When I was young my grandma told me a lot of legends, fairy tales, and stories. Some of them were based on true stories, some were fiction. Nevertheless, I was waiting for another day and another story to listen to.
Let’s discover my favorite legends from the Krakow region.
Wawel’s Dragon – Smok Wawelski
Years ago life in Krakow passed carefree and in happiness. Inhabitants were happy to live in such a beautiful kingdom ruled by Krak (the city was named after him). Krakow developed rapidly and people from neighboring tribes visited it often.
One day, their peaceful life was filled with terror. A huge dragon appeared in the sky and caused fear among people. Meanwhile, people began to leave the city, afraid of the Wawel Dragon.
Seeing this, the King offered a reward for anyone who could kill the monster. The reward was a marriage to his beautiful daughter Wanda and get a chance to become the king when he would die. Many brave tried to defeat the dragon, but the task was beyond them.
According to this legend, a shoemaker Skuba arrived in the city and found a way to defeat the monster. In order to achieve it he used a lamb stuffed with sulfur. He took the dead lamb and put it right at the entrance of the dragon’s cave.
After eating the trap, suddenly the dragon began to feel thirsty. He run into the Vistula River and drank water from it. But nothing helped. He kept drinking and drinking until he exploded. The young’s shoemaker plan succeeds and he earned his reward and married to the beautiful daughter of the King.
Just below the Wawel Castle, you find a statue of the dragon that launches fire every 5 minutes. I’ve always tried to visit him every time I’m in Krakow.
St. Mary’s Church Towers – Wieże Mariackie
In XIII Century has been decided to build to towers on the Mariacki church. Two brothers started the construction. When younger brother noticed that his tower is lower than his brother, he was so jealous and decided to kill the brother. He climbed on his brother tower and kill him. The youngest one felt very bad about his action and decided to take his life. He took the knife he killed his brother and pierced into his heart.
Krakow inhabitants finished the towers and hang the knife in the Sukiennice as a reminder and a warning.
The Trumpeter of Krakow
Since the Middle Ages, Krakow’s city guard gave a signal every morning to open the city gates and close them in the evening. He was alerting the inhabitants of the city about a fire, enemies approaching Krakow, and other dangers.
In the 13th century, the Tatars came to the city and wanted to invade it, the trumpeter saw hordes of approaching Tatars and immediately began to play the trumpet call (Hejnał).
He managed to warn the city of the attack, but a Tatar arrow pierces Trumpeter’s throat before he finished the melody. That is why the trumpet call melody ends so suddenly.
In memory of this event, a Hejnał is heard from the Mariacki Church’s tower very hour to the four corners of the world.
Krakow’s pigeons
Henryk IV Prawy was a member of the royal Polish Piast dynasty. He was also a Duke of Silesia at Wrocław and High Duke of the Province of Kraków in the 13th century. His dream was to unite all the principalities, however, he did not have enough money for that. He decided to ask a witch for help. The sorcerer turned his knights into pigeons. Birds began to peck small pebbles from the walls of Mariacki Church (St. Mary’s Church), and they began to change into gold coins.
In that way, Henryk IV Pray obtain all the necessary funds to unite the principalities. He decided to travel to Rome to get the Pope’s support. On the way, he enjoyed his life, fun, and feasts. He never reached Rome nor did he return to Kraków, where, according to legend, the pigeons in which his knights are enchanted are still waiting.
It was super hard for me to find pictures of pigeons as I really avoid them.
Kinga’s Legend
Bolesław Wstydliwy was a High Duke of the Province of Kraków in the 13th century. He asked for the hand of the Hungarian princess Kinga. He gave her an exceptionally beautiful ring and her father, Bela IV blessed her daughter’s relationship with Bolesław.
Kinga had to decide what dowry she wanted. She wasn’t interested in precious stones or gold. The princess decided on salt. She received a mine located near the city of Maramures. However, she was not fully satisfied with it, as it was far away from Poland. Kinga visited the mine and dropped her engagement ring down the shaft.
After arriving in Krakow, she decided to visit the lands. During one of the walks in a village near Kraków, a piece of salt was founded with her engagement ring hidden in it. The same one she threw down the shaft in Romania. This discovery began the salt mining in Wieliczka.
During your trip to Krakow, it’s worth visiting a salt mine in Wieliczka and particularly St. Kinga Chapel. It’s a masterpiece.
I hope you enjoy my favorite legends, and see you some with new exciting places I visited recently.
