Wawel Castle Krakow - Complete Visitor Guide & History

Wawel Castle is one of Krakow's most important landmarks — but there is much more to this hill than simply walking around a beautiful royal palace. In Episode 2 of my Krakow series, we explore the history of Wawel from its earliest settlement and rise as the seat of Polish kings, through the golden age of the Polish monarchy, the move of political power to Warsaw, the partitions, occupation and its evolution into one of Poland's most important places of national memory. Along the way we'll explore the Royal Castle and its interiors, the extensive Armoury and atmospheric Lapidarium, Wawel Cathedral, the royal and national crypts, and some of the famous figures buried beneath the hill — including Stefan Batory, Jan III Sobieski and Józef Piłsudski. I'll also share some practical advice for visiting Wawel, including the slightly confusing ticket system and how much time you should realistically allow if you want to see everything. Then things get considerably less serious... We descend through Smocza Jama — the legendary Dragon's Den — meet Krakow's famous fire-breathing dragon and take a look at the city's increasingly adorable Dragon Trail. Finally, we leave Wawel behind and explore the Vistula riverfront, including the Dżok monument, Krakow's Avenue of Stars, Wianki celebrations and the Krakow Eye — where we get our first look towards the destination of Episode 3: Kazimierz. 🇵🇱 KRAKOW SERIES Episode 1: Krakow Old Town Episode 2: Wawel Castle Episode 3: Kazimierz — coming next Episode 4: Nowa Huta Episode 5: The Path Less Travelled If you're planning a trip to Krakow, or simply want to understand the history behind one of Poland's most important landmarks, I hope you enjoy the journey. If you enjoyed the video, please consider liking, subscribing and sharing — it genuinely helps support the channel and allows me to continue exploring Poland. =================================================== Please Like, Subscribe and Comment! 😊 Social Media Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/BritinPoland For extra content — photos, short videos, behind-the-scenes moments, and interesting articles — you can find me here: 📷 Instagram:   / brit_in_poland   📘 Facebook:   / brit-in-poland-106612907790436   🐦 Twitter/X:   / britpoland   Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-7927578 Brit in Poland Unfiltered: https://rumble.com/c/c-7941042 Substack: https://substack.com/@britinpoland Discord Community:   / discord   Support the Channel If you’d like to help support my journey to showcase Poland to the world, you can do so here: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/britinpoland 🇵🇱 Patronite: https://patronite.pl/BritinPoland 🌍 Patreon:   / britinpoland   Every contribution helps me travel, film, and keep improving the videos — and I’m incredibly grateful ❤️ Contact 📩 Email: britlivinginpoland@gmail.com About the Channel Brit in Poland is the genuine account of a British expat living in Warsaw. Here I share what it’s really like to live abroad, explore Poland’s history, visit its cities and hidden gems, and show what this beautiful country has to offer — from guides, walks, and museums to personal experiences and local insights. As a growing YouTube channel, getting discovered can be tough. If you enjoy this video, please like, subscribe, or leave a comment — it genuinely helps me reach more people. And if you're feeling extra generous, sharing the video with friends is one of the biggest boosts you can give 👍 Suggestions Welcome I’m always open to ideas on how to improve, places to visit, or topics to cover. Don’t hesitate to comment! I do my best to reply to everyone and engage with the community. Credits A huge thank you to my family, friends, and loyal viewers for giving me the motivation to keep going ❤️ 🎵 Music: https://www.bensound.com/ https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/… 🎬 Edited with: VSDC Video Editor