Kraków Explained

For other uses see Kraków (disambiguation).

Kraków , in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (, M-W: krăk'ou, krāk'ō), is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland, with a population of 756,336 in 2007 (1,403,247 in the Kraków-Tarnów unincorporated area).^[1] Situated on the Vistula river (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century.^[2] It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Kraków from 1846 to 1918, and the capital of Kraków Voivodeship from the 14th century to 1999. It is now the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship.

Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish scientific, cultural and artistic life. As the former national capital with a history encompassing more than a thousand years, the city remains the spiritual heart of Poland. It is a major attraction for local and international tourists, attracting seven million visitors annually. Famous landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and the Sukiennice Cloth Hall, the Wawel Castle, the National Art Museum, the Zygmunt Bell at the Wawel Cathedral, and the medieval St Florian's Gate with the Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route. In 1978 Kraków's historic centre, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle was included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Etymology

The name of Kraków is traditionally derived from Krakus (Krak, Grakch), the legendary founder of Kraków and a ruler of the tribe of Lechitians (Poles). In Polish, Polish: ''Kraków'' is an archaic possessive form of Krak and essentially means "Krak's (town)". Krakus's name may derive from "krakula", a Proto-Slavic word^[3] meaning a judge's staff, or a Proto-Slavic word "krak" meaning an oak, once a sacred tree most often associated with the concept of genealogy. The first mention of Prince Krakus (then written as Grakch) dates back to 1190, although the town existed as early as the 7th century, inhabited by the tribe of Wiślanie.^[2]

The city's full official name, used on ceremonial occasions, is Polish: ''Królewskie Stołeczne Miasto Kraków'', meaning "Royal Capital City of Kraków". In English, a person born, or living, in Polish: Kraków is a English: ''Cracovian'' (Polish: Krakowianin).

The city is known in Czech and Slovak as Krakov, in French as French: ''Cracovie'', in German as German: ''Krakau'', in Latin as Latin: ''Cracovia'', and in Lithuanian as Lithuanian: ''Krokuva''. Ukrainian and Yiddish languages refer to it as Ukrainian: ''Krakiv'' and ''Kroke'' (קראָקע) respectively.^[4] Names of Kraków in different languages are also available.

History

See main article: History of Kraków.

Middle Ages

Archaeological evidence suggests that a settlement had been established in the Stone Age on the present site of the Wawel Hill.^[5] A legend attributes its founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a ravenous dragon, Smok Wawelski. Many knights unsuccessfully attempted to oust the dragon by fighting it, but Krakus fed it a poisoned breakfast, which killed the dragon. He then was able to build the city on top of the hill. The bones are displayed at the entrance of the Wawel Cathedral.^[6] The first written record of the city's name dates back to 966, when a Sephardi Jewish traveller, Abraham ben Jacob, described Kraków as a notable commercial centre.^[2]

By the end of the 10th century, the city was a leading trading centre, incorporated into the holdings of the Piast dynasty. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Wawel Castle, Romanesque churches such as St. Adalbert's, a cathedral, and a basilica.^[2] The city was almost entirely destroyed during the Tatar invasions of 1241, 1259 and 1287.^[7] It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257, based on the Magdeburg law, with tax benefits and trade privileges for its citizens.^[8] The city again rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III of Poland founded the University of Kraków,^[9] the second oldest university in central Europe after the University of Prague. The city continued to grow under the joint Lithuanian-Polish Jagiellon dynasty (1386–1572). As the capital of a powerful state and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted many craftsmen, businesses, and guilds as science and the arts began to flourish.^[10]

Golden age

The 15th and 16th centuries were known as Poland's Złoty Wiek, the Golden Age.^[11] Many works of Polish Renaissance art and architecture were created there during that time,^{[12] [13]} including ancient synagogues in Kraków's Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, such as the renowned Old Synagogue.^[14] During the reign of Casimir IV, crowned King of Poland in 1447, numerous artists, from as far as Nuremberg and Italy, came to work and live in Kraków. The king's children were taught by an Italian humanist, Filip Callimachus. In 1488, the Holy Roman Emperor's Poet Laureate Conrad Celtes founded the Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana (Vistula Literary Society), which was based on Roman Academies. In 1489, sculptor Veit Stoss finished his work on the High Altar of the St. Mary's Church,^[15] followed by a marble sarcophagus for King Casimir IV. Johann Haller established a printing press in the city^[16] after Kasper Straube had printed the Calendarium Cracoviense, the first work printed in Poland, in 1473.^{[17] [18]}

In 1520, the most famous church bell in Poland, named Zygmunt after Sigismund I of Poland, was cast by Hans Behem.^[19] At that time, Hans Dürer, a younger brother of Albrecht Dürer, was Sigismund's court painter.^[20] Hans von Kulmbach made altarpieces for several churches.^[21] In 1572, King Sigismund II, the last of the Jagiellons, died childless. The Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III, of the Swedish House of Vasa, moved the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw.^[22]

18th and early 19th century

Already weakened during the 18th century, by mid-1790 the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been twice partitioned by its neighbors: Russia, the Habsburg empire, and Prussia.^[23] In 1794, Tadeusz Kościuszko initiated an unsuccessful insurrection in the town's Main Square which, in spite of his victorious Battle of Racławice against numerically superior Russian army, resulted in the third and final partition of Poland.^[24] The equestrian bronze statue of Kościuszko — Polish American hero of independence — was cast in 1900 and erected twenty years later at the entrance to Wawel Castle where he’s laid to rest. Following the Uprising, Kraków became part of the Austrian province of Galicia. In 1809, Napoleon Bonaparte captured former Polish territories from Austria and made the town part of the Duchy of Warsaw, an independent, though subordinate, Polish state ruled by the King of Saxony, Frederick Augustus I. Following Napoleon's defeat in Russia, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 mostly restored earlier structures, although it also created the partially independent Free City of Kraków. As in 1794, the city again became the center of an insurrection, the Kraków Uprising of 1846, which failed to spread outside the city and was put down. Again, it resulted in an annexation by Austria, on 16 November 1846. The former Free City region became the Grand Duchy of Cracow (German: Großherzogtum Krakau, Polish: Wielkie Księstwo Krakowskie).

