Page 29 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

THE HIST OR Y OF KR AK OW  27

Krakow’s Charter
The municipal status Where to See
granted to Krakow Gothic Krakow
was modelled on the
Magdeburg law and Some of the biggest attractions
contributed to uniform in Krakow are the Gothic
urban development. buildings, such as the Barbican
(see p116), St Florian’s Gate
(see p113) and the Collegium
Maius (see pp108–9), and large
churches such as St Mary’s (see
pp94–5), the Dominican Church
(see pp118–19), St Catherine’s
The coats of arms shown (see p128) and Corpus Christi
on both sides of the gate (see p125). Some smaller churches,
are those of Bolesław the
Chaste who granted such as the Holy Cross (see p117),
Krakow her charter. are equally interesting. The
works by Veit Stoss are gems
of Gothic art.

The cathedral (see pp66–71) is
Krużlowa Madonna the burial place of kings and the
This beautiful Madonna seat of the local archbishop.
with Child is an interesting
example of the influence
of International Gothic
on wood sculpture of
Lesser Poland in the
15th century.

Seal of the Royal City of Krakow
The 14th-century Great Seal of Krakow The Church of the Holy Cross
(shown here with the image reversed) has a single nave whose interior
features the emblem of Poland, thus is covered with palm vaulting.
stressing the role of Krakow as its capital.

1386 Grand Duke Jogaila 1473 First Polish printing
of Lithuania becomes King house of Łukasz Straube
Władysław II Jagiełło Mace of the rector of Krakow issues a calendar
of Poland
Academy
1375 1400 1425 1450 1475 1500
1477–89 Veit Stoss works on
before 1400 1400 Władysław
Collegium Jagiełło re-estab- the high altar at St Mary’s 1492 Kazimierz
Maius is lishes the Krakow Jagiellończyk dies
established Academy Coat of arms of the Jagiellonians