Wawel Castle is an ancient symbol of Polish statehood.
The castle was a royal residence until 1609. The first, much smaller castle was built by King Boleslaw in the 11th century, and in the 14th century. At Casimir the Great he turned into a majestic Gothic castle.
In 1499, the castle was destroyed by a violent fire, and in its place King Zygmunt built an elegant Renaissance palace, preserved almost unchanged.
