Kraków is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Małopolska Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596, and has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, economic, cultural and artistic life. Cited as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, its Old Town with Wawel Royal Castle and the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978.
Kraków is classified as a global city with the ranking of "high sufficiency" by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Its extensive cultural heritage across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture includes Wawel Cathedral and Wawel Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula, St. Mary's Basilica, Saints Peter and Paul Church and the largest medieval market square in Europe, Rynek Główny.
Legend of the Wawel dragon
