St. Mary's Church, Krakow

Overlooking the Main Market Square in St. Mary's Church. It was built in 1220 and was "oriented" east. Destroyed in the Tatar raids it was rebuilt in the form of a mighty basilica - it is still at an angle to the square!

The golden ball (at the top) is saidf to contain the written history of the city.

Every hour the HEJNAL is played on a trumpet from the highest tower to the 4 quarters of the world in turn. It is a simple melody based on 5 notes and was played in Medieval times as a warning call. It stops abruptly in mid bar - apparently when the Tatars arrived the watchman sounded the alarm but was shot, in mid-phrase, in the throat by an arrow...

To the south of the church is St. Mary's Square (Plac Mariacki) - a Parish cemetary until the 19th century. Bordering this square is the 14th century St. Barbara's Church (Kosciol Sw Barbary) which was the cemetary chapel. And there's a little passage adjoining the church which will take you onto the Little MArket Square (Maly Rynek) which was the town's 2nd largest marketplace.

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St. Mary‘s Church is said to be the most recognisable landmark in Krakow. It’s in a prominent location at the northern end of the main square and is very popular with both tourists and locals. The church was built in the 13th century and is houses a huge Gothic wooden altar.

Every hour, a lone trumpeter plays a tune out of the windows in one of the towers of the church. The tune stops in mid-note, reflecting an old legend about a church watchmen who, noticing Tarter invaders about to attack the city, played a warning tune. While playing the tune he was shot by an arrow.

We went in by the locals entrance meaning we got to see much less of the church. However, it was free to go in this way as opposed to the tourists entrance where you get charged.

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The basilica of the Virgin Mary's is home to an unmatched giant Gothic altarpiece carved by great Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489. In 1491 he also sculptured a stone crucifix that now is part of the late-Baroque altarpiece in the south aisle, and probably the magnificent huge crucifix above the nave as well.

Sepulchral monuments of the Krakow rich and worthy fill every corner of the basilica and its twelve chapels. Ornate stalls in the chancel appear an outstanding achievement of the early-Baroque woodwork. The wall-paintings by famous Jan Matejko date back to the 1888-1891 renovation. The treasure-house of the basilica of the Virgin Mary's is rich in priceless objects of art, including some 300 masterly embroidered ancient vestments.

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St. Mary's basilica is a brick Gothic church built in the 14th century adjacent to the main market square. It is particularly famous for its wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss.

On every hour, a trumpet signal called the hejnał (pronounced hey-now) is played from the top of the taller of St. Mary's two towers.

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You can see the towers of St. Mary´s Church from almost everywhere in the Old Town and it´s easy to notice that they´re not the same size!!! There´s an interesting story about it... but wait until you get there, I don´t want to spoil the surprise...

The church is very beautiful as you can see in the pictures. A must see in Krakow for sure!!!

Every hour, instead of listening to ordinary bell rings, you´ll hear a sad melody played in trumpets (tks, skeptic jr!!!). This is done in homage of the guy who died trying to warn the city of a tartar attack in the XIII (?) Century. You can see the guy playing in one of these pictures...

Two towers of the Gothic Kosciol Mariacki St Mary's Church) dominate the Main Market Square.

This is realy treasure of different relics. The famous is the Gothic altar (the largest in Europe), the masterpiece of Wit Stwosz.

For legends linked to the church look at my "Local Customs" tips:
Fury
Trumpetcall

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Mariacky church is defenitely the most impressive in Krakow both with Wawel Cathedral. Interior is stunning, with so much colours around and not much empty places left non-decorated. This church you can see mostly from everywhere in old town.

It was built in end of 13th century and some details of church was changed quite often later. At the end of the 14th century the body of the church got form of a basilica, looks the same as now. One of the most significant points in church is the main altar (you need to pay money to see it closely). It is designed by Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489 and is the biggest gothic wooden altar at least in the Europe.

Directly next to St. Mary’s Basilica a small fountain, adorned with a turbaned youth, stands in St. Mary’s Square. Until the 19th century, when the occupying Austrians closed it, this Square was a parish cemetery. The fountain’s figure is a bronze copy of one of the figures carved by Wit Stwosz for his High Altar piece in St. Mary’s Basilica. It also pays tribute to students at Jagiellonian University, Central Europe’s second oldest, founded in 1364 by King Kasimir the Great.