In 1866, Austria granted a degree of autonomy to Galicia after the Austro-Prussian War.^[25] As this form of Austrian rule was more benevolent than that exercised either by the Russian Empire in Congress Poland or by Prussia,^[26] Kraków became a Polish national symbol and a center of culture and art, sometimes known in Polish as Polskie Ateny ("Polish Athens"), to which Poles would flock to revere the symbols and monuments of Poland's past.^[27] Several important celebrations took place in Galicia^[28] during the period from 1866 to 1914, including the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald in 1910. Many leading Polish artists of that period resided in Kraków,^[29] among them the seminal painter Jan Matejko,^[30] and the founder of modern Polish drama, Stanisław Wyspiański.^[31]

Fin de siècle Kraków evolved into a modern metropolis;^[32] running water and electric streetcars were introduced in 1901,^[33] and between 1910 and 1915, Kraków and surrounding suburban communities were gradually combined into a single administrative unit called Greater Kraków (Wielki Kraków).

At the outbreak of World War I on August 3 1914, Józef Piłsudski formed a small cadre military unit, the First Cadre Company the predecessor of the Polish Legions which set out from Kraków to fight for the liberation of Poland.^[34] The city was briefly besieged by Russian troops in November 1914, but they were pushed back afterwards.^[35] The Austrian rule in Kraków ended on 31 October 1918, when the Polish Liquidation Committee assumed power.

1918 to the present

With the emergence of the Second Polish Republic, Kraków restored its role as a major academic and cultural centre with the establishment of new universities such as the AGH University of Science and Technology and the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, including a number of new and essential vocational schools. It became an important cultural centre for the Polish Jews with a Zionist youth movement relatively strong among the city's Jewish population.^[36] Kraków was also an influential centre of Jewish spiritual life, with all its manifestations of religious observance from Orthodox, to Chasidic and Reform flourishing side by side.

See also: Synagogues of Kraków. Following the invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Nazi German forces turned the city into the capital of the General Government, a colonial authority headed by Hans Frank and seated in Wawel Castle. In an operation called "Sonderaktion Krakau", more than 180 university professors and academics were arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps, though the survivors were later released on the request of prominent Italians.^{[37] [38]} The Jewish population was first confined to a ghetto and later murdered or sent to concentration camps, including Płaszów and Auschwitz in Oświęcim.^[39]

Kraków remained relatively undamaged at the end of World War II.^[40] Allegedly Germans planned to destroy it with massive amounts of explosives,^{[41] [42]} but according to the most popular of several versions of the story,^[43] Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, after being informed by the Polish patriots of the German plan,^{[42] [44]} tried to preserve Kraków from destruction by ordering a lightning attack on the city.^[45] The credibility of these accounts has been recently questioned by Polish historian Andrzej Chwalba, who in his recent works finds no evidence for any German plan of massive destruction and portrays Konev's strategy as ordinary, only accidentally resulting in reduced damage to Kraków, a fact that was later exaggerated into the myth of "Konev, savior of Kraków" by Soviet propaganda.^{[46] [47]}

After the war, under the Stalinist regime, the intellectual and academic community of Kraków was put under total political control. The universities were soon deprived of their printing rights as well as their autonomy.^[48] The communist government of the People's Republic of Poland ordered construction of the country's largest steel mill in the newly-created suburb of Nowa Huta.^[49] The creation of the giant Lenin Steelworks (now Sendzimir Steelworks owned by Mittal) sealed Kraków's transformation from a university city to an industrial centre.^[50] The new working class, drawn by the industrialization of the city, contributed to its rapid population growth. Also, in an effort that spanned two decades, Karol Wojtyła, cardinal archbishop of Kraków, successfully lobbied for permission to build the first churches in the new industrial suburbs.^[50]

Geography and climate

Kraków lies in the southern part of Poland, on the Vistula River in a valley at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, above sea level, between the Jurassic Rock Upland (Polish: Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska) to the north and the Tatra Mountains to the south. There are five nature reserves in Kraków, with a combined area of ca. 48.6 hectares (120 acres). Due to their ecological value, these areas are legally protected. Kraków has also 192 nature monuments characterized by their unique scientific, historical and aesthetic value. The western part of the city, along its northern and north-western side, borders an area of international significance known as the Jurassic Bielany-Tyniec refuge. The main motives for the protection of this area include plant and animal wildlife and the area's geomorphological features and landscape.^[51] Another part of the city is located within the ecological 'corridor' of the Vistula River valley. This corridor is also assessed as being of international significance as part of the Pan-European ecological network.^[52] The city centre is situated on the left (northern) bank of the river.

