Introduction
The Wawel Cathedral, officially known as the Archcathedral Basilica of Saint Stanislaus and Saint Wenceslaus (Polish: Bazylika archikatedralna w), is spelled Katedra Wawelska in Polish. Stanisława i św. In Kraków, Poland, Wacawa) is a Catholic cathedral on Wawel Hill. It is a national sanctuary that is part of the Wawel Castle Complex and is nearly 1000 years old. It was the place where Polish monarchs were crowned. The current Gothic cathedral is the third structure built on this site. The first was built in the 11th century and burned down, and the second was built in the 12th century and burned down in 1305. On Bishop Nanker’s orders, construction of the current church began in the 14th century. The building’s varied and diverse architectural composition is the result of successive rulers expanding it over time. The cathedral’s exterior and interior contain examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Neogothic design. The exterior is adorned by side chapels and representative mausoleums, most notable being the golden-domed Sigismund’s Chapel. The Archdiocese of Kraków and the Archbishop of Kraków have their official headquarters there. The cathedral hosts important religious events and annual celebrations, making it a symbol of Polish faith and statehood. On November 2, 1946, Karol Wojtya, who would become Pope John Paul II in 1978, celebrated his first Mass as a priest at the Wawel Crypt. On September 28, 1958, he was ordained Kraków’s auxiliary bishop in the cathedral.
Middle Ages
Two earlier churches were built on the same site as the cathedral we see today. They were both Romanesque in design.
Chrobry Cathedral (Romanesque I)
The initial construction of the cathedral, which is referred to as Chrobry’s Cathedral, began around the year 1000. It was named after Bolesław the Brave (Bolesław Chrobry), and it was dedicated to St. Wenceslaus. Due to the fact that Bolesaw’s mother, Dobrawa, was related to Saint Wenceslaus. The church had three large apses and measured approximately 45 meters in length and 21 meters in width. People were under the impression that the remains of St. Gereon’s Church was once a part of this cathedral, but it wasn’t fixed until the 1980s.
Hermanów Cathedral (Second Romanesque)
Bolesaw III Krzywousty (according to Gallus Anonymus, he raised the low and squalid walls and attached two towers built from their foundations) completed construction of the second cathedral, which began during the reign of Duke Waddysaw Herman and is named after him. It was consecrated in 1142. This building took the form of a three-nave, towered basilica with two choirs and a crypt built under the western choir. In the 13th century, the chapels of St. Nicholas (to the north) St. Peter and Paul (to the south) were added, and in the center was erected the tomb-altar of St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów (bishop and martyr), whose remains were brought from Skałka in 1089. The cathedral has been associated with the cult of this saint ever since. The cathedral burned down in 1305. Only the crypt of St. Leonard, the lower part of the Silver Bells Tower, and the lowest part of the clock tower remain. Waddysaw the Elbow-high King of Poland was crowned in 1320 by Archbishop Janisaw of Gniezno while the Romanesque cathedral was still in ruins. Soon after, Bishop Nanker of Kraków began work on a brand-new Gothic cathedral.
Gothic cathedral
With the construction of the Chapel of St. Mary, the Gothic cathedral’s construction began under Wadysaw the Elbow-high. Margaret (now the sacristy). In 1346, the chancel and the rest of the church the nave, transept, and aisles were completed. The choir’s builders must have been from Strasbourg. On March 28, 1364, the cathedral was dedicated by Archbishop Jarosaw of Bogoria and Skotnik of Gniezno in the presence of King Casimir the Great. It is a three-nave basilica that was built with money from Bishops Jan Grot and Bodzanta. It has a transept, an ambulatory, three towers, and a ring of chapels around it. The altar and the saint’s relics were at the center of the cathedral’s layout. Stanislaus, and the entire plan therefore shows a very strong tendency towards centralization. Both entrances to the church open onto the central bay containing the altar of St. Stanislaus. Over the following centuries, the cathedral underwent numerous reconstructions. In order to serve as mausoleums, kings, bishops, and magnates rebuilt and constructed new chapels and adorned the interiors with art.
