Kraków
13th April, 2004
Hello Shirley
I am called Julka and I am 16 years old. I live in Cracow and I am in the first grade of a secondary school. I would like to recommend you a trip to Cracow because the city is really worth visiting.
Cracow, nestling in the Vistula valley, is a cultural centre not only of the region called Małopolska (Little Poland) but also of the whole country. It used to be the capital of Poland for many centuries and today it is undoubtedly the most beautiful and attractive of Poland's cities.
Cracow has a very long history; according to local archeological findings, man settled in the area as long as 50, 000 years ago. In the Middle Ages Cracow was a fortified castle built on the Wawel Hill -on the same spot where today the royal palace stands. From 1038 Wawel Castle served as the seat of the Polish kings.. Today, Wawel is a museum where you can visit royal chambers and see many interesting exhibits from the State Art Colection, including the worldwide famous collection of Flemish wall carpets. The greatest of the treasures is Jaged Sword (Szczerbiec) which was used at all Polish coronations from 1320. On the Wawel, there is also the cathedral which served both for the coronation and the burial of the Polish kings. The crypt is the place where Polish national heroes and poets are buried: Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki, Tadeusz Kościuszko amd Józef Piłsudski. One of the three towers of the cathedral contains famous Zigmunt's Bell which rings only when something important happens in Poland.
The most unusual place in Cracow is the Main Market Square -one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. It is always crowded with tourists coming from all over the world. The Market Square is also the setting for many cultural events that take place in Cracow. In the middle of the Square stands Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) which holds a collection of Polish paintings and sculptures. Another important landmark is Church of St Mary which contains a famous masterpiece -a carved altar created by Wit Stwosz in the 15th century.
The most famous street of Cracow is called Floriańska Street, which used to be a part of the Royal Way. At the end of the street you can see the only remnants of the medieval fortifications which consist of St Florian's Gate and a defensive bastion called Barbakan.
Cracow is a city of many pubs, cafes, museums, art galleries and theatres. The most famous is the Theatre of Juliusz Słowacki, there are also Bagatela Theatre or Stary Theatre.
I hope my letter will encourage you to visit my city. If you decide on a trip to Poland, Cracow should be on the top of your list of worth-visitng places.
I invite you very warmly to Poland and to Cracow.
Take care
Julka Zalewska
