Back again with another post deep from the archives of my travels in 2018. Yes, It was in 2018 when I went on my law school class trip to Poland. While the highlight of the trip was a sobering visit to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, I did manage to do a host of touristy things which I am only now getting around to share (fight me).
I’d like to think of this as me remembering what it was like to be outside before the great Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. I probably wouldn’t have realized that I hadn’t shared this trip if I wasn’t locked inside of my house and made to reflect on how great outside used to be.
On this trip, one of the things that was interesting for me to learn was that Poland used to have a monarchy. The monarchy was abolished in 1795. I know it should be obvious to me that all European countries at one point had a monarchy but because Polish history isn’t widespread and mainstream, it’s not something that crossed my mind.
Krakow the city in Poland that I visited is home to Wawel Castle and Cathedral. It is an architectural marvel and was once the home of Polish monarchs. From a distance, the castle looks like a compound, but once you’re inside it tells a different story.
Wawel Castle is literally a marvel. Different portions of the castle feature different architectural elements from the time period in which it was built. It’s not like Buckingham Palace where the entire structure is the same, there’s portions of the castle that look nothing like the other which is all part of the intrigue. It represents nearly all of the European architectural styles from Gothic to Baroque.
Because this castle was so unique, it had the privilege of being the first UNESCO world heritage site and I got the stand in the middle of it. That is amazing.
The castle grounds is also home to Wawel Cathedral which is the burial site of Poland’s monarchs. They have various exhibitions and galleries and keep a meticulously well curated archive of art and historical files at Wawel Castle Museum. Entry to the outer grounds is free, but to get a glimpse of indoors you’ve got to pay a fee. If you only want to see certain exhibitions, you can pick and choose and pay for what exactly you’d like to see.
The castle is one of the largest in Poland, so in the event that the world does open up again I’d recommend a trip to Krakow. Honestly, I have more pictures of the Castle… I’m certain of it, but I can’t track all of them down right now. I’ll certainly add them when I find them.
Wawel Cathedral
Wawel Cathedral and sections of Wawel Castle
Yes this is part of Wawel Castle