Modernity
The Renaissance Sigismund Chapel was constructed shortly after, at the request of King Sigismund I the Old, and the tomb of King John Albert was erected in the cathedral after 1501. The new Renaissance chapels that were constructed on the site of the earlier Gothic ones took it as a model. The interior of the cathedral began to be decorated in the Baroque style in the 17th century. During the Swedish Deluge, which lasted from 1655 to 1657, Swedish troops destroyed many of the church’s art collection. The Swedes again destroyed the church in 1702 during the Third Northern War. The northern ambulatory wing was raised to the height of the chancel in the Baroque style in 1679, and the other two wings were raised in 1713–15 on Bishop Kazimierz ubieski’s orders, most likely in accordance with Kacper Baanka’s plans. Domed mausoleums were constructed for Cardinal Jan Aleksander Lipski and Bishop Andrzej Stanisaw Kostka Zauski in the 18th century. In the 19th century, the cathedral underwent numerous renovations, in various parts. Between the years 1895 and 1910, under the direction of Bishops Albin Dunajewski and Jan Puzyna and the guidance of Sawomir Odrzywolski (until 1904) and Zygmunt Hendel, a comprehensive restoration was carried out with public funds. Plans were made to move the royal tombs to the Church of St. Peter and turn the church into a garrison church during the Austrian Partition. Paul and Peter General Tadeusz Kociuszko’s and Prince General Józef Poniatowski’s remains were brought in in 1817 and 1818, respectively. The ashes of Adam Mickiewicz were brought from France in 1890, and those of Juliusz Słowacki in 1927. In 1935, Józef Pisudski, the Chief of State and First Marshal of Poland, was buried in the cathedral’s vaults. In 1993, the ashes of Lieutenant General Władysław Sikorski were brought. There was a funeral for President Lech Kaczyski and his wife there in 2010. The church was closed by the Germans during World War II, and numerous monuments were looted and destroyed.
Architecture of Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus, Krakow, Poland
Architects: Giovanni Battista Trevano, Giovanni Battista Gisleni.
Architectural styles: Gothic architecture, Renaissance architecture.
Burials: Sigismund I the Old, Jadwiga of Poland.
The Cathedral from the Outside
Brick and white limestone make up the cathedral, which is a three-nave basilica with a transept, chancel, and ambulatory. When the ambulatory was raised in the 18th century, the church lost some of its original, unified basilica appearance. Over the centuries, chapels in various architectural styles were added around the Gothic core. The cathedral is separated from the outside courtyard by a wall with three Baroque gates, designed by Giovanni Trevano in 1619 and funded by Bishop Piotr Tylicki. The cathedral is surrounded by three towers. The Sigismund Tower, which is famous for housing the enormous “Sigismund” bell, can be found to the north. The Clock Tower, topped by a Baroque dome created by Kacper Baanka, is the tallest. The Vicar’s Tower, also known as the Silver Bells Tower, can be found to the south. Its name comes from the bells, which are a mix of silver and copper.
The Facade
The facade has mostly kept its original look, especially in the upper part where you can see a rosette window and a statue of St. Stanislaus. Zygmunt Langman made a copy of this statue in the 19th century. The original is in the “Lost Wawel” exhibition. In the 15th century, two chapels were added on either side of the main portal, each featuring a bas-relief one of St. Margaret, the other showing St. Michael the Archangel fighting a dragon. Ancient animal bones are on display on the wall of the Holy Trinity Chapel, close to the cathedral stairs. A Baroque canopy from the 17th century can be found above the entrance, and the Baroque portal was built between 1636 and 1639. The original door, covered in 14th-century sheet metal, still has the letter K, the initial of King Casimir the Great.
North elevation
The cathedral connects to the chapter house, cathedral treasury, and chapter library on the north side. This late Gothic stone treasury building was built between 1481 and 1500, funded by Bishop Jan Rzeszowski. Next to it are 14th-century defensive walls, and the chapter house and library buildings. The oldest part was initially a residence funded by the Duchess of Ziębice in the early 15th century but was turned into a chapter house about a hundred years later. In 1775, a library and archive were established in a portion of the interior space.
Towers
The cathedral’s silhouette is dominated by the three towers known as the Sigismund Tower, Clock Tower, and Silver Bells Tower. The Silver Bells Tower is named after its distinctive bells, the Clock Tower has a Baroque dome, and the Sigismund Tower is best known for the great Sigismund Bell.
