Wawel Cathedral
- from PLN 25
Sign up free — See who's going and message them.
Is this your place? Get the badge for your websiteAbout
More photos 11
1 / 11
Why go
- The choir, where thirty-seven coronations of kings and queens took place.
- Sigismund's Chapel on the south wall, the purest example of Renaissance architecture outside Italy.
- The Sigismund Bell, installed in 1521 in the Sigismund Tower, is one of Europe's largest bells.
- The red marble sarcophagus of King Casimir IV Jagiellon in the Holy Cross chapel, across the main entrance from Queen Sophia's chapel.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 17:00Show all
Don't miss
- Queen Sophia chapelLavishly decorated. The Holy Cross chapel lies on the other side of the main entrance.Beside the main entrance. On the map
- Mammoth bonesMammoth bones hang from iron chains.Entrance.Since medieval times On the map
- Silver coffin of Saint StanislausThe silver coffin of the patron saint Stanislaus lies under the main altar canopy. The previous one was stolen by the Swedes in 1655.Main altar. On the map
- Poets' cryptA separately accessible crypt holds the graves of poets. The national bard Adam Mickiewicz was laid to rest here in 1890.A separate crypt in the cathedral.1890 On the map
- Piłsudski cryptThe crypt holds the grave of Józef Piłsudski (1867–1935).Among the cathedral's crypts. On the map
Know before you go
- Address: Wawel 3, Kraków. Phone +48 12 429 33 27.
- Open Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 17:00.
- On Sunday, open 12:30 to 17:00.
Legends and hidden details
- The legend says the city will be destroyed if the mammoth bones hanging by the entrance fall.
- The entrance door, a gift from the king, bears his monogram.
Services and visiting hours
- Mass at the Coronation Altar
- Held here, sometimes with a choir.
- Mass at the relics of Queen Jadwiga
- Held beside the relics.
- 8.30 service
- In an old church language. At the relics of Saint Stanislaus.
Interesting facts4
-
The crypt, supported by eight columns, is the best-preserved Romanesque interior in the country.
Cathédrale du Wawel - Wikipedia -
The church's plan is a three-aisled basilica with a transept, three towers and a ring of chapels.
Bazylika Archikatedralna św. Stanisława i św. Wacława w Krakowie - Wikipedia -
1594
The Marienkapelle holds the tomb of Stephan Báthory, made around 1594 by sculptor Santi Gucci.
Wawel-Kathedrale - Wikipedia -
25 metres
The cathedral stands on a rocky limestone hill about 25 metres above the river.
Wawel-Kathedrale - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
The first stone cathedral, built after the bishopric was set up, was destroyed in a raid in 1038/1039. Two churches stood on the same spot before the present building. The cathedral has been the bishop's church of its diocese for about a thousand years. Until 1609 the city was the capital, so the cathedral was also the court church. Coronations were held here until 1734, and almost all kings from the 14th to the 18th century were buried in the cathedral or its crypts. Karol Wojtyła was archbishop of this diocese from 1964 to 1978, and then became Pope John Paul II.
- Around 1000Bolesław I founds the cathedral when the bishopric is set up.
- 1142A three-aisled church is consecrated here; it holds the tomb of Saint Stanislaus.
- 1305A fire destroys the church; only Saint Leonard's crypt survives.
- 1320Władysław Łokietek is crowned in the damaged older cathedral, starting the tradition of coronations here.
- 1364The present Gothic church is consecrated in the presence of King Casimir III.
Show all
- 1517–1533Bartolommeo Berrecci builds Sigismund's Chapel on the south wall.
- 19th centuryThe cathedral is made a national pantheon for kings, poets and national heroes.
- 1946Karol Wojtyła celebrates his first Mass in the crypt.
Accessibility
- Sigismund Tower step-free access The tower is climbed by rickety wooden steps.
Sources: Wawel Cathedral - Wikipedia · Kraków/Old Town - Wikivoyage (see) · Parafia Archikatedralna św. Stanisława B. M. i … · Parafia Archikatedralna św. Stanisława B. M. i … · Święty Wacław – Parafia Archikatedralna św. Sta… · Wawel-Kathedrale - Wikipedia · Cathédrale du Wawel - Wikipedia · Bazylika Archikatedralna św. Stanisława i św. W… · checked 19 Oct 2026
- Website
- katedra-wawelska.pl/
- Phone
- +48124293327
Questions and answers
How long does a visit to Wawel Cathedral take?
Allow at least one hour. On the standard walking tour, the chapels by the main entrance are seen only near the end.
Is there a museum at Wawel Cathedral?
Yes. The archdiocesan museum is at ul. Kanonicza 19, and a small John Paul II museum lies just across the yard.
Where is Wawel Cathedral?
It is at Wawel 3, Kraków, on Wawel Hill about 25 metres above the river. It is part of the Wawel Castle Complex.
Can you see the royal tombs at Wawel Cathedral?
Yes. The royal tombs are a separate area to visit, and the royal crypts are reached through the Czartoryski Chapel.
Is the Sigismund Bell tower at Wawel Cathedral step-free?
No. The tower is climbed by rickety wooden steps, so there is no step-free route to the Sigismund Bell.
Is there anything older than the Gothic church at Wawel Cathedral?
Yes. The crypt, supported by eight columns, is the best-preserved Romanesque interior in the country.
- See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
- Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
- Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.