The Wawel Cathedral in Krakow is Poland’s most important sanctuary. Starting with Władysław the Short, coronation of almost all Polish kings took place here. It's also the burial-place of many distinguished Poles. The first church, a Pre-Romanesque rotunda, appeared on Wawel Hill after establishing the diocese in Krakow in 1000 AD.

The later building, a Romanesque one from the turn of the 11th and 12th century, was a three-aisled basilica of limestone and sandstone with two towers. Its fragments, including St. Leonard's Crypt and lower part of the south tower, are still intact today.

The Krakow cathedral became the center of worship for Saint Stanislaus, Bishop of Krakow. Canonized in 1253 he later became patron of Poland. He died as a martyr in 1079 by order of King Bolesław the Bold. Pilgrims from both Poland and adjacent countries would visit his grave. The cult of this saint had links with the idea of unification of the Kingdom of Poland fragmented into provinces.

Crowning of Polish Kings

On 20 January 1320, Wladyslaw the Short's coronation was next to this relic. Since then, all kings except for Stanislaw Leszczyński and Stanislaw August Poniatowski received their crown in it. Also other important state ceremonies, like weddings, baptisms and royal funerals, took place in front of the main altar.

The first king laid to rest at the Wawel was Wladyslaw the Short. Kings were buried in the burial chambers beneath the floor. Many of the coffins and sarcophagi are masterpieces of casting art. Starting with Casimir Jagiellon, rulers' tombs were in separate chapels built on to the temple.

A new Gothic basilica

The Romanesque cathedral, weakened by time and a fire in 1305, could no longer serve as the main church of the diocese of Krakow. Built in stages between 1320 and 1364 was a new Gothic three-aisle basilica with a transept. This building is almost unchanged until today. Already during its construction, bishops and magnates founded the first chapels by its external walls.

The process of their foundation lasted throughout the 14th and 15th century. Noteworthy is the oldest Holy Cross Chapel with King Casimir Jagiellon’s magnificent tombstones. It's a masterpiece of late Gothic art.

16th century and further

The 16th century brought further changes to the interior of the cathedral. New Renaissance altars replaced some of the medieval ones. This included the main altar. Some tombstones for kings and bishops and epitaphs were also created.

The Italian sculptor Francesco Fiorentino initiated the Renaissance style in the temple. He's the mastermind behind the tombstone of King John Albert which has the form of an ancient triumphal arch.

Renaissance and affective equipment was also the work of other prominent artists settled in Krakow. Examples are Bartolomeo Berrecci, Giovanni Maria Padovano, Santi Gucci and Jan Michałowicz of Urzędów. One of the greatest works of the Renaissance is Sigismund's Chapel, founded by King Sigismund I the Old.

The design is by Bartolomeo Berrecci. It's made by Italian artists between 1519 and 1533. It holds the tombstones of the founder, his children Sigismund II Augustus and Anna Jagiellonka as well as a silver altar.

Black and pink marble

In the 17th and 18th century the cathedral changed its interior again. Contributions by kings, bishops and magnates allowed replacing equipment from earlier periods with new altars, tombstones, stalls and paintings. The interior gained a Baroque character. Black and pink marble became the characteristic material for the new era.

The Baroque interior of the cathedral was the work of Italian artists. Known names are Giovanni Trevano, Giovanni Battista Gisleni and Francesco Placidi.

After Poland lost its independence at the end of the 18th century, the cathedral became impoverished. But its status as a national sanctuary grew. In the 19th century it became a place of patriotic pilgrimage and a place of celebrations commemorating important events in Polish history. Best known are the relief of Vienna or the Battle of Grunwald. For Poles living on the annexed territories it was a symbol of Poland’s former glory.

Burial place for national heroes

Of special significance was burying national heroes who had fought Polish independence in the vault. There are Tadeusz Kościuszko and Józef Poniatowski, as well as the romantic poet and spiritual leader of the nation, Adam Mickiewicz. These burials raised the cathedral to the status of the national pantheon.

In the 20th century, the remains of another poet-bard, Juliusz Słowacki, found their place in the vault, as was the first Marshal of Poland, Józef Piłsudski. In 2010 President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria, who died in the Smoleńsk plane crash, found their final resting place in the vestibule of the Cathedral's Pilsudski crypt.

Present day Cathedral

The present look of the cathedral is the result of the great restoration of 1895-1910. Historical stratification of successive eras of art were respected. But apart of the Baroque interior disappeared. New works of art appeared as well. Some of these are outstanding examples of Art Nouveau. Stained glass windows and murals in the Szafraniec Chapel and the vault by Józef Mehoffer are examples of this. The 20th century was a period of continuous conservation of the cathedral. Before 2000, all facades and some of the chapels were renovated for celebrating the millennium of the diocese of Krakow and the Great Jubilee of Christianity.

John Paul II had a special connection to Wawel cathedral. On 2 November 1946, still a priest, he celebrated his first mass here, next to the Neo-Romanesque altar in St. Leonard's Crypt. He became a bishop in September 1958 and in March 1964 his archiepiscopal inauguration to the cathedral took place. He became a cardinal in July 1967.

John Paul II Cathedral Museum

In 1906 the Diocesan Museum opened next to the cathedral and transformed by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła into the Cathedral Museum in the 1970's. It exhibits regalia and religious artifacts of exceptional artistic and historical value.

The exhibits include the spear of St. Maurice presented in 1,000 AD during the Congress of Gniezno to Bolesław the Brave by Emperor Otto III.

There also are a crown, scepter and orb of Casimir Jagiellon from 1492, a velvety coronation coat of the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, from the second half of the 18th century, a rare element of liturgical vestments given with a special papal decree, made of precious fabrics, decorated with elaborate embroidery as well as precious and semi-precious stones, mitres and vestments.

The Papal Hall presents John Paul II memorabilia.