| Archcathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus | |
|---|---|
Bazylika archikatedralna św. Stanisława i św. Wacława (Polish) | |
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 Archcathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus | |
| 50°03′17″N19°56′07″E / 50.0546°N 19.9354°E /50.0546; 19.9354 | |
| Location | Wawel Hill,Kraków |
| Country | Poland |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Saint Stanislaus Saint Wenceslaus |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Romanesque,Gothic,Renaissance,Baroque,Neoclassical |
| Completed | 11th century |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 3 (main) |
| Materials | Brick, stone |
| Administration | |
| Province | Archdiocese of Kraków |
 Interactive map of Wawel Cathedral | |
| Criteria | Cultural: iv |
| Reference | 29 |
| Inscription | 1978 (2ndSession) |
TheWawel Cathedral (Polish:Katedra Wawelska), formally titled theArchcathedral Basilica ofSaint Stanislaus andSaint Wenceslaus, (Polish:Bazylika archikatedralna św. Stanisława i św. Wacława) is aCatholiccathedral situated onWawel Hill inKraków,Poland. Nearly 1,000 years old, it is part of theWawel Castle Complex and is a national sanctuary which served as thecoronation site ofPolish monarchs.
The currentGothic cathedral is the third edifice on this site; the first was constructed and destroyed in the 11th century and the second one, constructed in the 12th century, was destroyed by a fire in 1305. The construction of the existing church began in the 14th century on the orders of BishopNanker. Over time, the building was expanded by successive rulers resulting in its versatile and eclectic architectural composition. There are examples ofRomanesque, Gothic,Renaissance,Baroque,Neoclassical andNeogothic elements in the cathedral's façade and interior. The exterior is adorned by side chapels and representativemausoleums, most notable being the golden-domedSigismund's Chapel.
It is the official seat of theArchbishop of Kraków and of theArchdiocese of Kraków. A symbol of Polish statehood and faith, the cathedral hosts important religious events and annual celebrations.Karol Wojtyła, who in 1978 became Pope John Paul II, the day after hisordination to thepriesthood offered his first Mass as a priest at the Wawel Crypt on 2 November 1946, and was ordained Kraków'sauxiliary bishop in the cathedral on 28 September 1958.[1]
The cathedral traces its origins to the late 10th century, shortly after theChristianization of Poland under DukeMieszko I in 966. The earliest church on Wawel Hill was likely a wooden or modest stonerotunda structure serving the newly established Christian community; the oldest remnant of that building is the Rotunda of the Virgin Mary from circa 970.[2] Archaeological investigations have revealed traces of pre-Romanesque foundations beneath the present structure, indicating early efforts to create a permanentecclesiastical center associated with thePiast dynasty’s emerging authority.[3] Around the year 1000, following the establishment of theDiocese of Kraków at theCongress of Gniezno, construction commenced on the first stone cathedral, known conventionally as "Wawel I".[4] Built in the Romanesque style, this structure symbolized Poland's integration into theLatin (Western) Christian world. It was destroyed during the raid ofBretislav I,Duke of Bohemia, in 1038/1039.[5]
DukeWładysław I Herman initiated the construction of a second, more substantial Romanesque cathedral, known as "Wawel II", to replace the earlier structure.[4] This edifice, completed at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries (consecrated in 1142),[4] featured stone walls, a triple-apsed east end, and crypts typical of contemporaryCentral European ecclesiastical architecture. Remnants of this phase, including theCrypt of Saint Leonard, survive beneath the current cathedral and constitute some of the most important examples of earlymedieval architecture in Poland.[6] Among the notable early bishops,Lambert Suła (in office c. 1070–1082) likely oversaw the organization of the first permanent cathedral chapter.[5] The second cathedral was destroyed by fire circa 1305, prompting a major architectural transformation under KingLadislaus the Short (Władysław I). His reign marked the reunification of Poland after a period of political fragmentation, and the construction of a newGothic cathedral symbolized both dynastic legitimacy and renewal. BishopNanker (in office 1320–1326) played a crucial role in the undertaking.[7] A distinguished churchman educated inPrague, Nanker supported the monarch’s efforts and is associated with the consecration of the new cathedral in 1320, which coincided with the coronation of Ladislaus.[7]
The third cathedral, "Wawel III", adopted the Gothic style prevalent across Europe in the 14th century.[8] Constructed primarily of brick andlimestone, it featured rib-vaulted ceilings, pointed arches, and aLatin cross plan.[8] The main nave, sideaisles, andchancel were completed by the mid-14th century, while additional chapels and towers were added over successive centuries. The cathedral was consecrated in 1364 during the reign of KingCasimir III the Great.[8] From 1320 until the final coronation in 1764, Wawel Cathedral functioned as the ceremonial site for the investiture ofPolish monarchs.[9] Each coronation was conducted before the high altar, with theregalia of the Polish Crown kept within the cathedral treasury. The cathedral’s crypts and chapels served as the burial place for Polish kings, queens, and prominent national figures. Some of the Piasts as well asJagiellonian kings are interred within its vaults.[10] Over time, this expanded to include military leaders, poets, and statesmen, transforming the site into a nationalpantheon.[10] The artistic quality of the sarcophagi and tomb monuments constitutes an invaluable record of funerary art from the Gothic through the Baroque periods.[10]
