Wawel, Building complex on Wawel Hill, Kraków, Poland
Wawel is a complex of royal castle, cathedral, walls and towers on a limestone hill in Kraków. The site consists of several courtyards, chapels and state rooms that combine different architectural styles from Romanesque to Renaissance construction.
The first stone buildings appeared here in the year 970 when the hill became an important center of early Polish rule. The cathedral was established in 1000 with the founding of the Kraków diocese and was rebuilt several times over the centuries.
The palace chambers display precious tapestries from the 16th century depicting scenes from the Old Testament. Visitors can walk through the royal apartments and see how court life looked during the Renaissance period.
Access to the interior spaces requires timed-entry tickets that are best booked online one week ahead. The approach to the hill is open to all, but the castle and cathedral have separate admission arrangements.
At the foot of the hill, the Dragon's Den features a bronze sculpture that breathes fire at the push of a button. The cave itself is a natural limestone cavern linked to legends about a sleeping dragon for centuries.
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