Kraków, Poland was established on Wawel Hill in the 4th century. Legends state that at the bottom of the hill lived a dragon. Many knights tried to oust the dragon out of his cave but eventually it was tricked into eating a poisoned lamb and died. Today this statue of the dragon protects the castle and his bones hang by the entrance of the church. Over the centuries, Krakow enjoyed many years of Italian immigrants – poets, artists and others who worked with the wife of a polish king to remodel the palace. Italians introduced veggies, fashion and Roman architecture. There are many influences especially from Milan. Now Krakow is often referred to as the City of Poets.
Our guide explained that Krakow also enjoyed many years of religious freedom with many Jews settling in the city. But the king also realized that freedom without limits can lead to anarchy. Later in the day we visited the salt mines. Salt was considered white gold and was an important source of income for the monarchy in the Middle Ages.