Kraków has a temperate climate. Average temperatures in summer range from 17C to 19C and in winter from 0C to 5C. The average annual temperature fluctuates between 6C and 100NaN0. Kraków usually sees between 23 and 58 days per year with below-freezing temperatures. Predominantly western winds, conducive to rainfall, are typical of summer months, whereas eastern winds, decreasing the amount of precipitation, blow mostly in winter.^[53]

Metric First:	Yes
Single Line:	Yes
Location:	Kraków
Jan Hi °F:	31
Jan Hi °C:	-1
Feb Hi °F:	35
Feb Hi °C:	2
Mar Hi °F:	44
Mar Hi °C:	7
Apr Hi °F:	56
Apr Hi °C:	13
May Hi °F:	65
May Hi °C:	18
Jun Hi °F:	70
Jun Hi °C:	21
Jul Hi °F:	73
Jul Hi °C:	23
Aug Hi °F:	73
Aug Hi °C:	23
Sep Hi °F:	65
Sep Hi °C:	18
Oct Hi °F:	56
Oct Hi °C:	13
Nov Hi °F:	44
Nov Hi °C:	7
Dec Hi °F:	35
Dec Hi °C:	2
Jan Lo °F:	19
Jan Lo °C:	-7
Feb Lo °F:	23
Feb Lo °C:	-5
Mar Lo °F:	29
Mar Lo °C:	-2
Apr Lo °F:	37
Apr Lo °C:	3
May Lo °F:	45
May Lo °C:	7
Jun Lo °F:	51
Jun Lo °C:	11
Jul Lo °F:	54
Jul Lo °C:	12
Aug Lo °F:	53
Aug Lo °C:	12
Sep Lo °F:	47
Sep Lo °C:	8
Oct Lo °F:	39
Oct Lo °C:	4
Nov Lo °F:	32
Nov Lo °C:	0
Dec Lo °F:	24
Dec Lo °C:	-4
Jan Precip Inch:	1.3
Feb Precip Inch:	1.3
Mar Precip Inch:	1.3
Apr Precip Inch:	1.9
May Precip Inch:	3.3
Jun Precip Inch:	3.8
Jul Precip Inch:	3.4
Aug Precip Inch:	3.4
Sep Precip Inch:	2.1
Oct Precip Inch:	1.8
Nov Precip Inch:	1.8
Dec Precip Inch:	1.6
Jan Precip Mm:	33.0
Feb Precip Mm:	33.0
Mar Precip Mm:	33.0
Apr Precip Mm:	48.3
May Precip Mm:	83.8
Jun Precip Mm:	96.5
Jul Precip Mm:	86.4
Aug Precip Mm:	86.4
Sep Precip Mm:	53.3
Oct Precip Mm:	45.7
Nov Precip Mm:	45.7
Dec Precip Mm:	40.6
Source:	The Weather Channel[54]

Districts

The oldest neighborhoods of Kraków were incorporated into the city before the late 18th century. They include the Old Town (Stare Miasto), once contained within the city defensive walls and now encircled by the Planty park; the Wawel District, which is the site of the Royal Castle and the cathedral; Stradom and Kazimierz, the latter originally divided into Christian and Jewish quarters;^[55] as well as the ancient town of Kleparz. Major districts added in the 19th and 20th centuries include Podgórze, which until 1915 was a separate town on the southern bank of the Vistula, and Nowa Huta, east of the city centre, built after World War II.

Since March 27, 1991, Kraków has been divided into 18 administrative districts, each with a degree of autonomy within its own municipal government (Rada Dzielnicy). The current divisions were introduced by the Kraków City Hall on April 19, 1995. Districts were assigned Roman numerals as well as the current name:^[56] Stare Miasto (I), Grzegórzki (II), Prądnik Czerwony (III), Prądnik Biały (IV), Krowodrza (V), Bronowice (VI), Zwierzyniec (VII), Dębniki (VIII), Łagiewniki-Borek Fałęcki (IX), Swoszowice (X), Podgórze Duchackie (XI), Bieżanów-Prokocim (XII), Podgórze (XIII), Czyżyny (XIV), Mistrzejowice (XV), Bieńczyce (XVI), Wzgórza Krzesławickie (XVII), and Nowa Huta (XVIII).

Among the most notable historic districts of the city are: Wawel Hill, home to Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral, where many Polish kings are buried; the medieval Old Town, with its Main Market Square (200 metres, or 656 feet, square); dozens of old churches and museums; the 14th-century buildings of the Jagiellonian University; and Kazimierz, the historical centre of Kraków's Jewish social and religious life.^[57]

The Old Town district of Kraków is home to about six thousand historic sites and more than two million works of art.^[58] Its rich variety of historic architecture includes Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic buildings. Kraków's palaces, churches and mansions display great variety of color, architectural details, stained glass, paintings, sculptures, and furnishings.In the Market Square stands the Gothic St. Mary's Basilica (Kościół Mariacki). It was built in the 14th century and features the famous wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss. A trumpet call, hejnał mariacki, is sounded from the church's main tower every hour. The melody played ends unexpectedly in midstream. According to legend, the tune was played during a 13th-century Tatar invasion by a guard warning citizens against the attack. He was shot by a Tatar warrior while playing, the melody breaking off at the moment he died.^[59] The story was recounted in a book published in the late 1920s called The Trumpeter of Krakow, which won a Newberry Award.^[60] .

