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(Redirected from Krakow)
'Kraków' (IPA: ) or 'Cracow', also known by its alternative and foreign names, is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, with a population of 757,500 in 2006 (1.4 million including surrounding communities). This historic city, dating back to the 4th century, "History of Krakow, Archaeological findings" Published by the Municipality Of Kraków, Press Office, 2007 is situated on the Vistula River (). It was the capital of Poland until 1596 and the capital of Kraków Voivodeship from the 14th century to the year 1999. It is now the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in the Lesser Poland region.
The historic centre of Kraków lays at the foot of Wawel Hill, where the Royal Castle is located, a former residence of Polish monarchs. The oldest neighborhoods of Kraków include the Old Town, Wawel District and Kazimierz. The city's historic centre was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in 1978.
Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading scientific, cultural and artistic centres of the country and Europe. As the former national capital, with a history stretching back over a thousand years, the city remains the spiritual heart of Poland. It is a major centre of local and international tourism, attracting seven million visitors annually. Famous landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and Sukiennice Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle with armory, National Art Museum, Zygmunt Bell at Wawel Cathedral, and medieval Florian Gate with Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route.
The name of ''Kraków'' is traditionally derived from the legendary ruler Krakus (Krak, Grakch), the founder of Kraków and the ruler of the tribe of Lechitians (Poles). Krak's name is sometimes attributed to a pre-Slavic word "krakula",[1] meaning judge's staff, or a pre-Slavic word "krak", meaning an oak, a sacred tree, most often associated with the concept of genealogy.[2] The first mention of prince Krakus (then written as ''Grakch'') dates back to 1190.
The official city's name in full, used only on ceremonial occasions, is The Royal Capital City of Kraków (). Kraków is also known in Latin and Romanian as ''Cracovia'', in French as ''Cracovie'', in German as ''Krakau'' and in Hungarian as ''Krakkó''.
Main articles: History of Kraków
The earliest known settlement on the present site of Kraków was established on Wawel Hill, and dates back to the 4th century. Legend attributes the town's establishment to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a ravenous dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first mention of the city's name dates to 966, when Abraham ben Jacob described Kraków as a notable commercial centre.[3]
By the end of the 10th century, the city was a leading center of trade, incorporated into the holdings of the Piast dynasty of Poland. Brick buildings were being constructed, including Wawel Castle, Romanesque churches such as St. Adalbert's, a cathedral, and a basilica.[4] The city was almost entirely destroyed during the Tatar invasions in 1241, 1259 and 1287.[5] It was rebuilt in 1257 and adopted the city rights under the Magdeburg law.[6] The city rose to new prominence in 1364, when Casimir III of Poland founded the University of Kraków, the second university in central Europe after the University of Prague. The city continued to grow under the joint Lithuanian-Polish Jagiellon dynasty (1386–1572). As the capital of a powerful state, it became a flourishing center of science and the arts.[7] Many works of Polish Renaissance art and architecture were created there during that time.
Kraków became a member of the Hanseatic League, attracting many craftsmen to settle there, establish businesses, and form guilds. Some of Europe's oldest synagogues, with the most prominent of them, the Old Synagogue, were built in the adjoining Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.
The 15th and 16th centuries were known as Kraków's golden age. Casimir IV was crowned as King of Poland in 1447. His children were taught by an Italian humanist Filip Callimachus. Numerous artists, mainly from Nuremberg and Italy, lived and worked in Kraków. In 1488 the imperial Poet Laureate Conrad Celtes founded the ''Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana'' (''Vistula Literary Society'') based on Roman academies. In 1489 Veit Stoss (''Wit Stwosz'') finished his work on the Great Altar of the St. Mary's Church,[8] followed by a marble sarcophagus for the king. Johann Haller established a printing press in the city.[9]
In 1520, the most famous church bell in Poland, named Zygmunt after Sigismund I of Poland was cast by Johan Behem.[10] At the same time Hans Dürer, younger brother of Albrecht Dürer, was Sigismund's court painter.[11] Hans von Kulmbach made several altars for Kraków's churches.[12] In 1572, King Sigismund II died childless and the Polish throne passed on to Sigismund III of the Swedish House of Vasa. Kraków's importance began to decline, accelerated by the pillaging of the city during the Swedish invasion, and an outbreak of a plague that left 20,000 city residents dead. Sigismund III moved his capital to Warsaw in 1596.[13]
In the late 18th century, the weakened Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned by its neighbors, Russia, the Habsburg empire, and Prussia.[14] Kraków became part of the Austrian province of Galicia. In 1794 Tadeusz Kościuszko initiated an insurrection in Kraków's Main Square, resulting in the Third Partition of Poland.[15] Napoleon Bonaparte recaptured Polish territories in 1807 and Kraków became a part of the Duchy of Warsaw, an independent though subordinate Polish state. However, following his ruinous retreat from Moscow, the Congress of Vienna restored the partition of Poland in 1815, at the same time granting Kraków partial independence as the ''Free City of Kraków''. The city again became the focus of a struggle for national sovereignty in 1846, during the Kraków Uprising. The uprising failed to spread outside the city and was put down, resulting in Kraków's annexation by Austria.[16]
Austria granted a degree of autonomy to Galicia after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.[18] As this form of Austrian rule was more benevolent than that exercised by Russia and Prussia, Kraków became a Polish national symbol and a center of culture and art, known frequently as the "Polish Athens" (''Polskie Ateny'') to which Poles would flock to revere the symbols and monuments of Poland's great past.[19] Several important celebrations took place in Kraków during the period from 1866 to 1914, including the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald in 1910.[20] Many leading Polish artists of that period resided in Kraków, among them the seminal painter, Jan Matejko,[21] and the founder of modern Polish drama, Stanisław Wyspiański.[22]
Fin de siècle Kraków had evolved into a modern metropolis;[23] running water and electric streetcars were introduced in 1901,[24] and in 1910 Kraków and surrounding suburban communities were combined into a single administrative unit called Greater Kraków (''Wielki Kraków'').
At the outbreak of World War I on August 3, Józef Piłsudski formed a small cadre military unit, the First Cadre Company - the beginning of the Polish Legions, which set out from Kraków to fight for the liberation of Poland.[25][26] The city was shortly besieged by Russian troops in November 1914, but Russian forces were pushed back afterwards.[27]
With the emergence of the Second Polish Republic Kraków became a major cultural center also for Polish Jews,[28] with a Zionist youth movement relatively strong among the city's Jewish population.[29] In September 1939 the Nazi German forces entered Kraków and turned it into the capital of the General Government, a colonial authority headed by Hans Frank.
The occupation took a heavy toll, particularly on the city's cultural heritage. Over 150 professors and academics of the Jagiellonian University were arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps.[30] Many relics and monuments of national culture were destroyed or looted.[31] The Jewish population was first confined to a ghetto and later murdered, or sent to concentration camps, including Płaszów and Auschwitz in Oświęcim.[32] Nonetheless, Kraków escaped its planned destruction during the German withdrawal due to a rapid advance of the Soviet forces led by Ivan Konev, and emerged as one of the few major Polish cities relatively undamaged at the end of World War II.[33]Ivan Katyshkin, "Sluzhili my v shtabe armeiskom", Moskva, Voenizdat, 1979, , p. 155, Махмут Гареев (Makhmut Gareev), Marshal Konev, ''Krasnaia Zvezda'', April 12, 2001[34]
As part of the Six-Year Plan after the war, the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland ordered the construction of the country's largest steel mill in the newly-created suburb of Nowa Huta, thus advancing industrialization of the city by attracting a new working class.[35]
Kraków lies in the southern part of Poland on the Vistula River in a valley at the foot of the Carpathian Plateau, above the sea level, between the Jurassic Rock Upland () to the north and the Tatra Mountains to the south. There are five nature reserves in Kraków, with a combined area of ca. 48.6 hectares, legally protected as ecosystems of essential importance to science and nature conservation. Kraków has also 192 nature monuments characterized by their unique scientific, historical and aesthetic value. The western part of the city, along its northern and north-western side, borders an area of international significance known as the Jurassic Bielany-Tyniec refuge. The main motives for the protection of this area include plant and animal wildlife, its geomorphological features and landscape.[36] Another part of the city is located within the ecological 'corridor' of the Vistula River valley. This corridor is also ranked as being of international significance as part of the Pan-European ecological network.[37] The city centre is situated on the left (northern) bank of the river.
