Statue of Jesuit Priest Piotr Skarga 1536 to 1612 in Krakow Poland
The city of Kraków is known as the city of churches. The abundance of landmark, historic temples along with the many monasteries and convents earned the city a countrywide reputation as the "Northern Rome" in the past. The churches of Kraków comprise over 120 places of worship of which over 65 were built in the 20th century. Kraków contains also an outstanding collection of monuments of Jewish sacred architecture unmatched anywhere in Poland. Kraków was an influential centre of Jewish spiritual life before the outbreak of World War II. There were at least 90 synagogues in Kraków active before the Nazi German invasion of Poland, serving its burgeoning Jewish community of 60,000–80,000 (out of the city's total population of 237,000), established since the early 12th century. Kraków, the unofficial cultural capital of Poland, was named the official European Capital of Culture for the year 2000 It is a major attraction for both local and international tourists, attracting seven million visitors a year. Major landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and the Sukiennice Cloth Hall, the Wawel Castle, the National Art Museum, the Zygmunt Bell at the Wawel Cathedral, and the medieval St Florian's Gate with the Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route. Kraków has 28 museums and public art galleries. Among them are the main branch of Poland's National Museum and the Czartoryski Museum, the latter featuring works by Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.
Size: 2848px × 4287px
Location: Krakow Poland Europe
Photo credit: © Brenda Kean / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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