Transport

Public transport is based around a fairly dense network of tramway and bus lines operated by a municipal company, supplemented by a number of private minibus operators. Local trains connect some of the suburbs.The bulk of the city’s historic area has been turned into a pedestrian zone with rickshaws and horse buggies; however, the tramlines run within a three-block radius.^[61]

Rail connections are available to most Polish cities. Trains to Warsaw depart every hour. International destinations include Berlin, Budapest, Prague, Hamburg, Lvov, Kiev, and Odessa (June–September).^[62] The main railway station is located just outside the Old Town District and is well-served by public transport.

Kraków airport, (John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice, Polish: Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy im. Jana Pawła II Kraków-Balice) is 110NaN0 west of the city. Direct trains cover the route between Kraków Główny train station and the airport in 15 minutes. The annual capacity of the airport is estimated at 1.3 million passengers; however, in 2007 more than 3.042 million people used the airport, giving Kraków Airport 15 percent of all air passenger traffic in Poland. The passenger terminal is undergoing extension and is being adapted to meet the requirements of the Schengen Treaty.^[63]

Economy

Kraków is one of Poland's most important economic centres. Its population has quadrupled since the end of World War II. Following the collapse of communism, history and tradition intermingled with the general trend toward a market economy. The private sector is growing. Offshoring of information technology (IT) work in recent years has become important to the economy of Kraków and to that of Poland in general. There are about 20 large multinational companies in Kraków, including Google, IBM, General Electric, Capgemini,^[64] Motorola, and Sabre Holdings,^[65] along with other British and German-based firms.^[66] The unemployment rate in Kraków was 4.8 percent in May 2007, well below the national average of 13 percent.^[67] Since the joining of the European Union in 2004, there has been a sense of a defined future and a solid economic base for the city and the region. International investment, tourism and the property market have grown toward the Western European average. Residential prices in Kraków have doubled in three years, reaching those of Warsaw and attracting developers and banks with their exponential growth.^[68]

In 2006, the city budget, which is presented by the Mayor of Kraków on November 15 each year, had a projected revenue of 2,150 billion złoty.^[69] The primary sources of revenue were as follows: 14% from the municipal taxation on real estate properties and the use of amenities, 30% in transfers from the national budget, and 34% in state subsidies. Projected expenditures, totaling 2,349 billion złoty, included 21% in city development costs and 79% in city maintenance costs. Of the maintenance costs, as much as 39% were spent on education and childcare. City of Kraków development costs included 41% toward road building, transport, and communication (combined), and 25% for the city's infrastructure and environment.^[70]

Government

The Kraków City Council has 43 elected members,^[71] one of whom is the mayor, or President of Kraków, elected every four years. The election of the City Council and of the local head of government,^[72] which takes place at the same time, is based on legislation introduced on 20 June 2002. The current President of Kraków, re-elected for his second term in 2006, is Professor Jacek Majchrowski.

The responsibilities of Kraków’s president include drafting and implementing resolutions, enacting city bylaws, managing the city budget, employing city administrators, and preparing against floods and natural disasters.^[72] The president fulfills his duties with the help of the City Council, city managers and city inspectors. In the 1990s, the city government was reorganized to better differentiate between its political agenda and administrative functions. As a result, the Office of Public Information was created to handle inquiries and foster communication between city departments and citizens at large.^[73]

In the year 2000, the city government introduced a new long-term program called "Safer City" in cooperation with the Police, Traffic, Social Services, Fire, Public Safety, and the Youth Departments. Subsequently, the number of criminal offences went down by 3 percent between 2000 and 2001, and the rate of detection increased by 1.4 percent to a total of 30.2 percent in the same period.^[74] The city is receiving help in carrying out the program from all educational institutions and the local media, including TV, radio and the press. (See also: List of mayors of Kraków, and the Members of Polish national Parliament (Sejm) elected from Kraków constituency.)

Demographics

See also: Urban demographics of Poland.

Demographic indicators[75]	Years	Kraków
Population in thousands	1970 1978 1988 1995 2002	588,0 693,6 746,6 732,9 758,5
Population density person/km²	1970 1978 1988 1995 2002	2,556 2,156 2,285 2,243 2,320
Number of women per 100 men	1970 1978 1988 1995 2002	110 110 110 112 113
Population growth per 1000	1998 1999 2000 2001	−1.3 −1.7 −1.5 −1.5

According to the 2006 data,^[75] the population of Kraków comprised about 2% of the population of Poland and 23% of the population of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Selected demographic indicators are presented in a table (below), compiled on the basis of only the population living in Kraków permanently.In the 1931 census, 78.1% of Cracovians declared Polish as their primary language, with Yiddish or Hebrew at 20.9%, Ukrainian 0.4%, German 0.3%, and Russian 0.1%.^[76] The ravages of history have greatly reduced the percentage of ethnic minorities living in Kraków. The official and unofficial numbers differ, as in the case of Romani people. Hence, according to the 2002 census,^[77] among those who have declared their national identity (irrespective of language and religion) in Kraków Voivodeship, 1,572 were Slovaks, followed by Ukrainians (472), Jews (50) and Armenians (22). Romani people, officially numbered at 1,678, are estimated at over 5,000. Statistics collected by the Ministry of Education reveal that, even though only 1% of adults (as per above) claim their official status, as many as 3% of students participate in programmes designed for ethnic minorities.^[78]

Education

See main article: Education in Kraków.

Kraków is a major center of education. Eleven university or academy-level institutions offer courses in the city, with 170,000 students and 10,000 faculty, plus about a dozen colleges.

