Krakow

Today we left Warsaw and drove to Krakow. All along the roads were scattered green fields with farmlands and small towns. We arrived in Krakow and had lunch at a restaurant that featured authentic Pierogis, which are local dumplings. They were delicious and were served with a warm cucumber soap. After lunch we were led on a tour around the old town square in Krakow. Because Krakow was inhabited by many Germans during the second war, it was spared from destruction. Most all of the city survives in its original state today. Included in our tour was the Jagiellonian University, which was originally established in the 14th century as the University of Cracow and is one of the oldest universities in the world. We also saw the Archbishops Palace, where Karol Wojtyla resided for 20 years as Archbishop of Cracow before becoming Pope John Paul II in 1978. Poland is 96% Catholic, so the church still wields much power and influence on thought today. Pope John Paul was instrumental in bringing about the end of communism and establishing democracy in Poland today.

According to chronicler Jan Długosz the first parish church at the Main Square in Kraków was founded in 1221–22 by the Bishop of Kraków, Iwo Odrowąż. The building was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Poland. Between 1290–1300 the new Polish Gothic  church was built on the remaining foundations. It was consecrated twenty years later, in 1320.

The church was completely rebuilt under the reign of Casimir III the Great between 1355 and 1365 with substantial contributions from wealthy restaurateur Mikołaj Wierzynek. The presbytery was elongated and tall windows added. The main body of the church was completed in 1395–97 with the new vault constructed by master Nicholas Werhner from Prague. However, the vault over the presbytery collapsed in 1442 due to a possible earthquake, which never happen before nor after in Kraków.

In the first half of the 15th century, the side chapels were added. Most of them were the work of master Franciszek Wiechoń. At the same time the northern tower was raised and designed to serve as the watch tower for the entire city. In 1478 carpenter Maciej Heringh  funded a helmet for the tower. A gilded crown was placed on it in 1666, which is still present today. At the end of the 15th century, St Mary's church was enriched with a sculptural masterpiece, an Altarpiece of Veit Stoss of late Gothic design.

In the 18th century, by the decision of vicar Jacek Augustyn Łopacki, the interior was rebuilt in the late Baroque style. The author of this work was Francesco Placidi. All 26 altars, equipment, furniture, benches and paintings were replaced and the walls were decorated with polychrome, the work of Andrzej Radwański.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the city has decided that a cemetery near the Basilica was to be shut down and made into a public square. Today it is known as Plac Mariacki (The Marian Square). In the years 1887–1891, under the direction of Tadeusz Stryjeński the neo-Gothic design was introduced into the Basilica. The temple gained a new design and murals painted and funded by Jan Matejko, who worked with Stanislaw Wyspianski and Józef Mehoffer - the authors of stained glass in the presbytery.

A sculpture by Igor Mitorai entitled Eros Bendato is in the old town square in the center of Krakow.