Yesterday was the last day of my vacation, at the same time the first day in two weeks without fog - in the morning I was surprised by the blue sky and bright rays of the sun. Could there be a better occasion for a long walk? Taking advantage of the nice weather, I decided to go to the Kościuszko Mound. Under the right conditions, you can see the entire Kraków from it!
I started my walk on one of the biggest meadows in Europe located in the city center. It's Błonia, a municipal park with a large area of about 48 ha, once a communal pasture. Here both parties and concerts as well as religious events take place. Children and dogs can run freely :) The approximately 3.6 km long sidewalk surrounding Błonia is ideal for jogging, inline skating, and cycling.
Behind the buildings, you can see the Wawel royal castle.
A walk from Błonia to the Kościuszko Mound takes only half an hour. The 35.5-meter-high mound was built in the years 1820-23, mostly by volunteers, in honor of Poland's national hero - Tadeusz Kościuszko. Kościuszko was also a fighter for American freedom; he was a friend of Thomas Jefferson and a builder of American fortifications.
In 1850 the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I decided to turn Kraków into a large fortress. The Krakow Fortress (Orig. Festung Krakau), a system of over 170 defensive structures was built in 1850-1916. Today we can admire about 100 of them; they are in better or worse condition.
The largest object of the Krakow Fortress is the Fort Citadel 2 "Kosciuszko", adapted for independent defense. It surrounds the mound in a tight circle. Located high above the city, it was an excellent defense and observation point.
I wrote more about the Krakow Fortress, and its history here.
To enter the mound, you need to buy a ticket (it costs about 2 € now, 50% cheaper than usual) and wait in line.
I can finally start climbing!
I have to admit that I had a problem with getting on the mound. A narrow path without a fence led along a steep slope, and only after starting the climb, I remembered that I was afraid of heights :) The open space overwhelmed me; my legs began to tremble.
Luckily, the observation point at the top was fenced in, and it made me feel safer.
Currently, the mound and the surrounding fortifications are a valuable monument and historical legacy. It's also a huge tourist attraction and one of the favorite walking places of the locals. You can see the breathtaking panorama from its top, so it's a tradition that every local try to find places he knows.
The green geometric shape you can see below is Błonia.
Sometimes, when the air is clear, you can see the Tatras mountains 85 km away. Unfortunately, yesterday there was a bit of smog over the city, but the visibility was very well anyway. I could admire the closer mountain ranges.
The fort buildings currently house a museum, hotel, restaurants, and also one of the largest radio stations in Poland - RMF FM. I have many memories related to this radio. It started playing in 1990, right after the fall of communism in Poland. I was a child then, and this radio was the first harbinger of changes for me and a window to the west. Now I don't listen to the radio or watch TV, because I hate news and ads, but RMF will always remain in my heart :)
I wanted to wait for the sunset at the top, but in winter the Mound is closed earlier. Besides, it was a bit windy;)
A beautiful, historic place, worth visiting at any time of the year.
Greetings from Krakow!
I'm the only author of the text and all photos.