Krakow is definitely a city of mounds; currently, we still have five, two of them are ancient and mysterious. Today I will tell you about the Krakus Mound.
According to legend, it is a burial mound where the city's mythical founder, Krak, is buried. However, it is unknown when precisely the mound was built and what its function was. Over the years, even researchers have had different opinions on this subject - many theories have arisen. One of them says that it is a monumental tomb from Celtic times (the Celts reached present-day Poland territory around 5th century BC). The popular view today is that the mound was built around the 6th-7th century AD. Anyway, we still don't know who created it and why.
The choice of location is not surprising - high limestone hill. You can admire the panorama of the city while climbing.
On the flat top of a hill, it's easy to forget about the passing of time.
The mound itself does not seem very impressive, especially compared to the larger and more representative Kościuszko Mound which I wrote about here.
However, the view from it is breathtaking, and the undiscovered mystery adds to the charm.
In the central part of the two photos below, you can see, among others, Wawel Royal Castle.
It is also worth taking a look at the newer part of the city to have fun finding familiar places.
When we look to the left, the hill emerges with a TV tower...
...and another attraction a bit further.
The mound stands right on the edge of the old quarry "Liban," which is a great place to visit by history, urbex and ... film lovers. The photo shows the roofs of huge old limestone kilns. Down there, nearly 30 years ago, Steven Spielberg made some scenes for the movie Schindler's List. The area of the former quarry played the role of the Płaszów concentration camp. There are remains of the scenery there, which makes an extraordinary impression.
Officially, it is forbidden to enter its area, but every weekend it is full of walkers.
It's worth mentioning that the real camp was right next door - look on this wooded area on the left.
Maybe you noticed small stone walls in the photos? Also, in the picture above, the outline of the walls or foundations is visible. It is also an exciting story! As you know, I am very interested in the history of fortifications built in Krakow in the 19th century by the Austrians. They also erected fortifications around the Krak Mound (Fort Krakus), very similar to those surrounding the Kosciuszko Moud.
Fort Krakus was demolished in the 1930s during extensive archaeological work. At that time, only the barracks buildings remained, which in turn were demolished in 1954. The ground's unevenness is visible from the mound, including the remains of moats and buildings. In 2014, the outline of the walls was reconstructed using the stone marks visible in my photos.
I wish I could see what the fort looked like in its original form. However, I found exciting archival photos from 1932-1937, showing the mound's barrack buildings and archaeological works. All images below have been made available by the National Digital Archives; they remain in the public domain. You can check it - at the end of the text, I have provided links to the pages with photos, which I used in my publication.
This is what the mound looked like in 1932 - the fort has already been demolished, only the barracks remain.
It was a tremendous archaeological undertaking - over several years, the entire area adjacent to the mound was explored, and the mound was dug up.
Archaeologists found many artifacts from different eras that did not provide a clear answer. They found no evidence that it was a tomb. Moreover, something like a wooden structure was discovered inside the mound as evidence that the construction was planned. So it could not have been a spontaneous spurt of the inhabitants after the ruler's death.
About 3 meters below the surface of the mound, the roots of a huge oak were found. Estimation is that the tree was about 300 years old at the time of cutting.
the roots of old oak
The oak's association with the Slavic culture suggests that the mound could have been a place of pagan worship. The introduction of Christianity probably resulted in the liquidation of the oak.
The analysis of the Krakus Mound excavations shows that it could have been built for a long time. The mound was formed in 3-4 stages, which gradually enlarged its shape.
One of the most interesting theories about the mound's origin is that it is an astronomical and geodetic object, something like a calendar. Scientists from one of the universities in Krakow have discovered unusual geographic and astrological connections between the Krakus Mound, two other, ancient mounds and the Wawel Hill. It is possible that there once was a whole network of hills of a similar nature, located in a specific way. This idea appeals to me enormously.
Regardless of the intention, it is an extraordinary place. Very interesting in terms of topography and history. When you are standing there, it is easy to imagine how the ancestors gathered there to watch the sunrise above the equally ancient Wanda Mound.
You can feel their presence up there.
I'm the only author of the text and color photos.
Text sources:
https://histmag.org/Tajemnica-kopca-Krakusa-16799/
http://www.fortyck.pl/wiesci_inne_54.htm
Source of archival photos: National Digital Archives, photos under the CC0 license (Public Domain), links:
https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/jednostka/-/jednostka/5982053/obiekty/391622#opis_obiektu
https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/jednostka/-/jednostka/5932114/obiekty/371371#opis_obiektu
https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/jednostka/-/jednostka/5958765/obiekty/268852#opis_obiektu
https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/jednostka/-/jednostka/5949885/obiekty/309872#opis_obiektu