The Market Square (Rynek Glowny), Krakow

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Favorite thing: If you read about the Market Square in the web sites I have added here you will undestand why this is the premier meeting point for locals and visitors alike.
You have some wonderful vendors stalls over the weekend that sell all sorts of local products, from candy to honey or even carvings.
There is also a statue of a severed head, lying on its side with what looks like bandages partially covering the eyes. Could not find out what the statue symbolizes (if anything), so I decided it was to warn you. If you go around with bandages over your eyes you might fall down and cut your head off, so be careful.
The Market Square is also "home" to several dozen horses and carriages that you can rent for a short jaunt around the old city.

Fondest memory: http://www.cracow-life.com/poland/krakow-market-square
http://www.krakow-poland.com/Tourist-Attractions/Krakow-Market-Square,ib

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Favorite thing: Matt, our organizer of the VT Euromeet 2010 in Krakow, decided upon doing one of our photo shoots here alongside the Church of Saint Adalbert...now I imagine when this church was consecrated that they had NO IDEA we would put it to such use in the future, but we did and it is now history. You can see the church itself in the first photo, a tiny little thing, hardly seeming to be enough to have a priest in, not to mention a congregation.
The other photos show Matt using his megaphone to try and get all the rowdy VTers rounded up to do the photoshoot, and Stacey, Carmen and Sandra smiling for the camera.
As for the history of the church itself, if you are interested, I found a nice article on one of the sites I used to research before going to Krakow.
http://www.cracow-life.com/culture/culture_details/1188-St_Adalbert's_Church

Favorite thing: The Adam Mickiewicz Monument was designed by sculptor Teodor Rygier and unvieled in 1898 at the 100th anniversary of the birth of Adam Mickiewicz, the greatest Polish Romantic poet of the 19th century.

At the base of the monument are four allegoric groups symbolising the Motherland, Science, Courage and Poetry.

In 1940 the monument was destructed by the invading German troups. In 1955 the monument was restored; some of the original figures were retrieved from a Hamburg scrap metal yard.

Every year on Christmas Eve the monument is decorated with flowers by the florists of Kraków.

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Favorite thing: Rynek Glowny is the largest Medieval square in Poland. It's surrounded by many old palaces, cafes, shops and restaurants. The highlights of this square are the church of S. Mary that was built between 1287 and 1320 on the remains of a Romanesque church. The present construction is a result of a restoration made at the end of the XIX century. In the middle of the square the long building you see is the Sukiennice (cloth hall). It was originally built in the 14th century as a center for the cloth trade. It was destroyed by fire in 1555 and rebuilt in the Renaissance style with alterations made in the 19th century. Besides this building you see what remains of the old town hall; the tower. The 14th century town hall was pulled down in the 1820's. On a corner of this square lies the small church of S. Adalbert. It was built the X century and was reconstructed between 1611 and 1618.

This square serves also as a place for open air events.

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Favorite thing: In the Market Square - Rynek Glowny - you will find the bronze statue EROS BENDATO - Eros Bound - created in 1999 by Igor Mitoraj.
Of course our VT Group had some fun with it - posing inside and outside the sideways HEAD, as it is hollow inside.

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Favorite thing: Krakow's 70-meter tall TOWN HALL TOWER or WIEZA RATUSZOWA, is situated close to the Cloth Hall in the Main Market Square - Rynek Glowny. The Town Hall goes back to 1316 and has been reconstructed many times. The Town Hall itself, was demolished betweeen 1817 - 1820, leaving only the Belfry standing. The massive Gothic Tower is built of stone and brick. It got its first clock in 1524 and its present baroque roof dates back to 1686,
Visitors brave enough to climb the Tower's 100 narrow and steep staircase, will be rewarded with a wonderfful panoramic view of the city from the top.
Ground floor contains a tourist information center.
The entrance to the Tower is guarded by a pair of stone lions carved at the beginning of the 19 th century (Photo # 4).

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Favorite thing: The small church in the Market Square, CHURCH OF ST. ADALBERT or ST. WOJCIECH CHURCH or KOSCIOL SW. WOJCIECHA, is one of the oldest churches in Krakow.
It was built on the site where (it is said) St. Wojciech preached his sermons. The Church was constructed in the baroque style between 1611 - 1618.
During the summer, there is an exhibition in the crypt, dedicated to St. Wojciech.

Favorite thing: When I was in Krakow a native suggested I use the bank on the square. They had the best exchange rate at the time and were a full service bank. Travellers checks, money exchange of all denominations....credit cards... whatever. I think you would do best to begin there. It is on the side of the square opposite the side of the Wawel Castle.