The Royal Cathedral at Wawel [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONThere is probably no one in Poland for whom the word Wawel is devoid of special significance. The Wa-wel Hill, which for centuries has towered over Cracow, Polands former capital, is the pride and glory of the Polish nation, an exponent of its history and finest traditions. In every Pole Cracow has always evoked a multitude of feelings and associa-tions connected for the most part with the Wawel Hill and the royal sarcophagi and monuments in Cracow Cathedral, a place hallowed by national history. Every nook and cranny of this remarkable church recalls personalities and events which make up the history of the Polish nation and state. From the moment the cathedral was erected next to the royal residence, it has been a treasure house of national mementoes. Founded nearly a thousand years ago, Cracow Cathedral has become firmly rooted in Polish history. Its existence has been associated with great historical pcrsonages, their names lingering on in the cathedral walls, among monuments and keepsakes, all of which make up a picture of Polish culture, a peculiar shrine of national history, of the good and bad fortunes of old Poland. Therefore a visít to Wawel Cathedral is always a moving experience for, like hardly any other cathedral in Europe, it contains a good piece of national history which speaks through the works of art and historical mementoes accumulated here over the ages.The description of Cracow Cathedral in the c 7th century as "the most precious jewel among all churches in the Realm" was no exaggeration, but a mere assertion of its importance in past centuries. The following pages are devoted to the history of Wawel Cathedral and its collections, starting from the year iooo to the prcscnt day, as well as to the functions performed by this most important shrine, not only as a place of worship but above all as a symbol of state. The Polish writer Klementyna Hoffmanowa née Tanska said of the cathedral over a hundred years ago: "On entering I was miraculously taken back to Po-lands times of glory; the modest exteriőr of this shrine does not promise much and therefore its unexpected splendour is all the more astonishing