South elevation
On the south side, there is another medieval entrance to the cathedral, leading directly to the altar of St. Stanislaus. The Sigismund Chapel, which has a gilded dome, and the Vasa Chapel, which is an architectural replica of the Sigismund Chapel, are two of the numerous chapels that can be found on the west side of the cathedral. The royal tombs’ exit is covered in a 1930s canopy at the base of the Silver Bells Tower. The canopy was constructed using, among other things, columns from the demolished St. Warsaw’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Tsar Nicholas II gave them to this Warsaw church to decorate the interior. The literature provides varying accounts of the rock from which these columns were made: some authors claim they are jasper, others say jade. The Polish lands’ coats of arms are displayed on the granite floor.
Inside the Cathedral
The interior has a different appearance than the original medieval style. The St. Mark’s mausoleum made the central nave shorter. In the 17th century, Stanislaus was moved to the transept, creating a new central space. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the ambulatory was renovated in the Baroque style, losing much of its medieval feel. Nevertheless, the cathedral retains much of its Gothic architecture, such as the cross-ribbed vaults that separate the central nave, chancel, and side aisles from the ambulatory. The eastern chancel has a tripartite vault, typical of Polish Gothic style. An interesting architectural feature here is the pillar-buttress system, sometimes called the Krakow system.
Inside the Main Nave
Four aged wooden statues can be seen directly above the cathedral’s massive stone columns when entering. They’re of the Church Fathers Jerome, Ambrose, Gregory, and Augustine. Three of them are extremely ancient, possibly from the 1500s or the 1600s. The one of Augustine was added later, around 1900. Some of the Polish kings are buried in large stone tombs along the sides of the church as you go through the main area. One of the tombs belongs to Władysław III of Varna. Well, almost. It’s actually empty. In 1444, he was killed in a battle, and his body was never found. So this tomb is more of a tribute than a real grave. It was created in Rome in 1906 by a sculptor by the name of Antoni Madeyski, and it resembles medieval Gothic-style graves. Another king, Władysław II Jagiełło, does have a proper tomb there. He died in 1434. His is made from red marble and has this beautiful stone canopy over it that was added a little later, in 1524. King Sigismund the Old paid for it, and the same artists who worked on the Sigismund Chapel helped build it. You’ll find massive woven tapestries on the walls of the cathedral all around. They portray scenes from the Bible’s Jacob story. These tapestries were made in Brussels in the 1600s and come from Jacob van Zeunen’s workshop. Between 1756 and 1759, the choir section, where the choir and priests would sit, was built. Francisco Placidi created the design for it. In addition, the massive instrument with all of the pipes, the organ, was added in 1785. You can still see bits of old painted designs on the walls from the 1600s not all of it survived, but some parts still show through.
Transept
The confession of St. Peter is a massive Baroque structure in the middle of the cathedral. Stanislaus. It was constructed from 1626 to 1629. They put the saint’s relics inside it. Florian, and later, in 1254, the Saint’s remains. Stanislaus of Szczepanów is one of Poland’s most revered saints. The coffin, or reliquary, was made by a guy named Piotr von der Rennen. It is made of wood but is covered in silver, and detailed scenes from St. Stanislaus’s life, including a photograph of the Battle of Grunwald because, at the time, people believed that the saint helped Poland win that battle. The entire structure is sometimes referred to as “Ara Patriae,” which translates to “Altar of the Homeland.” It became a national symbol rather than just a tomb. Kings brought war trophies as a kind of sacrifice here for centuries. King Wadysaw Jagieo, for instance, displayed the Teutonic banners he had captured at Grunwald in 1410. After defeating the Turks in Vienna in 1683, John III Sobieski was the last person to raise a flag here. There are also memorials to a few bishops their epitaphs around this shrine. Marcin Szyszkowski, whose work was created by Giovanni Trevano, and others like Piotr Gembicki, Jan Maachowski, and Kazimierz ubieski, whose work was created by Kacper Baanka, round out the list.
