Page 115 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

OLD QU AR TER  113

north end by the façade of
the Piarist Church, is lined
with a selection of fine secular
and ecclesiastic Baroque and
Neo-Classical buildings.
The House of the Cistercian
Abbots of Jędrzejów at No. 20 is
of particular interest. Remodelled
in 1744 by Francesco Placidi,
the house is decorated with a
magnificent late Baroque
portal featuring atlantes.
The Wodzicki Palace at No. 11
was given a Neo-Classical façade
by Ferdinand Nax after 1781.
Around 1818 the Bernardine
Friary was converted after a
great deal of rebuilding.

fChurch of St John
Kościół św. Jana
ul. Św. Jana 7. Map 1 C4 (6 D2). Tel 12
422 65 00. @ 124, 152, 502. v 2, 4,
14, 18, 24. Open during services only.
St Florian’s Gate at the end of Floriańska Street
The chronicler Jan Długosz
records that this church was illusion, Franz Eckstein. The jSt Florian’s
founded in the 12th century. high altar painted on the wall Gate and the
The Romanesque architecture is by the same artist, as is the
has been lost through much fresco in the nave vault that Defensive Wall
remodelling. The Gothic glorifies the name of the Virgin Brama Floriańska i
buttresses still project from the Mary. The altars in the aisles Mury Obronny
exterior side walls, but the feature 18th-century paintings
façade and the interior are by Szymon Czechowicz. Map 2 D4 (6 E1). Tel 12 421 13 61.
Baroque. The high altar of 1730 The crypt under the church @ 124, 152, 502. v 2, 4, 7, 14, 24.
Open Apr–Oct: 10:30am–6pm daily.
is decorated with sculptures is renowned for the decoration & ∑ mhk.pl
by Antoni Frączkiewicz and of Christ’s Tomb, which usually
the 16th-century miraculous alludes symbolically to patriotic In 1285 Duke Leszek the Black
Madonna, the Refuge themes, and is set up here gave Krakow the right to have
of Prisoners. every year during Holy Week. the city surrounded by walls.
The crypt is also a venue for These fortifications developed
theatre performances and during the following centuries,
gCzartoryski various exhibitions. finally consisting of inner and
Museum outer moated walls and 47
Muzeum Czartoryskich towers. Eight fortified gates
lead into the city. With the intro-
See pp114–15. duction of artillery, the defence
system became redundant.
Disused, it fell into disrepair by
hPiarist Church the end of the 18th century.
Kościół Pijarów The walls were dismantled early
in the 19th century and later
ul. Pijarska 2. Map 1 C4 (6 D1). Tel 12 replaced by the Planty gardens
422 17 24. @ 124, 152, 502. v 2, 4, (see pp170–71). St Florian’s Gate,
14, 18, 24. Open during services only.
dating possibly from the end of
This Baroque church was the 13th century, and a small
built between 1718 and 1728 stretch of the adjoining walls
probably to designs by Kacper have been saved, largely through
Bażanka. The Rococo façade the efforts of Professor Feliks
designed by Francesco Placidi Radwański. East of St Florian’s
was added in 1759 to 1761. Gate is the Haberdashers’ Tower,
Inside, the church is decorated The Rococo interior of the 18th-century and the towers of the Joiners
with frescoes by a master of Piarist Church and Carpenters are to the west.