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Krakow and its culture Krakow is one of the oldest and the most beautiful cities in Poland with the population of about 760 thousand people. This historic city lies in the southern part of the country by the Vistula River (Wisla) and at the foot of Wawel Hill. It is traditionally considered to be one of the main scientific, cultural and artistic Polish centers. During the 11-16 centuries Krakov was the national capital, the residence of the monarchs and the place where Polish kings were crowned and buried. Thanks to its 1000-year history, many people still consider it to be the heart of Poland. According to the legend, the name Krakow comes from the name of a Slavonic prince, who found an ancient city on a rocky hill. The first record mentioning Krakow was found in travel notes that belonged to Arabic prince Abraham ben Jacob in 965. The citys image was constantly changing during the centuries. For instance, in medieval times it was a rich, fortified city surrounded by 55 towers (a fragment of these fortifications can still be found here). During Renaissance times it became the centre for new ideas and culture, which attracted lots of outstanding humanists, writers, architects and musicians. Even later, during the times of economic recession of the Modernism period, all of Polish artistic elite found their safe refuge here. During the Second World War Krakow was one of the few cities that werent destroyed by Hitlers invaders. Nowadays Krakows elegant towers, its facades and churches that reflect seven centuries of Polish architecture are the real Polish visiting card. Lots of annual cultural events such as Krakow Short film Festival, Festival of European Culture, Ludwig van Beethoven Festival and others are held here. Krakow is also a huge centre for local and international tourism, with more than 2 million visitors coming here annually. Its cobbly streets, majestic churches and charmenss of the ancient world bring unforgettable impressions to its visitors. The Main Market square, the second largest in Europe after the one in Venice - is considered to be the centre of Krakow. In past, a medieval textile market was located here, where Polish kings were coming the next day after their coronation to meet the citizens and accept their obeisance. Two of the buildings that are of importance to notice are the Royal Castle and the Cathedral on the Wawel hill that was occupied by the Polish monarchs residence prior to 1609. A state artistic collection including ancient furniture, tapestries, masterpieces created by ancient artists, fabrics and weapons can be found here nowadays. The oldest Polish university, founded in 1364, is located in Krakow as well. It is here that Nicolaus Copernicus studied. It is next to impossible to describe and even name all the Krakows interesting tourist places, but every visitor will find his own magical Krakow. Some will admire its unique underground corridors of Wieliczka Salt Mines, others will prefer a walk along the Kazimierz Jewish districts. Some people will be enchanted with the altar created by Wit Stwosz that St. Mary's Church is so famous for. Krakow is the city where traditions intertwine with contemporaneity almost all around the place, and every stone is a part of history here. There are lots of architectural monuments in the city, including 6000 buildings and other constructions. Moreover, there are about 2,5 million ancient cultural exhibits in Krakow that were collected all over the place and exhibited in local museums, churches and archives. Thanks to such a great amount of cultural treasures in 1978 the city was included in the UNESCO world heritage list. About the Author: Visit Krakow hotels reservation to book a room in Krakow hotel
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