The 17th and 18th centuries witnessed the addition of Baroque chapels and altars, reflecting theCounter-Reformation’s aesthetic and theological impulses.[11] TheVasa Chapel and other royal commissions enriched the cathedral’s visual program.[11] These additions, while altering the Gothic austerity of the interior, integrated the building into the broader European artistic currents of the Baroque era.[11] The Swedish invasion of 1655–1657, known as theSwedish Deluge, brought disruption and damage to Wawel Hill. The cathedral, though spared from complete destruction, suffered from looting and structural degradation.[12] The postwar years witnessed efforts to restore its dignity and functionality. BishopAndrzej Trzebicki (in office 1658–1679) and his successors initiated repairs to the roof, towers, and interior furnishings.[13] Institutionally, the cathedral remained a central node in the archdiocesan administration, with the cathedral chapter exercising considerable influence in both ecclesiastical and civic affairs. The bishops of this period, includingJan Aleksander Lipski (bishop 1732–1746) andKajetan Sołtyk (1759–1788), continued to sponsor restoration and embellishment projects.[14]
The political decline of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and thePartitions of Poland at the close of the 18th century resulted in the loss of Kraków’s status as a royal capital and the cathedral’s state functions diminished. It assumed a new role as a symbol of national identity under foreign rule. During the 19th century, it became the burial site for national heroes such asTadeusz Kościuszko, PrinceJózef Poniatowski, and the Romantic poetAdam Mickiewicz.[15] Its preservation duringAustrian rule was due largely to ecclesiastical custodianship and patriotic sentiment among Kraków’s citizens. Extensive restoration campaigns were carried out under the guidance of architects such asZygmunt Hendel andSławomir Odrzywolski, who sought to recover the building’s medieval character while stabilizing its structure.[16] In the 20th century, the cathedral’s symbolic importance was reinforced by the pastoral activities of Karol Wojtyła, laterPope John Paul II, who served as Archbishop of Kraków from 1964 to 1978.[17] The building survived bothWorld Wars with minimal structural damage and remains an active site of worship and national commemoration.[18]
The cathedral comprises anave withaisles,transepts with aisles, achoir with double aisles, and anapse withambulatory and radiating chapels. The main altar, located in the apse, was founded about 1650 by BishopPiotr Gembicki and created byGiovanni Battista Gisleni. The altar painting ofCrucified Christ by Marcin Blechowski is from the 17th century.[19] Over the main altar stands a tall canopy of blackmarble supported by fourpillars, designed byGiovanni Battista Trevano andMatteo Castelli between 1626 and 1629. Underneath the canopy is placed asilver coffin of national patronStanislaus of Szczepanów (also Stanisław Szczepanowski) created between 1669 and 1671 after the previous one (donated in 1512 by KingSigismund I the Old) was stolen by the Swedes in1655.[20]
Sigismund's Chapel, or Zygmunt Chapel (Kaplica Zygmuntowska),[21] adjoining the southern wall of the cathedral, is one of the most notable pieces of architecture in Kraków and perhaps "the purest example ofRenaissance architecture outsideItaly."[21] Financed by Sigismund I the Old, it was built between 1517 and 1533 byBartolommeo Berrecci, aFlorentine Renaissance architect, who spent most of his career in Poland. The chapel features a gilded dome,Tuscan pilasters, and elaborate sculptural ornamentation. It houses the tombs of its founder and those of his children, KingSigismund II Augustus andAnna Jagiellon. Their descendant,Sigismund III Vasa, ordered the construction of a near-identical domed chapel at a larger but simpler scale, which was subsequently fitted with black marble.
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Installed in 1521 in the Sigismund Tower, theSigismund Bell (Dzwon Zygmunt) remains one of Europe’s largest bells. Cast from bronze and weighing nearly 13 tons, it was funded by King Sigismund I and bears inscriptions commemorating his reign. The bell is sounded only on occasions of national importance, major religious feasts, and state anniversaries.
The Wawel Cathedral has been the main burial site for Polish monarchs since the 14th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over time as individual rulers have added multiple burial chapels.
The crypts beneath the Wawel Cathedral hold the tombs ofPolish kings, nationalheroes, generals and revolutionaries, including rulers of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth such asJohn III Sobieski and his consortMarie Casimire (Maria Kazimiera); the remains ofTadeusz Kościuszko, the leader of aPolish national insurrection and Brigadier General in theAmerican Revolutionary War;Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister of thePolish Government in Exile andCommander-in-Chief of thePolish Armed Forces; MarshalJózef Piłsudski, founder of theSecond Polish Republic.[22] Pope John Paul II celebrated his first mass inSt. Leonard's Crypt and considered being buried at the Wawel Cathedral also at one point in time.
Two national bards,Adam Mickiewicz (laid to rest there in 1890) andJuliusz Słowacki (1927), are buried at this site.
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