St. Mary's Basilica

St. Mary's Basilica

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St. Mary's Basilica

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Located on the Market Square in the heart of the Old Town, Krakow's St Mary's Basilica is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the city's most important landmarks.

A bit of history

The construction of St Mary's Basilica, as we see it today, began in the mid-14th century, replacing an old Romanesque church destroyed following a Tatar raid. 

Why visit St Mary's Basilica, Krakow

One of the Basilica's main attractions is the magnificent wooden altar created by German sculptor Veit Stoss. It is one of the largest and most spectacular Gothic altars in Europe, with intricate details depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. When there is no mass in session, you can admire it for yourself up close, or even better, as part of a guided tour!

The towers and the trumpeter

The church has two towers of different heights, a feature that has given rise to several legends. The most popular one is that they are the result of a quarrel between two brothers who built them.

Another distinctive feature of the basilica is the sound of 'St. Mary's Trumpet Call', a trumpet signal that is played every hour from the top of the main tower, 365 days a year. This peculiar melody stops abruptly, supposedly in memory of a medieval trumpeter who was shot in the throat by an arrow.

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