Many colleagues who have already been to Krakow recommended to visit this, one of the most historically rich cities in Poland. Finally I took the decision to spend a long weekend from 1. till 4. August 2014 in the city. More than two days museums-and-galleries-marathon with my dear friend, illustrator Laura Ličer, has served up with interesting exhibitions. Nevertheless, relaxing evenings in the historic center (UNESCO WHS) represented decent conclusions of each day’s itinerary.
By passing the glamorous Main Market Square we spend almost all first day at charming Jewish quarter of Kazimierz. At the Old Synagogue (a part of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow) we visited Cracovia Iudaeorum 3D, an exhibition showing a 3D interpretation of the houses and synagogues in the Jewish quarter of medieval Krakow. An amazing project was unfortunately presented to scientifically to be interesting for general public. This fact is probably the reason why most of the visitors I saw there had run through it. In contrary, well revitalsed Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory on the other side of the Vistula River (Wisła) was a positive surprise. A large industrial complex today hosts the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow and MOCAK − the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. If MOCAK is a must-see for every contemporary art lover, than the permanent exhibition titled Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945 should not be missed by any museum professional who follows current museological paradigm. Impressive.
In only one weekend it is impossible to visit all the sites from our list. However, by visits of the Wawel Royal Castle with Leonardo Da Vinci’s Lady with Ermine, Manggha Center and Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, the National Museum, the International Cultural Centre with the exhibition Masters of Dreams: Symbolism in the Bohemian Lands 1880–1914, Poster Gallery Krakow and all the local arts&crafts shops as well as architecture on the way, we certainly weren’t malnourished with cultural pulses. Anyway, I really hope that the next excursion will provide with enough time to visit the Rynek Underground, a permanent exhibition below the Main Square.
An album of 44 photos can be seen at my personal Facebook page.
An Addition to the Article (27. 11. 2014): An article (in Slovenian) Krakov – kulturna prestolnica Poljske (Krakow – the cultural capital of Poland) is published in a printed version of Lisa magazine (No. 45, 30. 10. 2014, p. 58-59). See an online edition.