Kraków lies in a region of temperate climate. Average temperatures in summer range from 17° to 19°C and in winter from 0° to 5°C. The average annual temperature fluctuates between 6° and 10°C (43°–50°F). The number of days of below-freezing temperatures is between 23 and 58 per annum. Predominantly western winds, conducive to rainfall, are typical of summer months, whereas eastern winds, decreasing the amount of precipitation blow mostly in winter.[38]
The oldest neighborhoods of Kraków, incorporated into the city before the late 18th century include the Old Town (''Stare Miasto''), once contained within the city defensive walls and now encircled by the Planty park; the Wawel District which is the site of the Royal Castle and the cathedral; Stradom and Kazimierz, the latter originally divided into Christian and Jewish quarters;[39] and Kleparz. Major districts added in the 19th and 20th centuries include Podgórze – until 1915 a separate town on the southern bank of the Vistula, and Nowa Huta, east of the city centre, built after World War II.
Since March 27, 1991, Kraków has been divided into 18 administrative districts, each with the degree of autonomy within its own municipal government (''Rada Dzielnicy''). The current divisions were originally introduced by the Kraków City Hall on April 19, 1995. Districts were assigned Roman numerals as well as the most current name, reflective of growth.[40] The list of Kraków districts include: Stare Miasto (I), Grzegórzki (II), Prądnik Czerwony (III), Prądnik Biały (IV), Krowodrza (V), Bronowice (VI), Zwierzyniec (VII), Dębniki (VIII), Łagiewniki-Borek Fałęcki (IX), Swoszowice (X), Podgórze Duchackie (XI), Bieżanów-Prokocim (XII), Podgórze (XIII), Czyżyny (XIV), Mistrzejowice (XV), Bieńczyce (XVI), Wzgórza Krzesławickie (XVII), and Nowa Huta (XVIII).
Among the most notable historic districts of the city are: Wawel Hill with Castle and Cathedral where many Polish kings are buried; the medieval Old Town with its beautiful Main Market Square (200 meters square), dozens of old churches, museums, the 14th-century buildings of the Jagiellonian University; as well as Kazimierz, the historical centre of Kraków's Jewish religious and social life.[41]
The Old Town district of Kraków is home to about six thousand historic sites and more than two million works of art.[42] Its rich variety of historic architecture include Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic buildings. Kraków's palaces, churches and mansions display variety of color, architectural details, stained glass, paintings, sculptures, and furnishings.
In the Market Square stands Gothic St. Mary's Basilica (''Kościół Mariacki''). It was built in the 14th century and features the famous wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss. A trumpet call, ''hejnał mariacki'', is sounded from the church's main tower every hour. The melody played ends unexpectedly in midstream. According to legend, the tune was played during a 13th century Tatar invasion by a guard warning citizens against the attack. He was shot by a Tatar warrior while playing, the melody breaking off at the moment he died.
Public transport is based around a fairly dense network of tramway and bus lines operated by a municipal company, supplemented by a number of private minibus operators. Local trains connect some of the suburbs.
The bulk of the city’s historic area has been turned into a pedestrian zone with rickshaws and horse buggies; however, the tramlines are within a three-block radius.[43]
Rail connections are available to most Polish cities. Trains to Warsaw depart every hour. International destinations include Berlin, Budapest, Prague, Hamburg, Lvov, Kiev, and Odessa (Jun-Sept).[44] The main railway station is located just outside the Old Town District and is well served by public transport.
Kraków airport, (John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice, ) is located 11 km west of the city. Direct trains cover the route between Kraków Główny train station and the airport in 15 minutes. The annual capacity of the airport is estimated at 1.3 million passengers, however in 2006 more than 2.3 millions used the airport. This gives the Kraków Airport 15% of all air passenger traffic in Poland. The passenger terminal is undergoing extension, adapting it to the Schengen Treaty.[45]
Kraków is one of Poland's most important economic centres. Its population has quadrupled since the end of World War II. Following the collapse of communism, history and tradition intermingled with the general trend toward market economy. There's a growing private sector. Offshoring of IT work in recent years has become important to the economy of Kraków and Poland in general. There are about 20 large multinational companies in Kraków, including Google, IBM, General Electric, Capgemini, Motorola, and Sabre Holdings,[46] along with British and German-based firms.[47]
The unemployment in Kraków was 9.7% in December 2006, below the national average of 14.9%.[48] Since the joining of the European Union in 2004, there's a sense of a defined future and a solid economic base for the city and region. International investment, tourism and the property market have grown toward the Western European average. Residential prices in Krakow have doubled in three years and reached those of Warsaw (1,500 EUR per square metre) attracting developers and banks with exponential growth.[49]
The city budget, which is presented by the Mayor of Kraków on the 15th of November each year, in 2006 had a projected revenue of 2,150 million złoty.[50] The primary sources of revenue were as follows: 14% from the municipal taxation on real estate properties and the use of amenities, 30% in transfers from the national budget, and 34% in state subsidies. Projected expenditures, to the total amount of 2,349 million złoty included: 21% in city development costs and 79% in city maintenance costs. From within the maintenance costs as much as 39% were spent on both education and childcare. City of Krakow development costs were subdivided in bulk part into 41% toward road building, transport and communication (combined), and 25% for the city's infrastructure and environment.[51]
The Kraków City Council has forty-three elected members,[52] one of whom is the mayor, or the President of Kraków, elected every four years by city residents in a secret ballot. The election of City Council and the local head of government,Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (Bulletin of Public Information), Dziennik Ustaw Nr 113 poz. 984 [13] which takes place at the same time, is based on legislation introduced on 20 June 2002. The current President of Kraków, re-elected for his second term in 2006, is Prof. Jacek Majchrowski.
The responsibilities of Kraków’s President include drafting and implementation of resolutions, enacting of city bylaws, managing of city budget, employment of city administrators, and preparedness against floods and natural disasters. The president fulfils his duties with the active participation of the City Council, city managers and city inspectors. The city government has been reorganized in recent years in order to better differentiate between its political agendas and administrative functions. As a result, the Office of Public Information was created in order to handle inquiries and foster communication between city departments and citizens at large.[53] (''See also List of mayors of Kraków, and the Members of Polish national Parliament (Sejm) elected from Kraków constituency.'')
In the year 2000 the city government has introduced a new long term program called "Safer City" in cooperation with Police, Traffic, Social Services, Fire, Public Safety, and the Youth Departments. As a result, in comparison to the year 2000 Kraków has become safer. The number of criminal offences went down by 3% the following year and the rate of detection has increased by 1.4% to a total of 30.2%.[54] The city is receiving active help in the implementation of the program from all educational institutions and the local media, including TV, radio and press.
According to the 2002 census,[55] the population of Kraków comprised about 2% of the population of Poland and 23% of the population of the Kraków Voivodeship. The number of inhabitants reached 740,737 with up to 9 million in a 100 km radius[56]. The median age of Cracovians is 37.5 with 60% of the population below the age of 45. Selected demographic indicators are presented in a table (right), compiled on the basis of results with balance, size and structure of only the population living in Kraków permamently.
The ravages of history have greatly reduced the percentage of ethnic minorities living in Kraków. The official and unofficial numbers differ, as in the case of Romani people, nevertheless, according to 2002 census,[57] among those who have declared their national identity (irrespective of language and religion) in Kraków Voivodeship there are 1572 Slovaks, followed by Ukrainians (472), Jews (50) and Armenians (22). Roma, officially at 1678, are estimated at over five thousand. Irrespective of their small numbers, the Ministry of Education is making an effort at promoting the sense of identity among ethnic minorities by offering classes in languages such as Slovak, Ukrainian and Lemko,[58] and by sponsoring extracurricular activities including choir, art and dance classes for the 3% of students who belong to ethnic minorities, especially for the Romani children.
