Wawel Hill

Wawel Hill (Polish: Wawel, IPA: [ˈvavɛl]) is the name of a Jurassic limestone outcrop formed about 150 million years ago. It is situated on the left bank of the Vistula River in Kraków, Poland, at an altitude of 228 metres above the sea level. Over the millennia, the hill provided a safe haven for people who settled there since the Paleolithic Age. It is assumed that the Western Slavic tribe of Lechitians (Poles) started living on the Wawel Hill as early as the 7th century.

Wawel is a symbolic place of great significance for all Polish people. The Royal Castle and the Cathedral are situated on the Hill. Polish Royalty and many distinguished Poles are interred in the Basilica. Royal coronations have taken place there since 1320.

History

Royal Castle on Wawel Hill

Archaeological artifacts from the Wawel Hill, then surrounded by marshes, indicate an early settlement from the 7th century. Towards the end of the first millennium AD, Wawel began to play a role as the centre of political power.

The first historical ruler Mieszko I of Poland (c.965-992) of the Piast dynasty as well as his successors: Boleslaw I the Brave (Polish: Bolesław I Chrobry; 992-1025) and Mieszko II (1025–1034) chose Wawel Hill as one of their residences. The history of the medieval Wawel is deeply intertwined with the history of the Polish lands and Polish royal dynasties during the Middle Ages. The political and dynastic history that led to the ascendence of Kraków as the royal capital are complex, but for most of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the Wawel Hill remained the seat of national government. As the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth formed and grew, Wawel became the seat of one of Europe's most important states. This status was only lost when the capital was moved to Warsaw in the 17th century. Subsequently, when Poland lost its independence to foreign powers during the period of partitions, Wawel became the symbol of national survival; demonstrations and meetings combined contemporary political action with remembrance of the significance of the once-independent state.

Wawel Hill from the Vistula River

The pivotal role of the Wawel Hill for Poland comes from the combination of political and religious structures and functions associated with it. The Cathedral holds the relics of St. Stanisław and stands directly adjacent to the Royal Castle. The Hill has long had a religious function; some of the oldest extant architectural remains are those of the Rotunda of the Virgin Mary, which may be visited today in a fascinating tour that takes the visitors into the walls and foundations of the present-day buildings.