Presbytery
Up in the presbytery, if you look up, you’ll see keystones decorated with images Christ the Savior with angels, St. Stanislaus, St. Wenceslas, in addition to the Rawicz crest. These carvings are among Kraków’s oldest examples of Gothic sculpture. The walls still hold onto traces of polychrome from 1616, faint but definitely there. Below those are beautiful landscape tapestries, made in Flanders in the late 1600s, showing the Swan coat of arms of Bishop Andrzej Trzebicki. You’ll also find wooden stalls made in 1620 by a craftsman named Jan Szambura along the walls. The altar and pulpit you see today were reconstructed in 1901, following an older design by S. Odrzywolski and using original pieces from the past.The main altar itself was funded by Bishop Piotr Gembicki, and back in the day, royal coronations took place right in front of it. Giovanni Battista Gisleni created the Baroque altar, which dates from around 1650. A painting of the Crucifixion can be found in the middle of it. Gembicki’s episcopal throne, complete with his Nacz coat of arms, is on the steps close to the altar. A canopy that was built for Augustus III and Maria Józefa’s coronation in 1734 can be found above it. Polychrome paintings from the 14th century can be seen just behind the altar. Additionally, Cardinal Frederick Jagiellon’s bronze tombstone can be found in the center of the ascending steps. The burial ground of Bishop Piotr Gembicki, the same person who provided funding for the altar, can be found to the right of it.
Tombs of Kings
There are a few major tombs between the pillars on both sides of the presbytery. One is Waidysaw the Elbow-high’s tomb, which dates back to 1333. His son, Casimir the Great, had it made it was the first king’s tombstone placed in the cathedral. It’s carved from sandstone, and the canopy you see over it now is Neo-Gothic, made in 1900–1903 by Odrzywolski. In the 1600s, the initial one was taken down. The second is Casimir the Great’s own tomb, with a canopy made of sandstone and red marble for the body and columns. It was funded by Louis, his nephew who also ruled Poland and Hungary. It’s one of the rare surviving canopy tombs in Europe.
Ambulatory
You enter the ambulatory through two early Baroque gates, originally made in 1601 by Maciej Świętek, and then redone in 1605 by Samuel Świętkowicz. Look to the side; Alfred Daun added those bronze reliefs nearby in 1903.
The eastern arm of the ambulatory
A dramatic altar made of black marble, designed by Francesco Placidi between 1743 and 1745, can be found just past the sacristy. It features a crucifix from the 14th century and a mid-1700s silver backdrop that sparkles. This is Saint Queen Jadwiga’s renowned cross. She used to pray before it and legend says Christ once spoke to her from the cross. Because of this, in 1987, when she was beatified, her relics were moved to this location and placed directly on the altar table. In fact, Pope John XXIII’s predecessor, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, celebrated Mass here in 1912. Nearby are tombs designed by Placidi and crafted by Mrowiński between 1753 and 1760 they belong to King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki and his wife Eleonora, and also to King John III Sobieski and Queen Maria Kazimiera. Three altars constructed in 1747 and dedicated to St. Wenceslas (center), St. Jacek (right), and St. Joseph (left). Each one has a saint portrait by Tadeusz Konicz, who painted it in the 18th century.
Southern arm of the ambulatory
A bronze plaque of Cardinal Zbigniew Olenicki, made in Vienna around 1900, can be found next to Casimir the Great’s tomb. In addition, Antoni Madeyski carved Queen Jadwiga’s white marble tombstone in 1902 here. Her actual remains were moved from under the main altar in 1949 and buried here. In 1987, they were placed at the black crucifix altar mentioned earlier, so the tomb is empty now. A glass case containing Jadwiga’s wooden regalia a scepter and orb can be seen directly above Anna of Celje’s tomb. A bronze slab depicting Pawe Szydowiecki, a royal secretary who passed away in 1506, is located across from that. The well-known Peter Vischer workshop produced it. A monument to Cardinal Albin Dunajewski, who passed away in 1894, can be found next to it. It features a white marble bust made in 1900 by Mieczysaw Zawiejski.