Main articles: Education in Kraków
Kraków is a major centre of education. Today there are eleven university-level institutions with about 170,000 students and 10,000 faculty in the city, and about a dozen colleges. It is home to the Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland and one of the oldest and most prominent universities in Central Europe, ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as the best university in the country.
Jagiellonian University was founded in 1364. Its principal academic asset is the Jagiellonian Library with almost 5.5 million volumes including a large collection of medieval manuscripts,[59] i.e. Copernicus' De Revolutionibus, or Balthasar Behem Codex. With 42,325 students (2005) and 3,605 academic staff, Jagiellonian University is also one of the leading research centres in Poland. Famous historical figures connected with the University include Saint John Cantius, Jan Długosz, Nicolaus Copernicus, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, Jan Kochanowski, King Jan III Sobieski, Pope John Paul II and Nobel laureate Wisława Szymborska.
AGH University of Science and Technology, established in 1919, is the second-largest technical university in Poland with over fifteen faculties, and student enrolment exceeding 30,000. In 2004 it was ranked as the best technical university in the country[60]. During its 80-year history over 73,000 students graduated from AGH with master's or bachelor's degrees. Some 3,600 persons were granted the degree of Doctor of Science, and about 900 obtained qualification of Habilitated Doctor.
Other institutions of higher learning include Cracow University of Economics, established in 1925,[61] Academy of Music in Kraków first conceived as a conservatory in 1888, Pedagogical University in operation since 1946,[62] Agricultural University of Cracow offering courses since 1890 initially as a part of Jagiellonian University,[63] Academy of Fine Arts founded by the Polish painter Jan Matejko and the oldest Fine Arts Academy in Poland, Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts,[64] The Pontifical Academy of Theology,[65] and Cracow University of Technology with over 37,000 graduates.
Main articles: Culture of Kraków
Kraków is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Poland.[66] It was named the European Capital of Culture for the year 2000 by European Union. Kraków has 28 museums and public art galleries, some of the best in the country, among them the main branch of Poland's National Museum and Czartoryski Museum, featuring works by Leonardo, Raphael, and Rembrandt. In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków on the list of World Heritage Sites. The city has several famous theaters, including: National Stary Theatre, a.k.a. The Old Theatre,[67] Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, Bagatela Theatre, The Ludowy Theatre, Groteska Theatre of Puppetry, as well as Kraków Opera and Kraków Operetta.
Kraków hosts many annual and biannual artistic events,[68] some of international significance, such as the Festival of Short Feature Films, Biennial of Graphic Arts, and the Jewish Culture Festival. It became the residence of two Polish Nobel laureates in literature: Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz.
Points of interest outside the city include royal Wieliczka salt mine, the Tatra Mountains to the South, the historic city of Częstochowa, the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, and Ojcowski National Park with Pieskowa Skała Castle.[69]
Planty is the best known park in Kraków; it was established in place of the old city walls between 1822 and 1830, forming a green belt around the Old Town. It consists of a chain of smaller gardens designed in various styles and adorned with monuments. The park has an area of 21 hectares (52 acres) and a length of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), forming a scenic walkway popular with Cracovians.[70]
The first public park equipped with exercise fixtures was founded by Dr Henryk Jordan on the banks of the Rudawa river in 1889. The soon to be famous Jordan Park, equipped with running and exercise tracks, playgrounds, swimming pool, amphitheatre, pavilions, and a pond for boat rowing and water bicycles, is located on the grounds of Kraków’s Błonia.[71] The less prominent Park Krakowski was founded in 1885 by Stanisław Rehman, and has since greatly reduced due to rapid real estate development. It was a popular destination point with many Fin de siècle Cracovians.
Football (soccer) is one of the most popular games locally, as it is in Poland as a whole. Kraków has a number of popular sport teams. Among those with considerable following are Cracovia Kraków (formed in 1906) List of oldest Polish sports clubs featured in a newspaper retrospective. Obok Czarnych znak Pogoni, Zbigniew Chmielewski, , , Polityka, 2003 and Wisła Kraków (formed in 1906)[72], two of Krakow's top rivals, with Wisła Kraków having won the Polish Cup four times. Both teams have been Polish League Champions; Cracovia Kraków having won five times, and Wisła Kraków ten times.
Other football (soccer) clubs include Hutnik Kraków, Wawel Kraków, Garbarnia Kraków and Juvenia Kraków (soccer and rugby team). Kraków is also a home of ice hockey with the six-time Polish Champions Cracovia Kraków team, and with a women's basketball (Wisła Kraków) division. The Cracovia Marathon has been held in the city annually since 2002.[73]
Main articles: Symbols of Kraków
The city's official symbols are:[74] the coat of arms, the flag (''see top of this page''), the seal, and the banner. In addition to these, a number of semi-official and unofficial symbols, such as the "Cracovia" logo used in the Kraków's promotional materials or an image of the Wawel dragon wearing a Kraków cap, are also used.
Krakow is twinned with: Bordeaux, Bratislava, Curitiba, Cuzco, Edinburgh, Fes, Florence, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Innsbruck, Kyiv, La Serena, Leipzig, Leuven, Lviv, Milan, Niš, Nuremberg, Orléans, Pécs, Rochester (NY), Seville, Solothurn, Vilnius and Zagreb.
1. Historical forum of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, "Krak or Krakus?" (''Polish'')
2. "KRAK, Krakus, Gracchus, Grakch"
3. Dorota Wasik, "History of Cracow" ITiCSE '99 Conference on Innovation and Technology, Cracow University of Economics, International Programs. Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
4. Kasprzyk, "The Old Town gradual development"
5. Krakow History: "Overview of historic events" (''see:Tartar raids'')
6. Marek Strzala, "Krakow’s Oldest Known City Charter Dates Back to 1257"
7. Sharon & Peter Pfeiffer, "Krakow. A brief history." The establishment of a university
8. Marek Strzala, Most Important Dates in Krakow's History. ''Veit Stoss altarpiece for Krakow’s Basilica of Virgin Mary''
9. Krakow History: ''The Golden Age: artists and scholars''
10. Pedagogical University of Cracow, Department of Geography, May 1997. "Dzwon Zygmunta".
11. T. Sturge Moore, "Albert Durer" and Janusz Wałek "Painting in Poland - A brief summary"
12. Artists' biographies: Emil Kren and Daniel Marx, "Hans Süss von Kulmbach" or J. Paul Getty Museum "Artists: Hans von Kulmbach" also Agnieszka Janczyk, Kazimierz Kuczman, Joanna Winiewicz-Wolska Wawel Royal Castle, The National Art Collection (homepage)
13. Jagiellonian University, Centre for European Studies, "A Very Short History of Kraków", see: 1596 administrative capital, the tiny village of Warsaw
14. Dorota Wasik, Cracow University of Economics, International Programs Office: "A short long history of Cracow", see: The Polish struggle for freedom
15. Grzegorz Reszka, based on: T. Cegielski, K. Zielińska: "Historia. Dzieje nowożytne", J. A. Gierowski: "Historia Polski 1764-1864", Lubicz-Pachoński: "Kościuszko na ziemi krakowskiej", A. Radziwiłł, W. Roszkowski: :Historia 1789-1871:, W. Malski: "Amerykańska wojna pułkownika Kościuszki". Insurekcja kościuszkowska 1764-1798
16. Krakow History. Overview. (''see: Krakow under the Habsburg rule'')
17. Kościuszko Mound Homepage, Kraków, Poland: "History of the Kościuszko Mound"
18. Marek Strzala, "History of Krakow" (''see: Franz Joseph I granted Krakow the municipal government'')
19. Bożena Szara, Przeglad Polski (6 April 2001): Miedzy dwoma swiatami czyli powrot do przeszlosci.
20. Hubert Zawadzki, Jerzy Lukowski, ''A Concise History of Poland'', Cambridge University
Press, 2001, ISBN 0521559170, Google Print, p.148
21. Jan Matejko: The Painter and Patriot
22. Maria Prussak, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, April 2006. Profiles. Visual arts, literature, theatre: "Stanisław Wyspiański."
