Krakow

Krakow - darkometer rating : 5 - The main city of southern Poland – and a place with a particularly rich history. For the dark tourist, it's especially important as the usual base for excursions to Auschwitz , the world's No. 1 Holocaust tourism site. But Kraków itself has a lot to offer in the dark department too, ranging from a (former) Jewish quarter/ghetto to traces of the city's role during the communist era and its downfall. > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: Kraków, Poland ’s second largest city (after Warsaw ), for much of its history used to be the capital of the country (the current one, of course, being Warsaw). The eminent Wawel Hill was chosen as the residence of Poland’s kings a millennium ago, and has also long been the seat of the archbishops. The most famous of these in modern times was Karol Wojtyła, the later Pope John Paul II (from 1978), whose image is encountered frequently in the country and in this city especially. The very origins of Kraków go back even further than the 11th century, possibly to the 8th century, but are shrouded in mystery. Allegedly it was founded by the mythical king Krak, who some believe is buried under the Krakus Mound in Płaszów (> non-dark combinations ). But archaeological finds suggest otherwise. Anyway, for our dark-tourism perspective, it is naturally Kraków’s modern history that makes the city important.