The
final stop on my whirlwind one-month tour of Central Europe was Krakow, Poland.
I had a great time in Krakow and it was a great place to end the trip. The
experiences I had in Krakow seemed like the culmination of everything we had
seen and prepared for throughout the trip.
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| Cloth Hall in Rynek Glowny |
The
geographical aspect of the city that I was most fascinated by was gigantic main
square in Krakow, Rynek Glowny. This square housed some of the most iconic
buildings in Krakow such as the Cloth Hall. This gigantic market building had
many shops lining both sides selling a variety of goods to tourists. It
reflected Krakow’s roots as a city founded on trade in the Middle Ages. St.
Mary’s Basilica was also present on the square along with the remaining tower
from the old city hall that has burned down. The market square itself is the
largest in Europe and has the largest population of Rock Pigeons in the world.
There was also free Wi-Fi in the entire square for visitors. I appreciated the
geographic significance of maintaining this large commercial space. It was
central to the identity of the citizens of Krakow as well as Poland as a whole.
My
favorite academic experience while we stayed in Krakow was our day trip out to
Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camps. While it feels
strange to use the term “favorite” to describe this place, I am grateful for
the opportunity to have seen it. As a history student, I have heard about
Auschwitz many times, but it is completely different to experience that place
in person. Even now, I still have difficulty putting into words exactly what it
felt like there. The best I can say is that walking through that place made it
difficult to breath, as if the horrors of what happened there still linger,
pressing down on visitors as they try to make sense of it all. Auschwitz holds
a particular power as a place where almost unspeakable evil occurred. I greatly
appreciate the experience of being able to visit and tour this location.
Everyone traveling through Krakow should take a day trip here. It is a
difficult and emotional trip, but certainly worth it.
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| Auschwitz Gate |
My
favorite extra-curricular experience in Krakow was a visit to the Archdiocese
Museum. Krakow was the home of Karol Wojtyla, the man who became St. Pope John
Paul II. My family is Catholic, and I can remember when John Paul II was Pope.
The Archdiocese Museum had his room with the original furniture as well as many
of his possessions. The most interesting aspects of the museum were John Paul
II’s personal belongings. It turns out that he was quite the sportsman and
enjoyed skiing and kayaking. It was strange to see his clothing such as leather
jackets and scarves. I enjoyed learning more about John Paul II as a man as
opposed to the familiar image of him as head of the Church. The museum also had
medieval paintings, altarpieces, and priest vestments on the first floor. The
museum was a welcome surprise and I greatly enjoyed myself. Anyone with an
interest in Pope John Paul II would appreciate this museum.
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| Pope John Paul II's Leather Jacket and Skis |
For
my food recommendation in Krakow, I would suggest the Klezmer Hois Restaurant
in the Kazmierz neighborhood. Kazmierz is the former Jewish neighborhood of
Krakow before the Jewish population was forced into the ghetto. This is a much
pricier restaurant, but the atmosphere is great. Visitors can simply go for
dinner, or they can go for dinner and a Klezmer music performance. Klezmer, the
traditional Jewish music, is very dynamic and emotional. It is a fantastic
listening experience and the food was excellent. This was an excellent place for our last
group dinner on the trip. I highly recommend it.
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| Klezmer Musicans at Klezmer-Hois |
Well,
that completes all my favorite experiences in each city I visited. The next
blog entries will focus on my transition from classroom learning to learning in
the field and my own personal growth on this trip.
References:
Archdiocesan Museum. “History.”
Accessed July 15, 2014.
http://www.muzeumkra.diecezja.pl/about%20museum.htm.
Auschwitz. “Memorial and Museum:
Auschwitz-Birkenau.” Accessed July 15, 2014.
http://en.auschwitz.org/m/.
Klezmer-Hois. “Restaurant Klezmer
Hois.” Accessed July 15, 2014.
http://www.klezmer.pl/restaurant_klezmer_hois.
Krakow Info. “Krakow’s Rynek
Glowny Central Square.” Accessed July 15, 2014.
http://www.krakow-info.com/rynek.htm.
Picture References:
1.
Emily
Herkert. Krakow from Wawel Cathedral.
June 24, 2014. Krakow, Poland.
2.
Emily
Herkert. Cloth Hall. June 23, 2014.
Krakow, Poland.
3.
Emily
Herkert. Auschwitz-Birkenau Entrance and
Train Tracks. June 25, 2014. Krakow,
Poland.
4.
Emily
Herkert. Auschwitz Gate. June 25,
2014. Oswiecim, Poland.
5.
Emily
Herkert. Pope’s Leather Jacket and Skis.
June 24, 2014. Krakow, Poland.
6.
Emily
Herkert. Klezmer-Hois. June 28, 2014.
Krakow, Poland.
