Wawel Cathedral and Castle. The 14th-century Wawel Cathedral (Katedra Wawelska), located inside Wawel Castle in Krakow, is the spiritual center of the Polish state. The burial place of nearly all Polish …More
Wawel Cathedral and Castle.

The 14th-century Wawel Cathedral (Katedra Wawelska), located inside Wawel Castle in Krakow, is the spiritual center of the Polish state. The burial place of nearly all Polish kings and national heroes, it was also the cathedral for Karol Wojtyla late Pope John Paul II. In the 8th century Wawel Hill was topped with a tribal stronghold; since the 10th century it has hosted a royal residence and the seat of the bishops of Kraków. From 1037, when Kraków became the capital of Poland, Polish kings were crowned and buried in Wawel Cathedral. Dominating the nave of the cathedral is the mausoleum of St. Stanislav, Poland's patron saint. The 11th-century Krakow bishop was murdered by King Boleslav II. The saint's silver coffin (circa 1670) is adorned with 12 relief scenes from his life and posthumous miracles. The present cathedral, the third to stand on this site, was begun in 1320 and completed in 1364. The original austere structure remains mostly unchanged today, save for some Renaissance and baroque chapels that now huddle up against it. Pope Francis will be visiting Cathedral and Castle on Wednesday 27 of July © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Source: Catholic Church (England and Wales) on Flickr