23. Adam Mickiewicz Institute: Culture.pl, editor in chief: Andrzej Lubomirski, Warsaw, ISSN 1734-0624, "Fin-de-Siecle in Kraków" (Polish)
24. Kraków - najważniejsze daty - Okres IV - od początku XX wieku do dziś
25. Bohdan Urbankowski, ''Józef Piłsudski: marzyciel i strateg'' (Józef Piłsudski: Dreamer and Strategist), Wydawnictwo ALFA, Warsaw, 1997, ISBN 8370019145, Pages 171-172
26. Przemówienie do I kompanii kadrowej, Kraków, Oleandry, 3 sierpnia 1914. Polityka, 26 September2006
27. Paweł Stachnik, Dziennik Polski, Sept. 21, 2004. "Okrzyk na cześć cesarza."
28. Jewish population of Cracow till 1939
29. "Krakow Old Scenes", including historical photographs.[1]
30. Burek, Edward (ed.) “Sonderaktion Krakau” in Encyklopedia Krakowa. Krakow: PWM, 2000
31. Renata Setmajer-Chylinski, "Kraków." ''(See: General Government)''.[2]
32. "The Krakow Ghetto 1940 - 1943." Additional sources, Bieberstein: Zagłada Żydów w Krakowie. Kraków 1985. J. Kast, B. Siegler, P. Zinke: Das Tagebuch der Partisanin Justyna. Jüdischer Widerstand in Krakau. Berlin 1999. Articles from Kraków newspapers (mostly from the local "Gazeta Wyborcza") published in March 2003 on 60th anniversary of the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto. Featuring historical maps.
33. Anna M. Cienciala, "The German Occupation of Poland and the Holocaust in German-occupied Poland." Chapter: "The Polish Resistance Movement against the Germans." The Polish Review, v.48, 1, 2003, 49-72.[3]
34. "Alma Mater 64(2004) – "OKUPOWANY KRAKÓW" - interview with professor Andrzej Chwalba
35. Jagiellonian University Centre for European Studies, see: "Worker's paradise" of concrete
36. "Pattern of karst landscape of the Cracow Upland (South Poland)" by Witold Stefan Alexandrowicz and Zofia Alexandrowicz, Acta Carsologica, Slovenian Academy Of Sciences [4]
37. "The forms of nature protection within the city limits", Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University [5]
38. Kraków climate at www.magma.ca
39. Rick Steves, "Poland Rediscovered: Krakow, Auschwitz and Warsaw." Published in ''Rick Steves' Eastern Europe'', 2005 edition.[6]
40. Original Kraków City Hall bylaw Nr XXI/143/91 (unpublished) was introduced on March 27, 1991; current municipal borders were established according to City bylaw Nr XVI/192/95 for April 19, 1995. Source: Gazeta Urzędowa Miasta Krakowa Nr 10, poz. 84
41. Notes on Poland including Krakow (recreation, entertainment, social and religious life) at eDiplomat.com, Global Portal of Diplomats.[7]
42. Poland in Pictures by Jeffrey Zuehlke. Published by Twenty-First Century Books. Pg. 72. [8]
43. Varied Means of Transportation
44. International railway connections from Krakow at ''Magiczny Kraków'', city's official website.[9]
45. World Airports Guide
46. www.sabre-holdings.com/aboutUs
47. www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle
48. Level of unemployment in Poland by region, 31 December 2006 (''Polish'') [10]
49. Property Krakow consultancy, see "Poland Most Attractive Location for Investment" including the 2007 report by Ernst & Young. Property markets in Krakow.
50.
Budżet Miasta Krakowa na rok 2006
[http://www.bip.krakow.pl/?sub_dok_id=2011
51. Biuletyn Statystyczny Miasta Krakowa, published online by BIP Kraków [11]
52. Kraków City Councillors of the 5th term (''Radni Miasta Krakowa V kadencji''), Bulletin of Public Information [12]
53. Laura Brunell, Institutional Capital: Building Post-communist Government Performance University Press of America, Lanham, Maryland, 2005, ISBN 0761829563.
54. Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (''Bulletin of Public Information''). Raport o stanie miasta, 2001. BEZPIECZEŃSTWO PUBLICZNE
55. Statistical Bureau of Kraków 2002 census
56. Data from local real estate office (Polish only)
57. Województwo małopolskie – Urząd Statystyczny w Krakowie
58. RAPORT z realizacji priorytetowego zadania Ministra Edukacji i Nauki, Kraków – marzec 2006
59. Jagiellonian University Library, homepage [14]
60. Countrywide ranking of Polish universities (''in Polish'') [15]
61. Kraków University of Economics website
62. Akademia Pedagogiczna w Krakowie, homepage
63. Akademia Rolnicza, homepage
64. Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Teatralna, homepage
65. Papieska Akademia Teologiczna, homepage in English
66. Krakow City Guide
67. Stary Teatr w Krakowie, homepage in Polish
68. Calendar of Annual Events, 2007, by Municipality Of Krakow Press Office.
[16]
69. Explore Krakow, Top 10 things to do in Krakow by Starwood.
70. The green belt of Kraków Planty by Marek Strzala.
71. Henryk Jordan’s Park including history, philosophy and photographs.
72. Wisla portal, 1998-2007, general info, history and successes.[17]
73. Official website of Cracovia Marathon Office,[18] with list of winners, events, and registration form.
74. October 9, 2002 Ordinance of the Kraków City Council no. CXXIII/1150/02 on the symbols of the Royal Capital City of Kraków (PDF) and February 6, 2004 Ordinance of the Mayor of Kraków no. 167/2004 on the use of the symbols of the Royal Capital City of Kraków (PDF)
★ Jane Hardy, Al Rainnie, ''Restructuring Krakow: Desperately Seeking Capitalism''. Published 1996 by Mansell Publishing. Business, economics, finance. 285 pages. ISBN 0720122317. A critical analysis of Krakow's regional economy in the context of national economy and the globalization including foreign investment, privatization, economic development and organized labor. The book is based in original research involving interviews and case studies of heavy industry, food processing, and small and medium-sized businesses.
★ Joanna Markin, Bogumiła Gnypowa, ''Kraków: The Guide''. Published 1996 by Pascal Publishing, 342 pages. ISBN 8387037281.
★ Scott Simpson, ''Krakow''. Published 2003 by Thomas Cook, 192 pages. Transport, geography, sightseeing, history, and culture. Includes weblinks CD. ISBN 1841571873.
★ Dorota Wąsik, Emma Roper-Evans, ''Krakow''. Published 2002 by Somerset. Cultural guidebook series. 160 pages. ISBN 9630059304.
★ Tim Pepper, Andrew Beattie, ''Krakow''. Published 2007 by Hunter Pub Inc. 160 pages. ISBN 1843063085. The book includes description of public art galleries and museums.
★ Richard Watkins, ''Best of Kraków'', Published 2006, by Lonely Planet, 64 pages, complemented by fold-out maps. ISBN 1741048222.
★ Bolesław T. Łaszewski, ''Kraków: karta z dziejów dwudziestolecia''. Published 1985, by Bicentennial Pub. Corp. (original from the University of Michigan), 132 pages. ISBN 0912757086
★ Edward Hartwig, ''Kraków'', with Jerzy Broszkiewicz (contributor). Published 1980, by Sport i Turystyka, 239 pages. ISBN 8321723217.
★
'Kraków' (IPA: ) or 'Cracow', also known by its alternative and foreign names, is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, with a population of 757,500 in 2006 (1.4 million including surrounding communities). This historic city, dating back to the 4th century, "History of Krakow, Archaeological findings" Published by the Municipality Of Kraków, Press Office, 2007 is situated on the Vistula River (). It was the capital of Poland until 1596 and the capital of Kraków Voivodeship from the 14th century to the year 1999. It is now the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in the Lesser Poland region.
The historic centre of Kraków lays at the foot of Wawel Hill, where the Royal Castle is located, a former residence of Polish monarchs. The oldest neighborhoods of Kraków include the Old Town, Wawel District and Kazimierz. The city's historic centre was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in 1978.
Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading scientific, cultural and artistic centres of the country and Europe. As the former national capital, with a history stretching back over a thousand years, the city remains the spiritual heart of Poland. It is a major centre of local and international tourism, attracting seven million visitors annually. Famous landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and Sukiennice Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle with armory, National Art Museum, Zygmunt Bell at Wawel Cathedral, and medieval Florian Gate with Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route.
Etymology of name
The name of ''Kraków'' is traditionally derived from the legendary ruler Krakus (Krak, Grakch), the founder of Kraków and the ruler of the tribe of Lechitians (Poles). Krak's name is sometimes attributed to a pre-Slavic word "krakula",[1] meaning judge's staff, or a pre-Slavic word "krak", meaning an oak, a sacred tree, most often associated with the concept of genealogy.[2] The first mention of prince Krakus (then written as ''Grakch'') dates back to 1190.
The official city's name in full, used only on ceremonial occasions, is The Royal Capital City of Kraków (). Kraków is also known in Latin and Romanian as ''Cracovia'', in French as ''Cracovie'', in German as ''Krakau'' and in Hungarian as ''Krakkó''.
History
Main articles: History of Kraków
Early Kraków
The earliest known settlement on the present site of Kraków was established on Wawel Hill, and dates back to the 4th century. Legend attributes the town's establishment to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a ravenous dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first mention of the city's name dates to 966, when Abraham ben Jacob described Kraków as a notable commercial centre.[3]
By the end of the 10th century, the city was a leading center of trade, incorporated into the holdings of the Piast dynasty of Poland. Brick buildings were being constructed, including Wawel Castle, Romanesque churches such as St. Adalbert's, a cathedral, and a basilica.[4] The city was almost entirely destroyed during the Tatar invasions in 1241, 1259 and 1287.[5] It was rebuilt in 1257 and adopted the city rights under the Magdeburg law.[6] The city rose to new prominence in 1364, when Casimir III of Poland founded the University of Kraków, the second university in central Europe after the University of Prague. The city continued to grow under the joint Lithuanian-Polish Jagiellon dynasty (1386–1572). As the capital of a powerful state, it became a flourishing center of science and the arts.[7] Many works of Polish Renaissance art and architecture were created there during that time.
Kraków became a member of the Hanseatic League, attracting many craftsmen to settle there, establish businesses, and form guilds. Some of Europe's oldest synagogues, with the most prominent of them, the Old Synagogue, were built in the adjoining Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.
15th – 16th century
The 15th and 16th centuries were known as Kraków's golden age. Casimir IV was crowned as King of Poland in 1447. His children were taught by an Italian humanist Filip Callimachus. Numerous artists, mainly from Nuremberg and Italy, lived and worked in Kraków. In 1488 the imperial Poet Laureate Conrad Celtes founded the ''Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana'' (''Vistula Literary Society'') based on Roman academies. In 1489 Veit Stoss (''Wit Stwosz'') finished his work on the Great Altar of the St. Mary's Church,[8] followed by a marble sarcophagus for the king. Johann Haller established a printing press in the city.[9]
In 1520, the most famous church bell in Poland, named Zygmunt after Sigismund I of Poland was cast by Johan Behem.[10] At the same time Hans Dürer, younger brother of Albrecht Dürer, was Sigismund's court painter.[11] Hans von Kulmbach made several altars for Kraków's churches.[12] In 1572, King Sigismund II died childless and the Polish throne passed on to Sigismund III of the Swedish House of Vasa. Kraków's importance began to decline, accelerated by the pillaging of the city during the Swedish invasion, and an outbreak of a plague that left 20,000 city residents dead. Sigismund III moved his capital to Warsaw in 1596.[13]
Late 18th – end of 19th century
In the late 18th century, the weakened Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned by its neighbors, Russia, the Habsburg empire, and Prussia.[14] Kraków became part of the Austrian province of Galicia. In 1794 Tadeusz Kościuszko initiated an insurrection in Kraków's Main Square, resulting in the Third Partition of Poland.[15] Napoleon Bonaparte recaptured Polish territories in 1807 and Kraków became a part of the Duchy of Warsaw, an independent though subordinate Polish state. However, following his ruinous retreat from Moscow, the Congress of Vienna restored the partition of Poland in 1815, at the same time granting Kraków partial independence as the ''Free City of Kraków''. The city again became the focus of a struggle for national sovereignty in 1846, during the Kraków Uprising. The uprising failed to spread outside the city and was put down, resulting in Kraków's annexation by Austria.[16]
Austria granted a degree of autonomy to Galicia after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.[18] As this form of Austrian rule was more benevolent than that exercised by Russia and Prussia, Kraków became a Polish national symbol and a center of culture and art, known frequently as the "Polish Athens" (''Polskie Ateny'') to which Poles would flock to revere the symbols and monuments of Poland's great past.[19] Several important celebrations took place in Kraków during the period from 1866 to 1914, including the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald in 1910.[20] Many leading Polish artists of that period resided in Kraków, among them the seminal painter, Jan Matejko,[21] and the founder of modern Polish drama, Stanisław Wyspiański.[22]
20th century to the present
Fin de siècle Kraków had evolved into a modern metropolis;[23] running water and electric streetcars were introduced in 1901,[24] and in 1910 Kraków and surrounding suburban communities were combined into a single administrative unit called Greater Kraków (''Wielki Kraków'').
At the outbreak of World War I on August 3, Józef Piłsudski formed a small cadre military unit, the First Cadre Company - the beginning of the Polish Legions, which set out from Kraków to fight for the liberation of Poland.[25][26] The city was shortly besieged by Russian troops in November 1914, but Russian forces were pushed back afterwards.[27]
With the emergence of the Second Polish Republic Kraków became a major cultural center also for Polish Jews,[28] with a Zionist youth movement relatively strong among the city's Jewish population.[29] In September 1939 the Nazi German forces entered Kraków and turned it into the capital of the General Government, a colonial authority headed by Hans Frank.
The occupation took a heavy toll, particularly on the city's cultural heritage. Over 150 professors and academics of the Jagiellonian University were arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps.[30] Many relics and monuments of national culture were destroyed or looted.[31] The Jewish population was first confined to a ghetto and later murdered, or sent to concentration camps, including Płaszów and Auschwitz in Oświęcim.[32] Nonetheless, Kraków escaped its planned destruction during the German withdrawal due to a rapid advance of the Soviet forces led by Ivan Konev, and emerged as one of the few major Polish cities relatively undamaged at the end of World War II.[33]Ivan Katyshkin, "Sluzhili my v shtabe armeiskom", Moskva, Voenizdat, 1979, , p. 155, Махмут Гареев (Makhmut Gareev), Marshal Konev, ''Krasnaia Zvezda'', April 12, 2001[34]
As part of the Six-Year Plan after the war, the communist government of the People's Republic of Poland ordered the construction of the country's largest steel mill in the newly-created suburb of Nowa Huta, thus advancing industrialization of the city by attracting a new working class.[35]
Geography and climate
Zakrzówek Park near Grunwaldzki Roundabout
Kraków lies in the southern part of Poland on the Vistula River in a valley at the foot of the Carpathian Plateau, above the sea level, between the Jurassic Rock Upland () to the north and the Tatra Mountains to the south. There are five nature reserves in Kraków, with a combined area of ca. 48.6 hectares, legally protected as ecosystems of essential importance to science and nature conservation. Kraków has also 192 nature monuments characterized by their unique scientific, historical and aesthetic value. The western part of the city, along its northern and north-western side, borders an area of international significance known as the Jurassic Bielany-Tyniec refuge. The main motives for the protection of this area include plant and animal wildlife, its geomorphological features and landscape.[36] Another part of the city is located within the ecological 'corridor' of the Vistula River valley. This corridor is also ranked as being of international significance as part of the Pan-European ecological network.[37] The city centre is situated on the left (northern) bank of the river.
