Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Kościół Świętej Trójcy

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with a transept, a large choir loft and an apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Six out of seven columns have been stripped of the Baroque plaster so far. From the side you can see the Romanesque apse, the Gothic façade of the transept and the Baroque turret of the main façade.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with a transept, a large choir loft and an apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Six out of seven columns have been stripped of the Baroque plaster so far. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice.

In the 12th century, the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently, Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945, it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with a transept, large choir loft, and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century, the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Six out of seven columns have been stripped of the Baroque plaster so far. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice. Details

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Six out of seven columns have been stripped of the Baroque plaster so far. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Six out of seven columns have been stripped of the Baroque plaster so far. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. Such complex columns are rare and unusual. I have seen similar columns in Santiago and Venice.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt. It was given a new facade and baroque furnishings. The original appearance was thus rendered unrecognizable. It was even forgotten. During the renovation of the church in 1946, six Romanesque columns were freed from a thick layer of plaster. Two of the column shafts are richly decorated with figural bas-reliefs. Their origin is dated to the second half of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland. - Today's parish church is the former monastery church of the Premonstratensian nuns. It was consecrated in 1216. It is a three-nave basilica with transept, large choir loft and apse. On the eastern side, the church was originally equipped with two round towers. The central nave is covered by a star vault, while the side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. In the 18th century, the church was rebuilt in the Baroque style and received a new facade and furnishings, while the original Romanesque appearance was rendered unrecognizable. The Baroque facade from the first half of the 18th century is flanked by two Baroque towers with helmet roofs.

In the 12th century the local voivode endowed the Church of St. Cross here. At the end of the 12th century another church, the Rotunda of St. Prokop, was built. Premonstratensian nuns had a monastery here from 1148 to 1838. The Holy Trinity Church, consecrated in 1216, was also built during this period. Strzelno fell to Prussia in 1772. After the end of the First World War Strzelno was ceded to the Second Polish Republic. In 1939 the region was occupied by the German Wehrmacht; subsequently Strelno was reincorporated into the German Reich. In the spring of 1945 it rejoined Poland.

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. The Franciscans came to Opole at the beginning of the 13th century. The existence of the monastery is documented for 1248. The wooden church of the monastery burned down in 1307. A short time later the church was rebuilt in Gothic style. The tower was added in the 15th century. The interior is largely Baroque and the gables are Renaissance style. The church also served as a castle church, as the Piast castle was located in the immediate vicinity. The Chapel of St. Anne (aka "Piast Chapel") is located in the southern nave of the church. The chapel was built by the Opole Piast Bolko I in 1309. Here are the tombs of Bolko I, Bolko II, and Bolko III, as well as his wife Anna. On the folding altar, you can see St. Anne, Vladislaus II, the founder of the monastery, St. Barbara, and St. Hedwig, the wife of Henry the Bearded.

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. The Franciscans came to Opole at the beginning of the 13th century. The existence of the monastery is documented for 1248. The wooden church of the monastery burned down in 1307. A short time later the church was rebuilt in Gothic style. The tower was added in the 15th century. The interior is largely Baroque and the gables are Renaissance style. The church also served as a castle church, as the Piast castle was located in the immediate vicinity. The church survived WWII relatively unharmed. From 1945 the Franciscans again occupied the monastery rooms, since the church had been Protestant since the Reformation. In 1986 the top of the tower including the cross broke off during a strong storm. During the reconstruction, the wooden structure was also renewed.

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. The Franciscans came to Opole at the beginning of the 13th century. The existence of the monastery is documented for 1248. The wooden church of the monastery burned down in 1307. A short time later the church was rebuilt in Gothic style. The tower was added in the 15th century. The interior is largely Baroque and the gables are Renaissance style. The church also served as a castle church, as the Piast castle was located in the immediate vicinity. The church survived WWII relatively unharmed. From 1945 the Franciscans again occupied the monastery rooms, since the church had been Protestant since the Reformation. In 1986 the top of the tower including the cross broke off during a strong storm. During the reconstruction, the wooden structure was also renewed.

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Dominicans, led by St. Jacek (aka "Hyacinth of Poland"), came to Krakow from Bologna in 1222. The first church of the monks was a wooden one. The new, gothic church and monastery were built after the invasion of the Tatars in 1241. Originally it was a three-nave hall, which was then rebuilt into a basilica church around 1400. Until the mid-nineteenth century, one of the characteristic elements of the church was a brick belfry tower, standing freely in front of the church façad. After the town fire in 1850, only the burnt walls remained of the bell tower, which were pulled down. In 1876, in place of the tower, a neo-Gothic porch was added to the facade of the temple. It covered the gothic, 14th-century main entrance portal, which was renovated in 1893. The epitaph of Jan Grot, located in the cloister. Jan Grot was a city writer who became a counselor later. He belonged to the followers of the Calvinist Church. At the end of his life, he returned to the Catholic Church, as the inscription informs: "Ioani Groth Consuli Cracovien viro probieate ac prudenciu singulari Hoc excepto quot vivens extra germiu catholi ecclesiae vanas hereticor opiniones sequebatur nec no Ioani filiolo non dum trimulo ex eode suscepto Catharina Miaczinska nuc GD Floriani Podoski uxor coniugi optatis charis et de seime illos pietatis et amoris monumentu hoc extare volvit praesertim ave quod viru iam moritur phs precibus et costati religionis afectu id quod antea sepus tetaver at cooperate tuc spiritu sancto ad veram eclesiae unione revoc tobit Ano Domini 1570 die 10 Septebris 1580 ilius filni 22 septebris 1580 Ianuari"

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Dominicans, led by St. Jacek (aka "Hyacinth of Poland"), came to Krakow from Bologna in 1222. The first church of the monks was a wooden one. The new, gothic church and monastery were built after the invasion of the Tatars in 1241. Originally it was a three-nave hall, which was then rebuilt into a basilica church around 1400. Until the mid-nineteenth century, one of the characteristic elements of the church was a brick belfry tower, standing freely in front of the church façad. After the town fire in 1850, only the burnt walls remained of the bell tower, which were pulled down. In 1876, in place of the tower, a neo-Gothic porch was added to the facade of the temple. It covered the gothic, 14th-century main entrance portal, which was renovated in 1893. The cloister of the Dominicans adjoins the church. The the right is the epitaph of Jan Grot

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Dominicans, led by St. Jacek (aka "Hyacinth of Poland"), came to Krakow from Bologna in 1222. The first church of the monks was a wooden one. The new, gothic church and monastery were built after the invasion of the Tatars in 1241. Originally it was a three-nave hall, which was then rebuilt into a basilica church around 1400. Until the mid-nineteenth century, one of the characteristic elements of the church was a brick belfry tower, standing freely in front of the church façad. After the town fire in 1850, only the burnt walls remained of the bell tower, which were pulled down. In 1876, in place of the tower, a neo-Gothic porch was added to the facade of the temple. It covered the gothic, 14th-century main entrance portal, which was renovated in 1893.

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Dominicans, led by St. Jacek (aka "Hyacinth of Poland"), came to Krakow from Bologna in 1222. The first church of the monks was a wooden one. The new, gothic church and monastery were built after the invasion of the Tatars in 1241. Originally it was a three-nave hall, which was then rebuilt into a basilica church around 1400. Until the mid-nineteenth century, one of the characteristic elements of the church was a brick belfry tower, standing freely in front of the church façad. After the town fire in 1850, only the burnt walls remained of the bell tower, which were pulled down. In 1876, in place of the tower, a neo-Gothic porch was added to the facade of the temple. It covered the gothic, 14th-century main entrance portal, which was renovated in 1893.