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Crakow - History |
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Archaeological
findings provide evidence that the Wawel Hill was settled as far back as
the early Stone Age. The Mounds of Krakus and Wanda, legendary rulers of
the settlement inhabited by the Slavonic tribe of Wislanie, probably date
back to the 7th century.
In the pre-Piast period, two
dates from the city's history are known. Between 876 and 879, Swietopelk,
Duke of Grand Moravia, occupied the region what was later to be named
"Little Poland". After 955 Boleslaw the Cruel, the ruling Czech
Duke, brother of St. Vaclav, introduced Czech rule here. In the 10th
century Cracow was incorpo rated into the Polish state. However, it is
difficult to say for sure whether it occurred during the rule of Mieszko I
in 990 or Boleslaw Chrobry in 999. The
Middle Ages
Certain
facts and dates from the city's history can only be given after the year
1000. A castle and a borough existed then on the Wawel Hill, which were
fortified with a palisade and an earth wall. In the 10th and 11th
centuries the first brick edifices were built (the castle and Romanesque
churches) and the cathedral and a basilica, as well as the St. Feliks and
Adaukt Church. In the year 1000 a bishopric was established in Cracow. In
1150 a cathedral school, the best educational establishment in Poland
before the foundation of the University, was set up at the castle church.
In the cathedral treasury the regalia (the crown and sceptre of Boleslaw
the Brave) were kept. A rich library, which had 28 books, included classic
literature along with the religious works - comedies by Terence, elegies
by Ovid, and historical monographs by Sallust. In 1142 the Robert
consecrated the "second" Wawel cathedral, which had been built
to replace the destroyed Romanesque church. The body of St. Stanislas,
after it had been moved from the church at Skalka, and the relicts of St.
Florian, were solemnly laid to rest at the new cathedral.
The reign of Kazimierz the
Great, patron of the arts and sciences, proved to be of great importance
for the city. The king founded two new cities, Kazimierz and Kleparz,
which were closely connected with Cracow. Gothic, Franciscan and Dominican churches were built
and St. Mary's Church, as well as the Corpus Christi Church and St.
Catherine's Church in Kazimierz. Renovation of the cathedral and castle on
the Wawel Hill, and the Cloth Hall, Townhall and other public buildings
was continued. In 1364 Kazimierz the Great founded the Cracow Academy,
which was the origin of the later Jagiellonian University. Wladyslaw Jagiello, Grand Duke
of Lithuania, was crowned King of Poland in 1386 and started the greatest
Polish dynasty, which ruled Poland for over 200 years. Cracow became the
capital of a monarchy spreading over genuinely Polish territories as well
as vast Lithuanian-Russian areas. The royal court played an important role
in sup porting artistic and cultural life. Outstanding humanists,
scientists and artists came here from Italy, Germany and other countries.
Veit Stoss, famous sculptor, came from Nurnberg in 1477 to carve a large
altar for St. Mary's Church on the citizens' order. After further
rebulding between 1499 and 1536, Wawel Castle was a pearl of Renaissance
architecture, boasting the "Zygmuntowska" Chapel - the most
beautiful sepulchral chapel in Poland. The castle was decorated with a
collection of Arras tapestries ordered from Flanders. It proudly played
the role of the royal seat of a powerful country well up in the
fashionable world of its time. In 1702 the city was seized and devastated by the Swedish army again. Wawel Castle burnt down. The following invasions of Prussian and Russian troops made the destruction complete.
Due to the first partition of
Poland in 1772, the Austrian army seized the southern part of Little
Poland. On 24th March 1794 Kosciuszko's Insurrection began in Cracow.
Temporarily included into the Warsaw Duchy, it was given the status of a
"free city" after Napoleon's downfall. Cracow developed rapidly.
The "Planty" )a green land ring) was set up in place of the city
walls (which had been pulled down). New districts developed on the city
outskirts. After the defeat of the November Insurrection (1831), Cracow
preserved its autonomy as the only part of Poland. In 1846 it was included
into the Austrian Monarchy again. De spite being under foreign control,
the city enjoyed some freedom. At that time Cracow became the symbol and
centre of Polish traditions and the spiritual capital for all parta of
divided Poland. Scientific and cultural establishment developed
dynamically. The Scientific Association of Cracow (Towarzystwo Naukowe
Krakowskie) was the ori gin of the Academy of Sciences. In 1818 the
Academy of Fine Arts was established and in 1854 the Society of the
Friends of Fine Arts. The
20th century
The
approaching war against Russia prompted the growth of independence
movements. In 1910 the paramilitary "Strzelec" (Rifleman)
Association was founded. Almost all political parties could act legally in
Cracow. On 6th June 1914 the First Company of "Strzelcy" under
the command of Jozef Pilsudski set off from the "Oleandry" of
Cracow. After independence had been
regained in 1918, Cracow became a significant administrative and cultural
centre. Industry started to develop rapidly. Although the Second World War
did not destroy the historical monuments, it ravaged the city in other
ways. On 6th November 1939 professors of the Jagiellonian University and
the most outstanding representatives of the city's intellectual elite were
arrested and transported to the concentration camp in Sachsenhausen. After the war Cracow lost its privileged position. The communist authorities wanted intellectual circles dominated by the working class. This purpose was to be fulfilled by the construction attracted workers to Cracow in their masses. How ever, it is the artistic and scientific circles that create the image of the city, which has now over 800 thousand inhabitants.
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Cracow
was mentioned for the first time in a report of Ibrahim-Ibn-Jakub, a
merchant from Cordoba, in the year 985. He describes a rich city on the
crossing of trade routes, which was surrounded by forests. 