Kraków lies in a region of temperate climate. Average temperatures in summer range from 17° to 19°C and in winter from 0° to 5°C. The average annual temperature fluctuates between 6° and 10°C (43°–50°F). The number of days of below-freezing temperatures is between 23 and 58 per annum. Predominantly western winds, conducive to rainfall, are typical of summer months, whereas eastern winds, decreasing the amount of precipitation blow mostly in winter.[38]
Districts
The oldest neighborhoods of Kraków, incorporated into the city before the late 18th century include the Old Town (''Stare Miasto''), once contained within the city defensive walls and now encircled by the Planty park; the Wawel District which is the site of the Royal Castle and the cathedral; Stradom and Kazimierz, the latter originally divided into Christian and Jewish quarters;[39] and Kleparz. Major districts added in the 19th and 20th centuries include Podgórze – until 1915 a separate town on the southern bank of the Vistula, and Nowa Huta, east of the city centre, built after World War II.
The 18 districts of Kraków, with the Vistula River running from west to east
Inner courtyard of the Wawel Castle, district of Stare Miasto
Since March 27, 1991, Kraków has been divided into 18 administrative districts, each with the degree of autonomy within its own municipal government (''Rada Dzielnicy''). The current divisions were originally introduced by the Kraków City Hall on April 19, 1995. Districts were assigned Roman numerals as well as the most current name, reflective of growth.[40] The list of Kraków districts include: Stare Miasto (I), Grzegórzki (II), Prądnik Czerwony (III), Prądnik Biały (IV), Krowodrza (V), Bronowice (VI), Zwierzyniec (VII), Dębniki (VIII), Łagiewniki-Borek Fałęcki (IX), Swoszowice (X), Podgórze Duchackie (XI), Bieżanów-Prokocim (XII), Podgórze (XIII), Czyżyny (XIV), Mistrzejowice (XV), Bieńczyce (XVI), Wzgórza Krzesławickie (XVII), and Nowa Huta (XVIII).
Among the most notable historic districts of the city are: Wawel Hill with Castle and Cathedral where many Polish kings are buried; the medieval Old Town with its beautiful Main Market Square (200 meters square), dozens of old churches, museums, the 14th-century buildings of the Jagiellonian University; as well as Kazimierz, the historical centre of Kraków's Jewish religious and social life.[41]
The Old Town district of Kraków is home to about six thousand historic sites and more than two million works of art.[42] Its rich variety of historic architecture include Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic buildings. Kraków's palaces, churches and mansions display variety of color, architectural details, stained glass, paintings, sculptures, and furnishings.
In the Market Square stands Gothic St. Mary's Basilica (''Kościół Mariacki''). It was built in the 14th century and features the famous wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss. A trumpet call, ''hejnał mariacki'', is sounded from the church's main tower every hour. The melody played ends unexpectedly in midstream. According to legend, the tune was played during a 13th century Tatar invasion by a guard warning citizens against the attack. He was shot by a Tatar warrior while playing, the melody breaking off at the moment he died.
Transport
Public transport is based around a fairly dense network of tramway and bus lines operated by a municipal company, supplemented by a number of private minibus operators. Local trains connect some of the suburbs.
The bulk of the city’s historic area has been turned into a pedestrian zone with rickshaws and horse buggies; however, the tramlines are within a three-block radius.[43]
Rail connections are available to most Polish cities. Trains to Warsaw depart every hour. International destinations include Berlin, Budapest, Prague, Hamburg, Lvov, Kiev, and Odessa (Jun-Sept).[44] The main railway station is located just outside the Old Town District and is well served by public transport.
Kraków airport, (John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice, ) is located 11 km west of the city. Direct trains cover the route between Kraków Główny train station and the airport in 15 minutes. The annual capacity of the airport is estimated at 1.3 million passengers, however in 2006 more than 2.3 millions used the airport. This gives the Kraków Airport 15% of all air passenger traffic in Poland. The passenger terminal is undergoing extension, adapting it to the Schengen Treaty.[45]
Economy
Cloth Hall (''Sukiennice'') at the Main Market Square
Kraków is one of Poland's most important economic centres. Its population has quadrupled since the end of World War II. Following the collapse of communism, history and tradition intermingled with the general trend toward market economy. There's a growing private sector. Offshoring of IT work in recent years has become important to the economy of Kraków and Poland in general. There are about 20 large multinational companies in Kraków, including Google, IBM, General Electric, Capgemini, Motorola, and Sabre Holdings,[46] along with British and German-based firms.[47]
The unemployment in Kraków was 9.7% in December 2006, below the national average of 14.9%.[48] Since the joining of the European Union in 2004, there's a sense of a defined future and a solid economic base for the city and region. International investment, tourism and the property market have grown toward the Western European average. Residential prices in Krakow have doubled in three years and reached those of Warsaw (1,500 EUR per square metre) attracting developers and banks with exponential growth.[49]
The city budget, which is presented by the Mayor of Kraków on the 15th of November each year, in 2006 had a projected revenue of 2,150 million złoty.[50] The primary sources of revenue were as follows: 14% from the municipal taxation on real estate properties and the use of amenities, 30% in transfers from the national budget, and 34% in state subsidies. Projected expenditures, to the total amount of 2,349 million złoty included: 21% in city development costs and 79% in city maintenance costs. From within the maintenance costs as much as 39% were spent on both education and childcare. City of Krakow development costs were subdivided in bulk part into 41% toward road building, transport and communication (combined), and 25% for the city's infrastructure and environment.[51]
Government
The Kraków City Council has forty-three elected members,[52] one of whom is the mayor, or the President of Kraków, elected every four years by city residents in a secret ballot. The election of City Council and the local head of government,Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (Bulletin of Public Information), Dziennik Ustaw Nr 113 poz. 984 [13] which takes place at the same time, is based on legislation introduced on 20 June 2002. The current President of Kraków, re-elected for his second term in 2006, is Prof. Jacek Majchrowski.
The responsibilities of Kraków’s President include drafting and implementation of resolutions, enacting of city bylaws, managing of city budget, employment of city administrators, and preparedness against floods and natural disasters. The president fulfils his duties with the active participation of the City Council, city managers and city inspectors. The city government has been reorganized in recent years in order to better differentiate between its political agendas and administrative functions. As a result, the Office of Public Information was created in order to handle inquiries and foster communication between city departments and citizens at large.[53] (''See also List of mayors of Kraków, and the Members of Polish national Parliament (Sejm) elected from Kraków constituency.'')
In the year 2000 the city government has introduced a new long term program called "Safer City" in cooperation with Police, Traffic, Social Services, Fire, Public Safety, and the Youth Departments. As a result, in comparison to the year 2000 Kraków has become safer. The number of criminal offences went down by 3% the following year and the rate of detection has increased by 1.4% to a total of 30.2%.[54] The city is receiving active help in the implementation of the program from all educational institutions and the local media, including TV, radio and press.
Demographics
| Demographic indicators | Years | Kraków |
|---|---|---|
| Population in thousands | 1970 1978 1988 1995 2002 | 588,0 693,6 746,6 732,9 '758,5' |
| Population density ppl/km² | 1970 1978 1988 1995 2002 | 2,556 2,156 2,285 2,243 '2,320' |
| No. of women per 100 men | 1970 1978 1988 1995 2002 | 110 110 110 112 '113' |
| Population growth per 1000 | 1998 1999 2000 2001 | −1.3 −1.7 −1.5 '−1.5' |
According to the 2002 census,[55] the population of Kraków comprised about 2% of the population of Poland and 23% of the population of the Kraków Voivodeship. The number of inhabitants reached 740,737 with up to 9 million in a 100 km radius[56]. The median age of Cracovians is 37.5 with 60% of the population below the age of 45. Selected demographic indicators are presented in a table (right), compiled on the basis of results with balance, size and structure of only the population living in Kraków permamently.
