Architectural Photography: magnificent Wawel Castle in Krakow
Hi there my Hivean friends and followers!
We have been here in Krakow for some 10 days already but it was not until now that I finally had some time to edit some of the photos that I have taken here and make them ready for what I hope will be a decent post :) The post will be dedicated to one of the most famous and important architectural landmarks of the city - the magnificent Wawel Castle.
Located in the southern part of the historic center of Krakow, the second largest city in Poland, the Wawel Castle is a massive royal castle whose very origins date back to as early as 970 AD.
Perched on the left bank of the Vistula River (or Wisla River in Polish), at an altitude of 228 m (748 ft) above the sea level, the castle has always been a place of great historical and national importance as it used to serve as the official seat of Polish kings for long centuries. In a cathedral that is a part of the castle complex, the kings also used to be crowned and buried.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, the Wawel Castle has undergone numerous improvements and reconstructions over the centuries, eventually turning into a very unique structure that bears features from a variety of architectural styles ranging from medieval to renaissance and baroque.
Just like most other medieval castles in Europe, the Krakow Castle also has its legend. According to the legend, there was a horrible dragon called Wawel (or Smok Wawelski in Polish) living in a lair at the foot of the castle. The mystical beast terrorized poor locals before it was killed by Krakus, a legendary Polish hero and the alleged founder of the city. Today, there is a metal statue of the dragon in front of the castle. The statue even breathes fire sometimes but it didn´t when I was taking a photo of it, unfortunately.
The castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Now in summer, most of the flowers and plants are still blooming, creating picturesque settings (both foregrounds and backgrounds) for panoramic views of the castle complex. I really enjoyed taking these shots.
There is also a metal miniature model of the castle that makes it easier for the visitors to get a grasp of the largeness of the complex and put it into perspective. The complex is really huge and you easily spend hours just exploring the outside of it (we haven´t even been inside yet).
Thanks to its strategic central position in the city, the Wawel Castle is easily accessible from many directions. It is just some 800 m (0.5 mi) from the city´s main square or you can take a nice walk along the Vistula River to get there. You can actually also get there on a kayak if you rent some from one of the rental companies that can be found on the bank of the river :) The airbnb apartment that we are currently staying at is just a short walk from the castle so we hang around it quite often.
I hope you enjoyed this post that was dedicated to the Krakow Castle, one of the most important architectural pieces in Poland.
As I just mentioned above, we haven´t been inside the castle yet but from what I learned, the interiors are just as interesting as the exteriors. Serving as one the most prominent museums in the country, the castle houses large collections of fine art including renowned paintings, sculptures, ceramics, arms, period furniture and much more.
So if you are a fan of architecture, history or art, make sure to pay a visit to this extraordinary site that is so important to the Polish nation. I am sure you will not be disappointed ;)
All photos of the castle featured in this post were taken by me.
This post was created by me for the Hive blockchain exclusively. All rights reserved.
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Thank you so much for this extra support Andy, much appreciated!
Woooww very good photos! You are good.
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed this photo collection :)
You're welcome. Thank you too.
That is one spectacular piece of architectural work so old and nicely restored love every angle of it how beautiful and awesome photos of the castle 👍
Thank you :) It´s a very special landmark. I have never seen so many different styles blended in one piece.
It would have been a real treat to see and photograph that masterpiece lucky you 😁
Wawel Castle is a most tremendous and magnificent castle when I see recently through this blog. I waited to see beauty landmarks of your Poland journey. The Wawel Castle's has amazing architectural design and one clock tower built on the top. Some of memorable sculptures built inside of garden area. Beautiful flower surrounded by the park. Your photo clicks adorable and can take big imagine how Wawel Castle located are.
Thank you for this nice feedback my friend :) Always a pleasure to share something from our European architecture and history with you. Greetings to Sri Lanka.
This is a very informative and beautiful post. A kind of excursion into the past. This is really interesting, this is post number one. And the quality of the photo is great. I liked this post. Thanks you.
Thanks man, I am glad you learned something new from this post ;)
Hi @phortun! Your architectural photography is absolutely stunning! Just by looking at your photos, I already felt like being there in person. Thank you for sharing this interesting story!
Thank you for this nice feedback my friend, it was my pleasure to take you on this tour with me :)
Neříkej mi, že nemáš příjem z vytváření průvodců po zajímavých lokalitách :-). Jako vydavatel průvodce bych určitě tvé fotografie chtěl.
Zatím mě nikdo neoslovil, ale určitě bych se tomu nebránil :D Ale ne, občas si někdo něco stáhne z mého portfolia na fotobance ;)
Divil bych se, pokud by to neudělali :-)
Hiya, @LivingUKTaiwan here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #958.
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Wohooo, thank you so much :) I noticed the competition in the travel section has increased dramatically lately so even an honorable mention is a huge success these days. Thanks!
The dragon looks really cool. It would be interesting to see a metal dragon breathe fire haha. What I do find interesting is how distinct it's architecture is. Maybe when you do get inside, you will be even more surprised by what you can find there
Yeah, the dragon looks cool indeed but I don´t know why they put him at this particular place. He totally blends with the trees behind him :D :( I need to check him out after the sunset to see how cool his fire breathing skills are :D
Thanks for stopping by my friend.
This is a nice classy castle looks like someone a pope would stay it's a really nice outstanding design 👍