Jagiellonian University, the oldest and best known university in Poland and ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as the best university in the country,^{[79] [80]} was founded in 1364 as the Cracow Academy and renamed in 1817 to commemorate the Jagiellonian dynasty of Polish-Lithuanian kings.^[81] Its principal academic asset is the Jagiellonian Library, with more than 4 million volumes, including a large collection of medieval manuscripts^[82] like Copernicus' De Revolutionibus and the Balthasar Behem Codex. With 42,325 students (2005) and 3,605 academic staff, the Jagiellonian University is also one of the leading research centres in Poland. Famous historical figures connected with the University include Saint John Cantius, Jan Długosz, Nicolaus Copernicus, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, Jan Kochanowski, King John III Sobieski, Pope John Paul II and Nobel laureates Ivo Andric and Wisława Szymborska.^[83]

AGH University of Science and Technology, established in 1919, is the second-largest technical university in Poland, with more than 15 faculties and student enrollment exceeding 30,000.^[84] It was ranked by the Polish edition of Newsweek as the best technical university in the country for the year 2004.^[85] During its 80-year history, more than 73,000 students graduated from AGH with master's or bachelor's degrees. Some 3,600 persons were granted the degree of Doctor of Science, and about 900 obtained the qualification of Habilitated Doctor.^[86]

Other institutions of higher learning include Cracow University of Economics, established in 1925;^[87] Academy of Music in Kraków, first conceived as a conservatory in 1888; Pedagogical University, in operation since 1946;^[88] Agricultural University of Cracow, offering courses since 1890 (initially as a part of Jagiellonian University);^[89] Academy of Fine Arts, the oldest Fine Arts Academy in Poland, founded by the Polish painter Jan Matejko; Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts;^[90] The Pontifical Academy of Theology;^[91] and Cracow University of Technology, which has more than 37,000 graduates.

Culture

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See main article: Culture of Kraków and Events in Kraków.

Kraków is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Poland.^[92] It was named the European Capital of Culture for the year 2000 by the European Union. Kraków has 28 museums and public art galleries. Among them are the main branch of Poland's National Museum and the Czartoryski Museum, the latter featuring works by Leonardo and Rembrandt. The city has several famous theaters, including: National Stary Theatre, a.k.a. The Old Theatre,^[93] Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, Bagatela Theatre, The Ludowy Theatre, and Groteska Theatre of Puppetry, as well as Opera Krakowska and Kraków Operetta.

Kraków hosts many annual and biannual artistic events,^[94] some of international significance, such as the Misteria Paschalia (baroque music), Sacrum-Profanum (contemporary music), Cracow Screen Festival (popular music), Festival of Polish Music (classical music), Dedications (theatre), Festival of Short Feature Films, Biennial of Graphic Arts, and the Jewish Culture Festival. It became the residence of two Polish Nobel laureates in literature: Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz; a third Nobel laureate, the Yugoslav writer Ivo Andric also lived and studied in Kraków. Other former residents include famous Polish film directors Andrzej Wajda and Roman Polanski.

Points of interest outside the city include the Wieliczka salt mine, the Tatra Mountains to the south, the historic city of Częstochowa, the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, and Ojcowski National Park,^[95] which includes Pieskowa Skała Castle.^[96]

Parks

Planty is the best-known park in Kraków. It was established between 1822 and 1830 in place of the old city walls, forming a green belt around the Old Town. It consists of a chain of smaller gardens designed in various styles and adorned with monuments. The park has an area of 21 hectares (52 acres) and a length of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), forming a scenic walkway popular with Cracovians.^[97]

The first public park equipped with exercise fixtures was founded by Dr Henryk Jordan on the banks of the Rudawa river in 1889. The Jordan Park, equipped with running and exercise tracks, playgrounds, swimming pool, amphitheatre, pavilions, and a pond for boat rowing and water bicycles, is on the grounds of Kraków’s Błonia.^[98] The less prominent Park Krakowski was founded in 1885 by Stanisław Rehman but has since been greatly reduced in size because of rapid real estate development. It was a popular destination point with many Cracovians at the end of the 19th century.^[99]

Sports

Football (soccer) is one of the most popular games locally, as it is in Poland as a whole. The teams with considerable following are eleven-time Polish champions Wisła Kraków.^[100] and five-time champions Cracovia Kraków.^[101] Other football clubs include Hutnik Kraków, Wawel Kraków and Garbarnia Kraków. There is also the first-league rugby club Juvenia Kraków. Kraków has a number of additional, equally valued sports teams including six-time Polish ice hockey champions Cracovia Kraków and the twenty-time women's basketball champions Wisła Kraków.

The Cracovia Marathon, with over a thousand participants from two dozen countries annually, has been held in the city since 2002.^[102]

Symbols

See main article: Symbols of Kraków.

The city's official symbols are the coat of arms, the flag (see top of this page), the seal, and the banner (right).^[103] In addition to these, a number of semi-official and unofficial symbols, such as the "Cracovia" logo used in Kraków's promotional materials, or an image of the Wawel dragon wearing a Kraków cap, and a stylized crowned letter K, are also used, since most of Kraków's official symbols are legally restricted.

