In the Middle Ages, Krakow was one of Central Europe’s greatest cities: a thriving crossroads of kings, merchants and legends, crowned by a royal castle and haunted by tales of dragons. But in 1241, catastrophe arrived. Mongol armies swept in from the east, devastating the region and reducing Krakow to ashes. Yet from the ruins, the city would rise again, stronger and grander than before. Join Dan on a journey to uncover Krakow’s extraordinary medieval story - exploring its castles, streets and legends to discover how invasion, destruction and remarkable resilience forged one of Europe’s most magnificent cities.
If you'd like to visit any of the locations in this episode, you can visit https://visitmalopolska.pl/en_GB for more information
The Wieliczka Salt Mine at https://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/
The Rynek Underground Museum: https://muzeumkrakowa.pl/en/branches/rynek-underground
For more information about visiting Wawel Castle, search https://wawel.krakow.pl/en
This episode was made in association with the Polish National Tourist Office, with huge thanks to Mirosław Bartyzel, Dorota Wojciechowska and the Malopolska Tourism Organisation.
Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Dan Snow's History Hit is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™.