Architecture Around the World ......................Poland - Table of Contents
Wawel Castle
Cracow (Krakow), Poland
TEXT Beneath Illustrations
16th century Renaissance courtyard and loggia |
Fish scale terra cotta tiles ... Dormer with shed roof |
Exposed rafter tails and modillion supporting the cornice |
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Courtyard and loggia |
16th-century frescoes |
Acanthus leaves decorate the bracket |
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Uppermost story of the loggia |
Classical balustrades |
Polish students visiting the Wawel to learn Polish history |
Renaissance-influenced Ionic column |
Renaissance-influenced Ionic capital |
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Note tie rod |
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Renaissance staircase |
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Renaissance staircase |
Twisted stem molding |
The Gothic Wawel Castle was built at the behest of Casimir III the Great and consists of a number of structures situated around the central courtyard. In the 14th century it was rebuilt by Jogaila and Jadwiga of Poland.
During the early 16th century King Sigismund I the Old (Zygmunt I in Polish) and his wife, brought in the best native and foreign artists including Italian architects, sculptors, and German decorators, to refurbish the castle into a splendid Renaissance palace. It soon became a paragon of stately residence in Central and Eastern Europe and served widely as a model throughout the region.
In 1609 King Sigismund moved the capital to Warsaw, and tough times for Wawel began. Both the castle and other buildings were neglected despite the concerns of local governors.
Following the ravages of World War II, by the decree of the State National Council, the Wawel Castle became a national museum.
The first story portico and the first two orders of arcading surrounding the courtyard form covered walks which on the ground and first floor are protected by Renaissance arches, while on the top story protection from the damp climate is provided by a steeply sloping roof with gutters, supported by slender columns.
Fragments of 16th-century frescoes are still visible on the walls.