St. Casimir's Church, Krakow
Standing quaintly in the Old Town District of Krakow is the Church of Saint Casimir the Prince. The plain white exterior may not look extraordinary but the church is quite unique in its own right. One of the most mysterious places in Krakow, it gets a number of visitors year-round waiting to steal a peek at the secrets that lie beneath it.
Adjacent to the Franciscan monastery, the church has over the years, managed to garner much curiosity from visitors all over the world. Established in the late 17th century, the church has been the final home for many locals, monks as well as members of the noble family. Although this may not seem like an extraordinary facet, it is this very quality that has popularized Saint Casimir's.
The catacombs are said to contain over 1000 bodies over the years, a quarter of which were monks and the rest belong to lay people. The unique climatic conditions in the crypts allow the bodies to undergo a natural process of mummification. Historians believe that the micro-climate of the catacombs arrests the decaying of the corpses that have been kept in the crypts since the 17th century.
Many corpses were laid in the catacombs without coffins and directly on earth. Among the mummies is the body of Countess Domicella Skalka who served the church as a housemaid for over 20 years and only revealed her true identity moments before her death.
Tip:
The monastic crypts with mummified bodies are made available for public viewing only once a year on All Souls Day (November 2nd), the day after All Saints Day.
Adjacent to the Franciscan monastery, the church has over the years, managed to garner much curiosity from visitors all over the world. Established in the late 17th century, the church has been the final home for many locals, monks as well as members of the noble family. Although this may not seem like an extraordinary facet, it is this very quality that has popularized Saint Casimir's.
The catacombs are said to contain over 1000 bodies over the years, a quarter of which were monks and the rest belong to lay people. The unique climatic conditions in the crypts allow the bodies to undergo a natural process of mummification. Historians believe that the micro-climate of the catacombs arrests the decaying of the corpses that have been kept in the crypts since the 17th century.
Many corpses were laid in the catacombs without coffins and directly on earth. Among the mummies is the body of Countess Domicella Skalka who served the church as a housemaid for over 20 years and only revealed her true identity moments before her death.
Tip:
The monastic crypts with mummified bodies are made available for public viewing only once a year on All Souls Day (November 2nd), the day after All Saints Day.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Krakow. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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St. Casimir's Church on Map
Sight Name: St. Casimir's Church
Sight Location: Krakow, Poland (See walking tours in Krakow)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Krakow, Poland (See walking tours in Krakow)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Krakow, Poland
Create Your Own Walk in Krakow
Creating your own self-guided walk in Krakow is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
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Krakow, the center of religious life in Poland, was once considered 鈥渢he Northern Rome鈥� for its multitude of churches. Alongside the new temples continuing to appear in the city today, these remarkable sanctuaries, holding deep historical and cultural significance, still remain the most attractive and interesting to look at.
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
By far the most iconic of these is the Basilica of Saint Mary. A... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Jewish Heritage Tour in Krakow
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During the war, the Nazis separated ethnic Jews from the rest of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
During the war, the Nazis separated ethnic Jews from the rest of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Historical House Museums Tour
Well-preserved historical buildings can often tell the stories of their city more vividly than any history book. Krakow, the old capital and cultural center of Poland, for many years, has been the home of many important Poles. Today, their former residences have been converted into house museums where visitors can learn about their inhabitants and see what life was like in the past.
One such... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
One such... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles