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Wawel Royal Castle - State Art Collections

Wawel 5, 31-001 Kraków, woj. małopolskie

  • Monuments & Culture
  • Castles

Wawel Royal Castle

Location and surroundings

The castle rises on Wawel Hill in Krakow, above the Vistula, next to Wawel Cathedral. It is one of Poland's most important historic residences.

History

Since the Middle Ages Wawel was the seat of Polish kings. During the Renaissance, under Sigismund I the Old, the castle was rebuilt into a representative residence with an arcaded courtyard. Wawel Hill served as the centre of state power; Polish monarchs were crowned and buried in Wawel Cathedral.

What to see

The representative chambers and royal apartments, the Crown Treasury, the Armoury, the underground chambers and the Renaissance arcaded courtyard.

For whom

For those interested in the history of Poland, art and residential architecture.

Practical information

Visiting

  • Tickets for individual exhibitions (Apartments, Crown Treasury, Armoury, Underground Chambers)
  • Guides and audio guides available

Season and hours

Open all year round; exhibitions usually Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-17:00, with a technical break. The ticket office is open Mon 9:00-12:30, Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00.

Getting there

Wawel Hill in the centre of Krakow; access by public transport and on foot from the Old Town.

Contact

  • WWW: wawel.krakow.pl
  • Reservations: tel. +48 12 422 16 97, e-mail rezerwacja@wawelzamek.pl
Cost: Castle (1st and 2nd floor) regular 95 PLN / reduced 71 PLN; individual exhibits from approx. 47 PLN Visit duration: approx. 3-4 hours Seasonality: Open all year round, exhibitions usually Tue-Sun Opening hours: Exhibitions usually Tue.-Sun. 9:30-17:00 (with a technical break 13:00-13:30); details depend on the exhibit

Getting there

  • Public transport
  • On foot

Contact

Source: https://wawel.krakow.pl/ ; https://wawel.krakow.pl/zwiedzanie ; https://wawel.krakow.pl/co-zwiedzac