The ravages of history have greatly reduced the percentage of ethnic minorities living in Kraków. The official and unofficial numbers differ, as in the case of Romani people, nevertheless, according to 2002 census,[57] among those who have declared their national identity (irrespective of language and religion) in Kraków Voivodeship there are 1572 Slovaks, followed by Ukrainians (472), Jews (50) and Armenians (22). Roma, officially at 1678, are estimated at over five thousand. Irrespective of their small numbers, the Ministry of Education is making an effort at promoting the sense of identity among ethnic minorities by offering classes in languages such as Slovak, Ukrainian and Lemko,[58] and by sponsoring extracurricular activities including choir, art and dance classes for the 3% of students who belong to ethnic minorities, especially for the Romani children.
Education
Main articles: Education in Kraków
Church of St. Peter and Paul, Old Town District
Kraków is a major centre of education. Today there are eleven university-level institutions with about 170,000 students and 10,000 faculty in the city, and about a dozen colleges. It is home to the Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland and one of the oldest and most prominent universities in Central Europe, ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as the best university in the country.
Jagiellonian University was founded in 1364. Its principal academic asset is the Jagiellonian Library with almost 5.5 million volumes including a large collection of medieval manuscripts,[59] i.e. Copernicus' De Revolutionibus, or Balthasar Behem Codex. With 42,325 students (2005) and 3,605 academic staff, Jagiellonian University is also one of the leading research centres in Poland. Famous historical figures connected with the University include Saint John Cantius, Jan Długosz, Nicolaus Copernicus, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, Jan Kochanowski, King Jan III Sobieski, Pope John Paul II and Nobel laureate Wisława Szymborska.
AGH University of Science and Technology, established in 1919, is the second-largest technical university in Poland with over fifteen faculties, and student enrolment exceeding 30,000. In 2004 it was ranked as the best technical university in the country[60]. During its 80-year history over 73,000 students graduated from AGH with master's or bachelor's degrees. Some 3,600 persons were granted the degree of Doctor of Science, and about 900 obtained qualification of Habilitated Doctor.
Other institutions of higher learning include Cracow University of Economics, established in 1925,[61] Academy of Music in Kraków first conceived as a conservatory in 1888, Pedagogical University in operation since 1946,[62] Agricultural University of Cracow offering courses since 1890 initially as a part of Jagiellonian University,[63] Academy of Fine Arts founded by the Polish painter Jan Matejko and the oldest Fine Arts Academy in Poland, Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts,[64] The Pontifical Academy of Theology,[65] and Cracow University of Technology with over 37,000 graduates.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of Kraków
Veit Stoss Altar, St. Mary's Church
Ulica Floriańska (''Florian Street'') with the view of St. Mary's Church
Kraków is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Poland.[66] It was named the European Capital of Culture for the year 2000 by European Union. Kraków has 28 museums and public art galleries, some of the best in the country, among them the main branch of Poland's National Museum and Czartoryski Museum, featuring works by Leonardo, Raphael, and Rembrandt. In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków on the list of World Heritage Sites. The city has several famous theaters, including: National Stary Theatre, a.k.a. The Old Theatre,[67] Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, Bagatela Theatre, The Ludowy Theatre, Groteska Theatre of Puppetry, as well as Kraków Opera and Kraków Operetta.
Kraków hosts many annual and biannual artistic events,[68] some of international significance, such as the Festival of Short Feature Films, Biennial of Graphic Arts, and the Jewish Culture Festival. It became the residence of two Polish Nobel laureates in literature: Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz.
Points of interest outside the city include royal Wieliczka salt mine, the Tatra Mountains to the South, the historic city of Częstochowa, the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, and Ojcowski National Park with Pieskowa Skała Castle.[69]
Parks
Decorative fountain in Planty park
Planty is the best known park in Kraków; it was established in place of the old city walls between 1822 and 1830, forming a green belt around the Old Town. It consists of a chain of smaller gardens designed in various styles and adorned with monuments. The park has an area of 21 hectares (52 acres) and a length of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), forming a scenic walkway popular with Cracovians.[70]
The first public park equipped with exercise fixtures was founded by Dr Henryk Jordan on the banks of the Rudawa river in 1889. The soon to be famous Jordan Park, equipped with running and exercise tracks, playgrounds, swimming pool, amphitheatre, pavilions, and a pond for boat rowing and water bicycles, is located on the grounds of Kraków’s Błonia.[71] The less prominent Park Krakowski was founded in 1885 by Stanisław Rehman, and has since greatly reduced due to rapid real estate development. It was a popular destination point with many Fin de siècle Cracovians.
Sports
Football (soccer) is one of the most popular games locally, as it is in Poland as a whole. Kraków has a number of popular sport teams. Among those with considerable following are Cracovia Kraków (formed in 1906) List of oldest Polish sports clubs featured in a newspaper retrospective. Obok Czarnych znak Pogoni, Zbigniew Chmielewski, , , Polityka, 2003 and Wisła Kraków (formed in 1906)[72], two of Krakow's top rivals, with Wisła Kraków having won the Polish Cup four times. Both teams have been Polish League Champions; Cracovia Kraków having won five times, and Wisła Kraków ten times.
Other football (soccer) clubs include Hutnik Kraków, Wawel Kraków, Garbarnia Kraków and Juvenia Kraków (soccer and rugby team). Kraków is also a home of ice hockey with the six-time Polish Champions Cracovia Kraków team, and with a women's basketball (Wisła Kraków) division. The Cracovia Marathon has been held in the city annually since 2002.[73]
Symbols and twin cities
Banner of Kraków
Main articles: Symbols of Kraków
The city's official symbols are:[74] the coat of arms, the flag (''see top of this page''), the seal, and the banner. In addition to these, a number of semi-official and unofficial symbols, such as the "Cracovia" logo used in the Kraków's promotional materials or an image of the Wawel dragon wearing a Kraków cap, are also used.
Krakow is twinned with: Bordeaux, Bratislava, Curitiba, Cuzco, Edinburgh, Fes, Florence, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Innsbruck, Kyiv, La Serena, Leipzig, Leuven, Lviv, Milan, Niš, Nuremberg, Orléans, Pécs, Rochester (NY), Seville, Solothurn, Vilnius and Zagreb.
References
1. Historical forum of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, "Krak or Krakus?" (''Polish'')
2. "KRAK, Krakus, Gracchus, Grakch"
3. Dorota Wasik, "History of Cracow" ITiCSE '99 Conference on Innovation and Technology, Cracow University of Economics, International Programs. Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
4. Kasprzyk, "The Old Town gradual development"
5. Krakow History: "Overview of historic events" (''see:Tartar raids'')
6. Marek Strzala, "Krakow’s Oldest Known City Charter Dates Back to 1257"
7. Sharon & Peter Pfeiffer, "Krakow. A brief history." The establishment of a university
8. Marek Strzala, Most Important Dates in Krakow's History. ''Veit Stoss altarpiece for Krakow’s Basilica of Virgin Mary''
9. Krakow History: ''The Golden Age: artists and scholars''
10. Pedagogical University of Cracow, Department of Geography, May 1997. "Dzwon Zygmunta".
11. T. Sturge Moore, "Albert Durer" and Janusz Wałek "Painting in Poland - A brief summary"
12. Artists' biographies: Emil Kren and Daniel Marx, "Hans Süss von Kulmbach" or J. Paul Getty Museum "Artists: Hans von Kulmbach" also Agnieszka Janczyk, Kazimierz Kuczman, Joanna Winiewicz-Wolska Wawel Royal Castle, The National Art Collection (homepage)
13. Jagiellonian University, Centre for European Studies, "A Very Short History of Kraków", see: 1596 administrative capital, the tiny village of Warsaw
14. Dorota Wasik, Cracow University of Economics, International Programs Office: "A short long history of Cracow", see: The Polish struggle for freedom
15. Grzegorz Reszka, based on: T. Cegielski, K. Zielińska: "Historia. Dzieje nowożytne", J. A. Gierowski: "Historia Polski 1764-1864", Lubicz-Pachoński: "Kościuszko na ziemi krakowskiej", A. Radziwiłł, W. Roszkowski: :Historia 1789-1871:, W. Malski: "Amerykańska wojna pułkownika Kościuszki". Insurekcja kościuszkowska 1764-1798
16. Krakow History. Overview. (''see: Krakow under the Habsburg rule'')
17. Kościuszko Mound Homepage, Kraków, Poland: "History of the Kościuszko Mound"
18. Marek Strzala, "History of Krakow" (''see: Franz Joseph I granted Krakow the municipal government'')
19. Bożena Szara, Przeglad Polski (6 April 2001): Miedzy dwoma swiatami czyli powrot do przeszlosci.
20. Hubert Zawadzki, Jerzy Lukowski, ''A Concise History of Poland'', Cambridge University
Press, 2001, ISBN 0521559170, Google Print, p.148
21. Jan Matejko: The Painter and Patriot
22. Maria Prussak, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, April 2006. Profiles. Visual arts, literature, theatre: "Stanisław Wyspiański."