The northern arm of the ambulatory
Across from the sacristy door is the tomb of Dean Stanisław Borek, who died in 1556. In 1558, his tombstone was cast. Not far from that is a stunning silver tombstone of John III Sobieski, showing him after his victory in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Based on a painting by Jan Matejko, it was created in 1888 by Józef Hakowski. The entrance to the Crypt of the National Prophets can be found in the middle of all of this.
Side Aisles
North Nave
On the left of the Czartoryski Chapel, there’s a Renaissance tombstone for Dr. Bartłomiej Sabinek, the royal doctor, who died in 1556. By the vestibule to the chapter house, there’s a black marble and gold Baroque tomb of Bishop Andrzej Trzebicki, who died in 1673. Not far from it is a Neoclassical tombstone of Stanisław Ankwicz (d. 1840), carved out of white Carrara marble by Francesco Pozzi in Florence. Above it is a plaque dedicated to General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, the man who started the Polish Legions.
South Nave
The grave of Piotr Kmita the Elder, Voivode of Kraków, who passed away in 1553, is close to the entrance. His marble statue was moved to a niche in the 1800s from the Kmita family mausoleum, which is now gone. The tomb of Piotr Kmita the Younger, who was also a Voivode of Kraków and died in 1505, can be found nearby on a wall. The workshop of Peter Vischer in Nürnberg produced it. The tombstone of Piotr Boratyski, Castellan of Bez, who passed away in 1558, is right next to it. His wife Barbara Dzieduszycka commissioned it in 1559 its sandstone and was probably made by an Italian stonemason from Berrecci’s circle. A lengthy Latin inscription praises his life and service in the military. He was primarily renowned for his foresight, eloquence, and bravery, both at home and in war. His wife ensured that his memory would endure.
Chapels of Wawel Cathedral
You will find a row of remarkable chapels, each with its own history, on the south side of the cathedral. Beginning with the Vasa Chapel, moving on to the Sigismund Chapel, the Konarski, Zadzik, Jan Olbracht, and Zauski Chapels, all of which are tucked away along the walls of the cathedral and each one has its own distinct style and story.
South nave
Vasa Chapel (also called the Psalterist or Pradocin Chapel)
The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is honored in this chapel. Built between 1664 and 1666 as the burial place for the Vasa dynasty, it’s a full-on Baroque space with dark Dębnik marble walls and a sense of noble stillness. Epitaphs honoring Vasa family members can be found inside. An elaborate lattice separates it from the rest of the cathedral.
Holy Cross Chapel (also known as Nosalitsa)
This chapel was built between 1447 and 1492 and was King Casimir IV Jagiellon and his queen’s final resting place. In 1492, none other than Veit Stoss sculpted the king’s tomb. Another of Bishop Kajetan Sotyk’s tombstones was crafted in 1788 by Piotr Aigner.
Potocki and Szafraniec Chapels
The Potocki Chapel, sometimes called the Rozyc Chapel or the Padniewski Chapel, is dedicated to the Purification of the Virgin Mary. Bishop Zawisza of Kurozwki established it for the first time in 1381. It was then rebuilt in a Classical style by a Viennese architect named Piotr Nobile between 1832 and 1840. In the 1570s, it was used as the tomb chapel for Bishop Filip Padniewski. A Christ statue and two marble busts Artur Potocki and Julia Lubomirska sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen can be found inside. Next to it is the Szafraniec Chapel, also known as the Doctors’ Chapel or the Radziwiłł Chapel. It’s dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and Saint Stephen, and it sits at the base of the old Romanesque Silver Bells Tower. It has been the burial ground of the Szafraniec family since 1420. The College of Lawyers in Kraków took care of it in the 1600s, and the Radziwi family received it in 1902. Jozef Mehoffer created the stained glass and walls in 1908, and they still shine with color today.