Twin towns - Sister cities

Kraków is twinned, or maintains close relations with, more than 30 cities around the world:^[104]

width=35%

Bordeaux, France (since 1993) Bratislava, Slovakia [105] Budapest, Hungary (since 2005) Cambridge, Mass., USA (since 1989) [106] Curitiba, Brazil (since 1993) Cusco, Peru Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (since 1995) [107] Fes, Morocco (since 2004) Florence, Italy (since 1992) Frankfurt, Germany (since 1991) [108] Göteborg, Sweden (since 1990)

width=32%

Grozny, Russia (since 1997) [109] Innsbruck in Austria (since 1998) Kyoto, Japan Kiev, Ukraine (since 1993) La Serena, Chile (since 1995) Lahore, Pakistan (since 2007) [110] Leipzig, Germany (since 1995) Leuven, Belgium (since 1991) Lviv, Ukraine (since 1995) Milan, Italy (since 2003) [111] Niš, Serbia

width=33%

Nuremberg, Germany (since 1991) Orléans, France (since 1992) Pécs, Hungary (since 1998) Rochester, NY, USA (since 1973) Quito, Ecuador St Petersburg, Russia (since 2006) Seville, Spain (since 2002) Solothurn, Switzerland (since 1990) Vilnius, Lithuania Zagreb, Croatia (since 1975) [112] [113]

Further reading

• Jane Hardy, Al Rainnie, Restructuring Krakow: Desperately Seeking Capitalism. Published 1996 by Mansell Publishing, 285 pages. Business, economics, finance. ISBN 0720122317. A critical analysis of Krakow's regional economy in the context of national economy and the globalization including foreign investment, privatization, economic development and organized labor. The book is based in original research involving interviews and case studies of heavy industry, food processing, and small and medium-sized businesses.
• Edward Hartwig, Kraków, with Jerzy Broszkiewicz (contributor). Published 1980, by Sport i Turystyka, 239 pages. ISBN 8321723217.
• Bolesław T. Łaszewski, Kraków: karta z dziejów dwudziestolecia. Published 1985, by Bicentennial Pub. Corp. (original from the University of Michigan), 132 pages. ISBN 0912757086
• Joanna Markin, Bogumiła Gnypowa, Kraków: The Guide. Published 1996 by Pascal Publishing, 342 pages. ISBN 8387037281.
• Tim Pepper, Andrew Beattie, Krakow. Published 2007 by Hunter Pub Inc., 160 pages. ISBN 1843063085. The book includes description of public art galleries and museums.
• Scott Simpson, Krakow. Published 2003 by Thomas Cook, 192 pages. Transport, geography, sightseeing, history, and culture. Includes weblinks CD. ISBN 1841571873.
• Dorota Wąsik, Emma Roper-Evans, Krakow. Published 2002 by Somerset. Cultural guidebook series, 160 pages. ISBN 9630059304.
• Richard Watkins, Best of Kraków, Published 2006, by Lonely Planet, 64 pages, complemented by fold-out maps. ISBN 1741048222.

Notes and References

1. Central Statistical Office, Warsaw 2007, Web site: Population. Size and Structure by Territorial Division, as of June 30, 2007. Table 3, pg.13 of the Report. 2007-12-13. PDF.
2. The Municipality Of Kraków Press Office, 1996–2007, in participation with ACK Cyfronet of the AGH University of Science and Technology, Web site: "Our City. History of Krakow, archaeological findings". 2007-09-11.
3. Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin. Historical forum, Web site: "Krak or Krakus?". 2007-06-10.
4. Andrzej Chwalba. Krakow w latach 1939–1945 (Cracow, 1939–1945). Dzieje Krakowa tom 5. Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 2002. (In Polish.)http://letters.krakow.pl/books/cracow_german_occupation.html
5. Web site: "Wawel Krakow". 2007-09-12. Wawel Hill past and present
6. [Wawel Castle|Wawel Royal Castle]
7. Edmund Kolodziejczyk, "Poland. Geography, political history and the position of the church." Catholic Encyclopedia, Web site: Overview of historic events (see:Tartar raids). 2007-05-12.
8. Marek Strzala,Web site: "Krakow’s oldest known City Charter dates back to 1257". 2007-05-12.
9. Sharon & Peter Pfeiffer, "Krakow. A brief history." Web site: The establishment of a university. 2007-05-12.
10. http://www.poloniatoday.com/explore10.htm Hanseatic towns: Kraków
11. Book: Davies, Norman. God's Playground: A History of Poland. 2005. Oxford University Press. 0199253390. 2008-01-21. p.118. See vol.1, chapter 5.
12. [Michael J. Mikos|Michael J. Mikoś]
13. http://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/EUR/cycle01/section2/29-summary.pdf Cracow's Historic Centre
14. http://www.krakow-info.com/synagog.htm Old Synagogue in Krakow
15. Marek Strzala, Most Important Dates in Krakow's History. Web site: Veit Stoss altarpiece for Krakow’s Basilica of Virgin Mary. 2007-05-12.
16. Harold B. Segel, Renaissance Culture in Poland: The Rise of Humanism, 1470–1543, Cornell University Press, 1989, ISBN 0801422868, Google Print, p.252
17. Norman Davies, God's Playground, vol.1, chapter 5 http://books.google.com/books?id=b912JnKpYTkC&pg=PA118&dq=%22Golden+Age%22+author:%22norman+davies%22&sig=S0kmJEBWyWAXLdK7gGMzmSaZw-M
18. Wieslaw Wydra, "Die ersten in polnischer Sprache gedruckten Texte, 1475–1520", Gutenberg-Jahrbuch, Vol. 62 (1987), pp.88–94 (88)
19. "The Warsaw Voice", April 11, 1999. Web site: "Bell Woman of Wawel Hill". 2007-09-11.
20. T. Sturge Moore, "Albert Durer"; and Janusz Wałek, Web site: Painting in Poland - A brief summary. 2007-09-11.
21. Emil Kren and Daniel Marx, "Artists' biographies."Hans Süss von Kulmbach; J. Paul Getty Museum, "Artists: Hans von Kulmbach"; also, Agnieszka Janczyk, Kazimierz Kuczman, Joanna Winiewicz-Wolska, Web site: Wawel Royal Castle, The National Art Collection (homepage). 2007-09-11.
22. [Jagiellonian University]
23. Dorota Wasik, Cracow University of Economics, International Programs Office: "A short long history of Cracow", see: Web site: The Polish struggle for freedom. 2007-05-12.
24. Grzegorz Reszka, based on:T. Cegielski, K. Zielińska: "Historia. Dzieje nowożytne", J. A. Gierowski: "Historia Polski 1764–1864", Lubicz-Pachoński: "Kościuszko na ziemi krakowskiej", A. Radziwiłł, W. Roszkowski: :Historia 1789–1871:, W. Malski: "Amerykańska wojna pułkownika Kościuszki". Web site: Insurekcja kościuszkowska 1764–1798. 2007-07-26.
25. Marek Strzala, "History of Krakow" Web site: (see: Franz Joseph I granted Krakow the municipal government). 2007-05-12.
26. see vol.2, chapter 3 Book: Davies, Norman. God's Playground. http://books.google.com/books?id=9Tbed6iMNLEC&pg=PA93&dq=author:%22Norman+Davies%22+%22railway+station%22&sig=7rraMu96b3s8_x4KLOEeB8jDVvg
27. Bożena Szara, Przeglad Polski, 6 April 2001. Web site: Miedzy dwoma swiatami czyli powrot do przeszlosci. 2007-05-18.
28. Hubert Zawadzki, Jerzy Lukowski, A Concise History of Poland, Cambridge University Press, 2001, ISBN 0521559170, Web site: Battle of Grunwald. Google Print, p.148. 2007-05-18.
29. Cracow: City of Treasures, by Beata Moore, http://books.google.com/books?id=5h2zXFFr2j4C&pg=PT83&dq=%22painter+Jan+Matejko%22+cracow&as_brr=3&sig=cxxgh9CPAhX9nA6qpdPnoZaLP1o
30. Web site: Jan Matejko: The Painter and Patriot. 2007-05-18.
31. Maria Prussak, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, April 2006. Profiles. Visual arts, literature, theatre: Web site: "Stanisław Wyspiański.". 2007-09-02.
32. Adam Mickiewicz Institute: Culture.pl, editor in chief: Andrzej Lubomirski, Warsaw, ISSN 1734–0624, Web site: "Fin-de-Siecle in Kraków". 2007-05-18.
33. Artur Turyna, Web site: Kraków - najważniejsze daty - Okres IV - od początku XX wieku do dziś. 2007-09-12.
34. Bohdan Urbankowski, Book: Józef Piłsudski: marzyciel i strateg (Józef Piłsudski: Dreamer and Strategist). Wydawnictwo ALFA, Warsaw, 1997. 8370019145. 171–172. 2007-09-11.
35. Paweł Stachnik, Dziennik Polski, September 21 2004. Web site: "Okrzyk na cześć cesarza.". 2007-09-01.
36. Eilat Gordin Levitan, Web site: Krakow old scenes, including historical photographs. 2007-09-01.
37. Anna M. Cienciala, History 557 Lecture Notes, 2002 (Revised Fall. 2003), Web site: 16B. Eastern Europe in World War II: October 1939 – May 1945.. 2007-11-22.
38. Edward Burek, (editor). “Sonderaktion Krakau” in Encyklopedia Krakowa. Krakow: PWM, 2000
39. Bieberstein: Zagłada Żydów w Krakowie. Kraków 1985. J. Kast, B. Siegler, P. Zinke: Das Tagebuch der Partisanin Justyna. Jüdischer Widerstand in Krakau. Berlin 1999. Articles from Kraków newspapers (mostly from the local "Gazeta Wyborcza") published in March 2003 on the 60th anniversary of the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto. Featuring historical maps. Web site: The Krakow Ghetto 1940–1943. 2007-09-11.
40. Jerzy Lukowski, Hubert Zawadzki, A Concise History of Poland, Cambridge UniversityPress, 2006, ISBN 052185332X, Google Print, p.66
41. Norman Salsitz, Stanley Kaish, Web site: Three Homelands: Memories of a Jewish Life in Poland, Israel, and America. 2007-11-22.
