Defensive Walls in Krakow
ul. Pijarska, 30-547 Kraków
Tourist region: Kraków i okolice
The entrance to the Walls leads through the Pasamoników Tower, built in the first half of the 14th century. It is the only tower open to visitors, where over three levels, there is a museum exhibition where one can see a mock-up of the fortifications, costumes and weapons of the city defenders, as well as watch a film showing the development of Krakow's fortifications. The Pasamoników Tower used to be defended by a guild of craftsmen making belts and tassels, the most famous of whom was Martin Oracewicz, meritorious in the city's defence during the Bar Confederation. He became the patron of the defenders of the city, and his stone bust adorns the Celestat, the historical seat of the Chivalry Brotherhood. The tour passes through the guard porches along the walls. Above the entrance to the Floriańska Gate, there is the so-called chapel - a former weapons store rebuilt into a chapel in the 19th century. Currently, it is not used for religious purposes. The Floriańska Gate, known as Porta Gloriae, was built in 1307 and became Krakow's most important entrance gate on the so-called Royal Route. It is decorated with a relief of St. Florian from the early 18th century on the city side. In the 19th century, on the Planty side, it was decorated with a stone Piast eagle designed by Jan Matejko. We end our walk along the walls by the Stolarska Tower from the 14th century, which became an arsenal from the 16th century and is connected to the Ciesielska Tower.