June 19, 2014

St. Florians gate - the old historic entrance to Krakow, Poland

 
The old, historic entrance to Krakow, Poland

From our walk in the Krakow old town we also had this photo of the old St. Florian's gate which is topped by the Furriers' tower. This gateway is the historic entrance to the city, and the starting point of processions that hail back to ancient times. This route, which leads down Florianska street and on to Wawel, is known as the Royal Way.

From the net
St. Florian's Gate
By 1500 Cracow was not only one of the richest cities in Europe but also one of the best fortified. The Old Town was ringed by a great wall, and this was punctuated by forty-seven towers and encircled by a moat. Immediately beyond this lay a further line of defense, comprising of a second wall and yet another moat. This outer wall was pierced by two barbicans, one of which, a splendid edifice, still survives. Owing to these formidable defenses, marauding armies were faced with a great dilemma. Much as they might wave the dismembered heads of those unlucky souls that had been caught beyond the city limits, more often than not they could not traverse the wall. Indeed, for a period of about two hundred years, Cracow was unbroken by foreign invasions.


Street Vendor in Krakow - maybe not a good day for the business?

Street leading to the big main square - In the back the towers of St Marys basilica


Our tour to Krakow was sponsored by

To the left a superior room at our Boutique Hotel

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