42. Anna M. Cienciala, "The German Occupation of Poland and the Holocaust in German-occupied Poland." Chapter: "The Polish Resistance Movement against the Germans." The Polish Review, v.48, 1, 2003, 49–72.
43. Leszek Mazan, Ocalenie Krakowa, Polityka - nr 3 (2487) z dnia 22-01-2005..
44. Ivan Katyshkin, "Sluzhili my v shtabe armeiskom", Moskva, Voenizdat, 1979, , p. 155
45. [Makhmut Gareev]
46. Andrzej Chwalba. Krakow w latach 1939–1945 Cracow under German Occupation, 1939–1945. Dzieje Krakowa tom 5. Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 2002.
47. Alma Mater, Jagiellonian University monthly, No.64 (2004). Interview with professor Andrzej Chwalba, by Rita Pagacz-Moczarska. Web site: OKUPOWANY KRAKÓW. 2007-09-11.
48. Web site: Science & Higher Education in Cracow 2007. 2007-11-23.
49. [Jagiellonian University]
50. Encyclopædia Britannica, Web site: Nowa Huta (section of Kraków, Poland). 2007-11-23.
51. Witold Stefan Alexandrowicz and Zofia Alexandrowicz, Acta Carsologica, Slovenian Academy Of Sciences Web site: "Pattern of karst landscape of the Cracow Upland (South Poland)". 2007-09-12.
52. Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University, Web site: "The forms of nature protection within the city limits". 2007-09-12.
53. Sharon & Peter Pfeiffer, Web site: "Kraków climate". 2007-09-12.
54. Web site: Monthly Averages for Kraków. mdy. June 9 2007. The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.. English.
55. Rick Steves, "Poland Rediscovered: ." Published in Rick Steves' Eastern Europe, 2005 edition. Web site: Krakow, Auschwitz and Warsaw. 2007-09-12.
56. Original Kraków City Hall bylaw Nr XXI/143/91 (unpublished) introduced on March 27, 1991; current municipal borders established according to City bylaw Nr XVI/192/95 for April 19, 1995. Source: Web site: Gazeta Urzędowa Miasta Krakowa Nr 10, poz. 84. 2007-09-14. pdf.
57. Global Portal of Diplomats at eDiplomat.com. Notes on Poland including recreation, entertainment, social and religious life, Web site: Krakow. 2007-09-15.
58. Jeffrey Zuehlke, Web site: Poland in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. 72. 2007-09-15.
59. O.J's Music, Trumpet Page: including music notations and sound samples in MP3 and Midi version. Web site: Hejnal Mariacki - The Krakow Bugle Call. 2007-09-14.
60. ...though there is probably no direct link between this bugle call and a historical event in 1241, this does not detract from its meaning for Polish people today Web site: 2007-12-19. J. P. Kelly, 'The Trumpeter of Cracow'.
61. Marek Strzala, Web site: Krakow. Varied Means of Transportation. 2007-05-12.
62. Magiczny Kraków, city's official website. Web site: International railway connections from Krakow. 2007-09-15.
63. World Airports Guide. Web site: Kraków Airport. 2007-05-12.
64. Web site: "Capgemini offices in Poland". 2007-09-11.
65. Web site: www.sabre-holdings.com/aboutUs. 2007-05-12.
66. Web site: www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle. 2007-05-12.
67. Level of unemployment in Poland by region, 31 May 2007. Web site: Current statistics. 2007-09-14.
68. Interview with Rhiannon Williamson, Offplan Millionaire: Your Overseas Property Investment resource, Web site: Polish property investment has low risks. 2007-09-29.
69. Biuro Informacji Publicznej (Office of Public Information). Web site: Budżet Miasta Krakowa na rok 2006. 2007-09-15.
70. Biuro Informacji Publicznej, Kraków (Office of Public Information, Kraków). Web site: Biuletyn Statystyczny Miasta Krakowa. 2007-09-15.
71. Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (Bulletin of Public Information), Web site: Radni Miasta Krakowa V kadencji (Kraków City Councillors of the 5th term). 2007-09-15.
72. Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (Bulletin of Public Information), Web site: Dziennik Ustaw Nr 113 poz. 984. 2007-09-15.
73. Laura Brunell, Web site: Institutional Capital: Building Post-communist Government Performance. 2007-09-05. University Press of America, Lanham, Maryland, 2005, ISBN 0761829563.
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75. http://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/krak/ASSETS_05m05_01.pdf Data from population and housing census at www.stat.gov.pl
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77. Web site: Województwo małopolskie – Urząd Statystyczny w Krakowie. 2007-09-08.
78. Web site: RAPORT z realizacji priorytetowego zadania Ministra Edukacji i Nauki, Kraków – marzec 2006. 2007-09-08.
79. Times Higher Education Suplement (THES). Web site: Jagiellonian University ranking among world universities. PDF. 2007-09-11. Rank 287 worldwide as the first Polish university listed among the top 500 in 2006.
80. QS Quacquarelli Symonds. Source: The Times Higher Education Suplement. QS World University Rankings. Web site: Jagiellonian University ranking among world universities. 2007-09-11.
81. Jagiellonian University (homepage), "Calendar" http://www.uj.edu.pl/dispatch.jsp?item=uniwersytet/historia/kalendarium.jsp&lang=en
82. Jagiellonian University, Web site: Treasures of the Jagiellonian Library. 2007-09-11.
83. The Nobel Foundation. Web site: Wislawa Szymborska, Nobel Prize in Literature 1996. 2007-09-11.
84. [AGH University of Science and Technology]
85. Countrywide ranking of Polish universities, Newsweek (Polish edition), 22.03.2004, Web site: "Uczelnie w/g typu. Politechniki". 2007-09-11.
86. Professor Antoni S. Kleczkowski, AGH University of Science and Technology. Web site: History of AGH-UST. 2007-09-11.
87. Web site: Kraków University of Economics homepage. 2007-05-12.
88. Web site: Akademia Pedagogiczna w Krakowie, homepage. 2007-05-12.
89. Web site: Akademia Rolnicza, homepage. 2007-05-12.
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95. Web site: Krakow Day Trips. 2007-10-12.
96. Starwood, "Explore Krakow". Web site: Top 10 things to do in Krakow. 2007-09-15.
97. Marek Strzala, Web site: The green belt of Kraków Planty. 2007-09-15.
98. Web site: History, philosophy and photographs. 2007-09-15.
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