23. Adam Mickiewicz Institute: Culture.pl, editor in chief: Andrzej Lubomirski, Warsaw, ISSN 1734-0624, "Fin-de-Siecle in Kraków" (Polish)
24. Kraków - najważniejsze daty - Okres IV - od początku XX wieku do dziś
25. Bohdan Urbankowski, ''Józef Piłsudski: marzyciel i strateg'' (Józef Piłsudski: Dreamer and Strategist), Wydawnictwo ALFA, Warsaw, 1997, ISBN 8370019145, Pages 171-172
26. Przemówienie do I kompanii kadrowej, Kraków, Oleandry, 3 sierpnia 1914. Polityka, 26 September2006
27. Paweł Stachnik, Dziennik Polski, Sept. 21, 2004. "Okrzyk na cześć cesarza."
28. Jewish population of Cracow till 1939
29. "Krakow Old Scenes", including historical photographs.[1]
30. Burek, Edward (ed.) “Sonderaktion Krakau” in Encyklopedia Krakowa. Krakow: PWM, 2000
31. Renata Setmajer-Chylinski, "Kraków." ''(See: General Government)''.[2]
32. "The Krakow Ghetto 1940 - 1943." Additional sources, Bieberstein: Zagłada Żydów w Krakowie. Kraków 1985. J. Kast, B. Siegler, P. Zinke: Das Tagebuch der Partisanin Justyna. Jüdischer Widerstand in Krakau. Berlin 1999. Articles from Kraków newspapers (mostly from the local "Gazeta Wyborcza") published in March 2003 on 60th anniversary of the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto. Featuring historical maps.
33. Anna M. Cienciala, "The German Occupation of Poland and the Holocaust in German-occupied Poland." Chapter: "The Polish Resistance Movement against the Germans." The Polish Review, v.48, 1, 2003, 49-72.[3]
34. "Alma Mater 64(2004) – "OKUPOWANY KRAKÓW" - interview with professor Andrzej Chwalba
35. Jagiellonian University Centre for European Studies, see: "Worker's paradise" of concrete
36. "Pattern of karst landscape of the Cracow Upland (South Poland)" by Witold Stefan Alexandrowicz and Zofia Alexandrowicz, Acta Carsologica, Slovenian Academy Of Sciences [4]
37. "The forms of nature protection within the city limits", Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University [5]
38. Kraków climate at www.magma.ca
39. Rick Steves, "Poland Rediscovered: Krakow, Auschwitz and Warsaw." Published in ''Rick Steves' Eastern Europe'', 2005 edition.[6]
40. Original Kraków City Hall bylaw Nr XXI/143/91 (unpublished) was introduced on March 27, 1991; current municipal borders were established according to City bylaw Nr XVI/192/95 for April 19, 1995. Source: Gazeta Urzędowa Miasta Krakowa Nr 10, poz. 84
41. Notes on Poland including Krakow (recreation, entertainment, social and religious life) at eDiplomat.com, Global Portal of Diplomats.[7]
42. Poland in Pictures by Jeffrey Zuehlke. Published by Twenty-First Century Books. Pg. 72. [8]
43. Varied Means of Transportation
44. International railway connections from Krakow at ''Magiczny Kraków'', city's official website.[9]
45. World Airports Guide
46. www.sabre-holdings.com/aboutUs
47. www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle
48. Level of unemployment in Poland by region, 31 December 2006 (''Polish'') [10]
49. Property Krakow consultancy, see "Poland Most Attractive Location for Investment" including the 2007 report by Ernst & Young. Property markets in Krakow.
50.
Budżet Miasta Krakowa na rok 2006
[http://www.bip.krakow.pl/?sub_dok_id=2011
51. Biuletyn Statystyczny Miasta Krakowa, published online by BIP Kraków [11]
52. Kraków City Councillors of the 5th term (''Radni Miasta Krakowa V kadencji''), Bulletin of Public Information [12]
53. Laura Brunell, Institutional Capital: Building Post-communist Government Performance University Press of America, Lanham, Maryland, 2005, ISBN 0761829563.
54. Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (''Bulletin of Public Information''). Raport o stanie miasta, 2001. BEZPIECZEŃSTWO PUBLICZNE
55. Statistical Bureau of Kraków 2002 census
56. Data from local real estate office (Polish only)
57. Województwo małopolskie – Urząd Statystyczny w Krakowie
58. RAPORT z realizacji priorytetowego zadania Ministra Edukacji i Nauki, Kraków – marzec 2006
59. Jagiellonian University Library, homepage [14]
60. Countrywide ranking of Polish universities (''in Polish'') [15]
61. Kraków University of Economics website
62. Akademia Pedagogiczna w Krakowie, homepage
63. Akademia Rolnicza, homepage
64. Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Teatralna, homepage
65. Papieska Akademia Teologiczna, homepage in English
66. Krakow City Guide
67. Stary Teatr w Krakowie, homepage in Polish
68. Calendar of Annual Events, 2007, by Municipality Of Krakow Press Office.
[16]
69. Explore Krakow, Top 10 things to do in Krakow by Starwood.
70. The green belt of Kraków Planty by Marek Strzala.
71. Henryk Jordan’s Park including history, philosophy and photographs.
72. Wisla portal, 1998-2007, general info, history and successes.[17]
73. Official website of Cracovia Marathon Office,[18] with list of winners, events, and registration form.
74. October 9, 2002 Ordinance of the Kraków City Council no. CXXIII/1150/02 on the symbols of the Royal Capital City of Kraków (PDF) and February 6, 2004 Ordinance of the Mayor of Kraków no. 167/2004 on the use of the symbols of the Royal Capital City of Kraków (PDF)
Further reading
★ Jane Hardy, Al Rainnie, ''Restructuring Krakow: Desperately Seeking Capitalism''. Published 1996 by Mansell Publishing. Business, economics, finance. 285 pages. ISBN 0720122317. A critical analysis of Krakow's regional economy in the context of national economy and the globalization including foreign investment, privatization, economic development and organized labor. The book is based in original research involving interviews and case studies of heavy industry, food processing, and small and medium-sized businesses.
★ Joanna Markin, Bogumiła Gnypowa, ''Kraków: The Guide''. Published 1996 by Pascal Publishing, 342 pages. ISBN 8387037281.
★ Scott Simpson, ''Krakow''. Published 2003 by Thomas Cook, 192 pages. Transport, geography, sightseeing, history, and culture. Includes weblinks CD. ISBN 1841571873.
★ Dorota Wąsik, Emma Roper-Evans, ''Krakow''. Published 2002 by Somerset. Cultural guidebook series. 160 pages. ISBN 9630059304.
★ Tim Pepper, Andrew Beattie, ''Krakow''. Published 2007 by Hunter Pub Inc. 160 pages. ISBN 1843063085. The book includes description of public art galleries and museums.
★ Richard Watkins, ''Best of Kraków'', Published 2006, by Lonely Planet, 64 pages, complemented by fold-out maps. ISBN 1741048222.
★ Bolesław T. Łaszewski, ''Kraków: karta z dziejów dwudziestolecia''. Published 1985, by Bicentennial Pub. Corp. (original from the University of Michigan), 132 pages. ISBN 0912757086
★ Edward Hartwig, ''Kraków'', with Jerzy Broszkiewicz (contributor). Published 1980, by Sport i Turystyka, 239 pages. ISBN 8321723217.
External links
★
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