Brama Poboczna w Krakowie, Medieval side gate near Wawel Hill, Kraków, Poland.
Brama Poboczna was a stone side gate at the southern end of Kanonicza Street 25, forming part of Kraków's medieval defensive system. It served as a transition point between the city wall circuit and Wawel Hill, providing access to the lower parts of the settlement.
The gate was built during Kraków's medieval peak as one of eight city entrances that reinforced the defensive system around Wawel. Over time it lost its protective function as the city expanded and new routes developed.
The name refers to its role as a side entrance, showing how the medieval city labeled its different access points based on their function. Walking past it today gives a sense of how such openings shaped daily movement through the city's layout.
The site lies on one of Kraków's oldest streets near Wawel Castle and is easily reached on foot by walking down Kanonicza Street. It is best explored during a leisurely walk through the old town when you have time to observe the surrounding buildings and street structure.
It is one of the few surviving access points of the original wall circuit, letting you understand how the city was once strictly controlled. Its location shows that not all gates were equally important, with side entrances serving less traveled routes.
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