Chapels in the Southern and Eastern Ambulatory
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the focus of the Sigismund Chapel, which is also known as the Royal Chapel, the Jagiellonian Chapel, and the Rorantist Chapel. Bartholomew Berecci constructed it and dedicated it in 1533. The chapel is square in plan and topped with a dome with a golden scale. The tombstones of King Sigismund II Augustus and King Sigismund I the Old can be found opposite the altar. The Anna Jagiellon tombstone can be found next to the stalls and in front of the entrance. The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is honored in the Chapel of Bishop Jan Konarski, also known as Bishop Konstanty Felicjan Szaniawski. founded by Bishop Jan Bodzanta in 1351. It was rebuilt into the mausoleum of Bishop Jan Konarski in the years 1520–1521, and into the mausoleum of Bishop Szaniawski in the years 1722–1728. Zadzik Chapel, also known as the Kościelecki Chapel, dedicated to St. John the Baptist John erected in 1350. Converted into the Andrzej Kocielicki mausoleum at the beginning of the 16th century and the Bishop Jakub Zadzik mausoleum between 1645 and 1650. Jan Albert Chapel, dedicated to Corpus Christi and St. Andrew. It was built in 1501 by dividing the Gothic Chapel of St. John into two parts. It is where King Jan Albert’s body is buried. Francesco de Florentino designed the niche in which the tomb was placed between 1502 and 1505. The Bishop Grot and Oarowski Chapel, also known as Bishop Andrzej Zauski’s Chapel, is a chapel dedicated to St. John the Evangelist Founded in 1344 by Bishop Grot, it was rebuilt in 1758–1766 at the expense of Bishop Załuski. The chapel contains the late Renaissance tombstone of Walenty Dembiński (d.1584). Bishop Piotr Tomicki’s Chapel, dedicated to Tomasz Kantuaryjski. Rebuilt between 1526 and 1535, from its original Gothic structure, it became Bishop Tomicki’s mausoleum. The altar contains the relics of the Polish chronicler, Blessed Wincenty Kadłubek , Bishop of Kraków . A planned 18th-century conversion of the chapel into the third chapel commemorating the dynasty the Wettin Chapel never came to fruition. St. Batory Chapel, Cyborial Chapel, Mansionary Chapel, and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary are all variants of Mary’s Chapel. Here is where the Sacred Sacrament is kept. The tombstone of King Stephen Báthory is located here. This chapel is where Queen Elizabeth Pilecka, the third wife of Warsaw Jagieo, is buried. Chapel of Bishop Piotr Gamrat, also known as Grochowski, dedicated to St. Catherine. constructed in the early 14th century. In the years 1545–1547, it was rebuilt as a mausoleum for Bishop Gamrat. Rebuilt again in the 17th century by Canon Jerzy Grochowski.
Northern Chapels and the North Nave
Built in 1355, the Zebrzydowski Chapel is dedicated to Cosmas and Damian. Beginning in the 1560s, it was converted into the mausoleum of Bishop Andrzej Zebrzydowski. The Skotnicki Chapel, also known as the Skarszewski Chapel, can be found right next to it. That one dates to 1339, founded by Jarosław Bogoria Skotnicki. Stanislaw Skarszewski had it redone in the 1600s for him. A bit further along is the Lipski Chapel. It was built in the first half of the 14th century and is devoted to St. Matthias and St.Matthew. It was rebuilt once more between 1743 and 1746 to serve as Cardinal Jan Aleksander Lipski’s mausoleum, this time around 1643, when Andrzej Lipski was buried there. The Bishop Samuel Maciejowski chapel can be found over in the north nave. It’s dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle and Our Lady of the Snows. They built it sometime in the mid-1500s, over an older Gothic chapel, and it became Bishop Maciejowski’s tomb. Then there’s the Czartoryski Chapel, which sits on the ground floor of the Clock Tower. It was once a chapter house, but Prince Wiadysaw Czartoryski had it rebuilt in the 19th century. The royal tombs can be reached from there. In close proximity is also the Holy Trinity Chapel. It was built in 1431 for Queen Sophia and features beautiful polychrome work from the early 20th century by Wodzimierz Tetmajer. Bertel Thorvaldsen sculpted a classicist-style tombstone for Wodzimierz Potocki inside. The vestibule, which was previously known as the Chapel of St. Nicholas. This one, which has been in use since the 13th century, connects the chapter house and library.
The Crypts
The Crypt of National Prophets lies beneath the floor of the northern arm of the ambulatory. The crypt contains two sarcophagi (the resting place of poets Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki ) and two urns containing soil from the graves of Cyprian Kamil Norwid and Słowacki’s mother, Salomea Słowacka . In 2010, a medallion with an image of Fryderyk Chopin was installed, a copy of the medallion found on Chopin’s grave.
