Multilateral School Partnerships „Showing Our World Heritage” Comenius Italy, 2014

What is Cracow? Cracow (Polish: Kraków) is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. It is situated on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in southern Poland, in the Małopolskie voivodeship. The city is very old, its beginning comes back to 7th century. Cracow has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life and is one of Poland's most important economic hubs. It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to In 1978, UNESCO approved the first ever sites for its new World Heritage List, including the entire Old Town in inscribing Cracow's Historic Centre.

The Old City in Cracow is the oldest part of city. It is inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List. The Old Town is known in Polish as Stare Miasto. There are a lot of churches such as St. Mary's Basilica, Church of St. Wojciech and Church of St. Barbara. At the centre of the plaza, surrounded by kamienice (row houses) and noble residences, stands the Renaissance cloth hall Sukiennice(currently housing gift shops, restaurants and merchant stalls) with the National Gallery of Art upstairs. It is flanked by the Town Hall Tower.

Wawel is one of the biggest castles in Poland. It was the seat for Polish kings for four centuries. The first historical ruler Mieszko I of Poland (c.965–992) of the Piast dynasty and his successors: Boleslaw I the Brave (Polish: Bolesław I Chrobry; 992– 1025) and Mieszko II (1025– 1034) chose Wawel to be one of their residences. At the same time Wawel became one of the principal Polish centres of Christianity. Wawel became the leading political and administrative centre for the Polish State.

Wawel dragon From this early period of the Wawel's history originates the popular and enduring Polish myth of the Wawel dragon. Today, it is commemorated on the lower slopes of the Wawel Hill where by the river, is a modern fire- breathing metal statue of the dragon. The statue is sited in front of Smocza Jama, one of the limestone caves scattered over the hill. The dragon, Smok Wawelski, was a mystical beast which supposedly terrorised the local community, eating their sheep and local virgins, before (according to one version) being heroically slain by Krakus, a Polish prince, who legend relates founded the city of Cracow and built his palace above the slain dragon's lair. The oldest known literary reference to the Wawel dragon comes from 12th century, in the work by Wincenty Kadłubek.

"Sigismund's Chapel" of the Wawel Cathedral is one of the most notable pieces of architecture in Kraków. Built as a funerary chapel for the last Jagiellons, it has been hailed by many art historians as "the most beautiful example of the Tuscan Renaissance north of the Alps". dome houses the tombs of its founder King Sigismund, as well as King Sigismund II Augustus and Anna Jagiellonka. The inner sculptures, stuccos and paintings were designed by some of the most renowned artists of the age, including the architect Berrecci himself, Georg Pencz, Santi Gucci and Hermann Vischer.

The Barbaican of Cracow The Barbican of Cracow (Polish: Barbakan) was the main gate of Cracow in the 15th century. It was built in 1499 and it’s one of the most famous monuments at the Cracow’s Old City.

Church of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven Church of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven (also known as St. Mary's Church; Polish: Kościół Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny (Kościół Mariacki)) is a Brick Gothic church re-built in the 14th century (originally built in the early 13th century), adjacent to the Main Market Square in Kraków, Poland. Standing 80 m (262 ft) tall, it is particularly famous for its wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz).

Hejnał mariacki On every hour, a trumpet signal—called the Hejnał mariacki—is played from the top of the taller of St. Mary's two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city. The noon-time hejnał is heard across Poland and abroad broadcast live by the Polish national Radio 1 Station.

Elaboration: Barbara Kamińska, 2b Aleksandra Bielenica, 1d Joanna Szyc, 2c Laura Stankiewicz, 2c Coopreation: Małgorzata Kosińska - Project coordinator, English teacher Bogumiła Bajbak - Ąrt teacher (project). Małgorzata Harasim - English teacher (Text & translation); Martyna Sobczak 1d - animations Nicolaus Copernicus Middle School no. 2. in Olecko

Bibliography en.wikipedia.org whc.unesco.org kraków.pl