lives unseen somewhere under the castle but his stuffed likenesses are for sale anywhere along Rynek Glowny, the town square.
Rynek Glowny, the town square
Krakow is the #1 tourist site in Poland. The "bones" of its buildings have remained unchanged since the mid-13 Century when Krakow was rebuilt after the Tartar invasion. Like an aging woman vainly hiding the years, much of the city has had cosmetic face-lifts. Unlike the old cities of Gdansk and Warsaw, which were rebuilt to look medieval after their destruction in World War II, Krakow, though much older, looks less authentic. Rynek Glowny is the largest town square in Europe and the tourist center. The Clock Tower stands alone, its town hall long ago destroyed. Nearby, the Cloth Hall has been converted into an elaborate souvenir stand.
Also unlike Gdansk and Warsaw, Krakow is chock-a-block with tourists. Tour groups of 30, 50 and more gawk in Rynek Glowny and squeeze through the castle gates like sand in an hourglass. They gather at noon each day when a bugler sounds his five-note warning from the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady warning the town of the Tartar invasion, his last note cut short by a Tartar arrow in his throat. While prices aren't exorbitant, everything in Krakow requires a ticket; five different tickets for the castle, plus an extra one to see Leonardo's "Woman with an Ermine" on special display.
"Lady with an Ermine" by Leonardo da Vinci
Soul of Poland or not, I prefer Warsaw and Gdansk
