The History of Krakow

Krakow Timeline

AD 990

The end of the 10th century - the city was a major center of trade. Around this time, it was incorporated into the holdings of the Piast dynasty of Poland

AD 1038

Kraków became the seat of the Polish government

AD 1241

The town was almost entirely destroyed in the Tatar invasions

AD 1257

the city was rebuilt, in a form which has remained practically unaltered, and received city rights under Magdeburg Law

AD 1259 - 1287

Krakow was again destroyed by the mongols

AD 1320

The first crowning ceremony of Ladislaus the Short in the Wawel Cathedral strengthened the rank of the capital city of Krakow

AD 1596

Sigismund III moved his capital to Warsaw

AD 1655

Krakow was captured for the first time and plundered by the Swedes

AD 1794

Kraków became part of the Austrian province of Galicia. Tadeusz Kosciuszko initiated a revolt, in Krakow's market

AD 1815

The Congress of Vienna restored the partition of Poland, but gave Kraków independence as the Free City of Krakow

AD 1918

Krakow beccame a place of martyrology of the Jewish nation.

AD 1939

Second World War; Nazi German forces entered Kraków and it became the capital of the General Government

AD 1978

UNESCO placed Kraków on the list of World Heritage Sites

The History of Krakow

To say that Krakow’s past has been interesting would be an understatement of laughable proportions. The former capital city and cultural heartland of Poland has experienced enough turbulence to last it several millenniums, surviving everything from Austrian rule, Swedish destruction, Mongol invasion and German occupation to Polish dissolution, trouble with the Tatars, widespread plague, Napoleonic interference and the fact that violinist Nigel Kennedy lives there... Through it all, graceful and majestic, Krakow’s symphony plays on.

Famed for its magnificent Market Square, not to mention its Royal castle, churches and 14th century university - which was only the second to open its doors in central Europe at the time – Krakow’s most famous son was a man called Karol: Pope John Paul II to be precise. He studied there for years before becoming the city’s archbishop and, finally, landing the Big Hat. Any city tour worth its salt would have to include a reference or two to the first non-Italian Pope in nearly 500 years. And speaking of salt, Krakow is also famous for the incredible visual one-off that is the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a structure virtually indescribable and absolutely worth a visit on a stag weekend in Krakow.

Useful Facts:

Country: Poland

Language: Polish

Currency: Zloty

Time Difference: GMT +1

Population: 757,500

The fact that Krakow’s population has more than quadrupled since the end of World War II, cementing its place as a centre for education, science and the arts along the way, only underlines the obvious – Nazism was crushed. But not before it subjected Poland, and this city in particular, to the horrors that lay behind its goose-stepping ideology. Auschwitz was one of the Third Reich’s first concentration camps, initially created to house political prisoners but soon used to facilitate Hitler’s deadly "Final Solution." It now stands as both a fascinating museum and a breathtaking lesson on what mankind is capable of.

Modern day Krakow exudes a steely confidence that its remarkably unaffected historical landmarks – be they Gothic, Romanesque or Baroque – can only help to further, whilst 170,000 students contribute significantly in showing the world how stylish, sexy and cool the city is in the areas of fashion, music, cuisine and entertainment. Truly, she’s a peach.

»» Want accommodation? Check out our Stag Weekends in Krakow

»» Don't want accommodation? Check out our Stag Nights in Krakow

»» Were you looking for the Krakow Hen Weekends Page?