JACOB JR, MY JEWISH WORLD. THE WAWEL CASTLE. KRAKOW/POLAND

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Monday, Av 25, 5775. August 10, 2015.

Shalom! World.

Wawel's Castle prominence as a centre of political power redates the building of the first Cathedral on the site in 1000AD. Evidence shows that Wawel Hill was being used as a fortified castle before Poland's first ruler, Mieszko I (circa 962 - 992) chose Wawel as one of his official residences. The first Polish king cwoned in Wawel Cathedral was the teenage Wladyslaw the Short (1306-1333) on January 20, 1319, beginning a tradition that would see a further 35 royal rulers crowned there up until the 17th century. All of these rulers used the castle as a residence, and all of them added their own architectural details to the building. 


The moving of the capital to Warszawa in 1596 and Poland's subsequent decline and partitioning saw the Royal Castle fall into a state of the disrepair. The occupying Austrians used it as a military hospital and even went so far as to demilish several buildings including a number of the churches on the site. The 20th century saw the Castle change hands on a number of occasions, with the huge ongoing renovation works that continue to this day being halted for a number of reasons, most famously when the Castle was used as the headquarters of the Nazi Governor General, Hans Frank, during the German occupation of WWII. 

Today's Castle complex is a beguilling muddle of styles including Medieval, Romanesque, Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque. The inner courtyard with its delightful colonnades is a true architectural masterpiece, and the treasures contained within do much to contribute to Krakow's rightful status as a truly world-class city. 


Shalom! Aleichem.

Cultural Support:  SOUL avec L'Integration d'Association avec Israel et dans le Monde/Fr .

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