Walk in Cracow: Market Square and Wawel Castle

The trail leading from Market Square to Wawel in Cracow is the most popular among tourists. No wonder! The tour along Grodzka street is amazing ineed. Start with Barbican and see the TOP 10 venues you will pass on the way.

Barbican, Cracow / Shutterstock

Barbican

The most valuable monument of medieval Krakow, the Barbican is also known as the 'Pan' (Rondel, in Polish), and is one of the last few surviving works of the eminent European military architecture of this type. It is located between ul. Basztowa and the Florian Gate and was built in Gothic style in the years 1498-1499, due to a Turkish threat, with financial support from King Jana Olbrachta. It was connected to the so-called 'neck' - a bridge construction - from the Florian Gate, surrounded by a deep moat with running water, bridges and locks. Built on a 6 / 10 circle project, with 3 storeys of shooting ranges, it is crowned by a gallery, over which were placed seven turrets. The building has two gates, from Kleparz and the Floriańskich walls side. The latter was formed in the years 1839-1842 (after the demolition of the neck) by the architect Karol Kremer, in place of the Gothic tower from the year 1422. In front of the western gate (from Kleparz), there used to be a drawbridge over a 26-metre wide moat, supported by four stone-brick pillars.