Wawel Royal Castle, Krakow (must see)

The Wawel Royal Castle stands as one of Poland’s most important historical landmarks, a castle hill complex that oversaw centuries of national, royal, and artistic history.
The hill on which Wawel sits has been inhabited since ancient times, but Wawel began taking shape as a seat of power in the early Middle Ages, with the earliest stone buildings appearing around the 11th–12th centuries. Over the following centuries, successive rulers transformed the residence. In the 14th century, under Casimir III the Great, the castle was fortified and rebuilt in a Gothic style, establishing the core structure that would survive in part to this day.

The 16th century brought a major transformation under Sigismund I the Old. He commissioned Italian architects to rebuild and expand the castle, turning it into a Renaissance-style palace — a shift that reshaped Wawel from a medieval fortress into a grand royal residence. Over time, Baroque and later architectural layers were added, so today the castle exhibits a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles.

Wawel Royal Castle functions partly as a museum complex — the Wawel Royal Castle National Art Collection — offering access to royal apartments, state rooms, historic art, armor, furniture, tapestries, and a rich collection of paintings and decorative arts. Strolling through the arcade courtyard gives a sense of the Renaissance grandeur that reshaped the castle, while the various rooms and exhibitions reveal the lives of kings and the history of Polish statehood.

Among the standout attractions are the historic royal apartments and state chambers, furnishings, and art. For those interested in arms and military history, the museum’s collection of armor, weapons, and historic artifacts provides a vivid window into past conflicts and noble life. The castle’s collections also include fine tapestries, period furniture, ceramics, and decorative art — including items from across Europe and the Near East — showing Poland’s historical ties and international influences.

Beyond indoor treasures, the castle’s position on the hill beside the river, its layered architecture, and its atmosphere provide a strong sense of place — a fitting way to describe one of the earliest UNESCO World Heritage Sites.