St. Leonard’s Crypt is the underground section of the second Romanesque cathedral. In the apse is an altar from 1873. In the center of the crypt, beneath the floor, lies the tomb of Bishop Maurus (d. 1118). John III Sobieski , Maria Kazimiera , Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki , Tadeusz Kościuszko , Prince Józef Poniatowski , and General Władysław Sikorski are buried in the crypt. The Royal Tombs at Wawel Castle consist of seven crypts, connected by corridors. Polish kings (from Sigismund the Old to Augustus II the Strong ), their families, and great Polish heroes are buried there. The Crypt of the Archbishops of Kraków is located beneath the confession of St. Stanislaus. Cardinals Albin Dunajewski , Adam Stefan Sapieha , and Franciszek Macharski.
Sacristy
Built in 1322 as the Chapel of St. Margaret, it served as the cathedral sacristy after being rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century. From the nave, a Baroque portal constructed by Francesco Placidi in 1767 leads elsewhere. On its keystones, the cross-ribbed vault’s oldest bas-reliefs are found. Baroque paintings line the walls.
Cathedral Treasury
Built by Koszyce mason Hanusz Blatfus between 1481 and 1500. Józef Mehoffer and Jan Talaga painted the polychrome vault and walls. The cathedral treasury has accumulated numerous liturgical paraments, regalia, and historical memorabilia over the centuries. Among these are the spear of St. Maurice , a cross made of two diadems (of Prince Bolesław the Chaste and his wife , St. Kinga), which was a mitre of St. Stanislaus is a 15th-century rationale that was founded by Queen Jadwiga and is a reliquary for St.Stanislaus, a chasuble made in 1504 by Marcin Marciniec, features embroidered scenes from St. Stanisaw (the embroidery is based on figures carved by Stanisaw Stoss), Stanisaw August’s coronation mantle, the coronation cope (made for Micha Korybut Winiowiecki and his wife Eleonora), antique chalices, monstrances, crosses, bishop’s rings, liturgical vestments, and royal insignia are all included. The Cathedral Museum houses some of them.
Chapter House
The Duchess of Zibice established the building, which dates back to the 15th century. At first, apartments were housed in the rooms. The Chapter rebuilt it one hundred years later. A portion of the interior was transformed into a library and archive in 1775. A polychrome painting by Henryk Uziba in 1904 covers the chapter house.
Chapter Library
Founded in the 11th century, it is one of the oldest in Poland. It contains 230 manuscript codices, including Annals and Calendars of the Kraków Chapter from the 13th-15th centuries, writings of Polish chroniclers from the 16th-17th centuries, Lent sermons from the 18th century, richly illuminated liturgical writings (including the three-volume Gradual of Jan Olbracht and the Missal and Gospel Book of Bishop Tomicki from the 16th century), 170 incunabula, and approximately 500 old prints.
Feast Day
Feast Day : April 11 – St. Stanislaus September 28 – St. Wenceslaus
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus in Kraków, Poland, honors two patron saints with annual feast days. The feast of St. Stanislaus, the patron saint of Poland and Kraków, is officially celebrated on April 11, but the main public celebration, including a major procession from Wawel Cathedral to Skałka, usually takes place on the first Sunday after May 8. The second patron, St. Wenceslaus, is commemorated on September 28. Both feast days are important religious events deeply rooted in Polish tradition and history.
Church Mass Timing
Monday to Saturday : 07:00 AM, 07:30 AM, 04:30 PM, 05:30 PM
Sunday : 07:00 AM, 08:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 04:30 PM
Church Opening Time:
Monday to Saturday : 09:00 am – 04:30 pm.
Sunday : 12:30 pm – 04:00 pm.
Contact Info
Address : Wawel Cathedral
Wawel, 31-001 Kraków, Poland.
Phone : +48 12 429 95 16
Accommodations
Connectivities
Airway
Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus, Krakow, Poland, to Krakow Airport Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy im, distance 25 min (14.5 km) via DW780 and A4.
Railway
Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus, Krakow, Poland, to Kraków Główny (Main Station), distance between 14 min (5.3 km) via II obwodnica.
