History of Krakow
History in dates
6th – 7th century – Slavonic tribes conquer the area of today’s
Małopolska (Lesser Poland)
7th – 8th century – The Mounds of Wanda and Krakus are built
9th century – The first settlement enclosed with a palisade – fortified castle and settlement outside walls on the Wawel Hill
965 – Ibrahim Ibn Jakub, a Jewish merchant and traveller mentions Krakow in his travel description.
999 – Krakow becomes part of the Piast dynasty state
1000 – The Diocese of Krakow was established (it could have existed even earlier).
1020 – The construction of pre-Romanesque Wawel Cathedral initiated by Bolesław Chrobry begins.
1038 – Krakow becomes the capital of state when Casimir the Restorer makes the city his official seat.
1079 – King Boleslaw the Brave kills Bishop Stanislaw of Szczepanowo in the Skałka church.
1079 – 1098 –
St. Andrew’s Church is built, the main temple of Okół settlement.
1090 – 1098 – King Władysław Herman begins the construction of Romanesque Wawel Cathedral.
1102 – 1138 – The reign of King Bolesław Krzywousty
1138 – King Bolesław Krzywousty dies, the beginning of Poland’s feudal disintegration. A period of struggle for the Krakow throne.
1198 – First written record about the village of Bawół on site of which the city of Kazimierz is supposed to be located.
1200 – An earthquake in Krakow .
1207 – Wincenty Kadłubek becomes the bishop of Krakow.
1221 – 1222 –St. Mary’s Church was established by Bishop Iwo Odrowąż on site of an old wooden temple.
1241 – Tartars conquer and burn down Krakow.
1253 – Canonization of Bishop Stanisław of Szczepanów – veneration of the saint increases.
1257 – The city of Krakow founded on the Magdeburg’s rights by King Bolesław the Shy, the Main Market Square was delimited.
1291 – 15-year occupation by Czech troops
1306 – Władysław Łokietek conquers Krakow.
1320 – Władysław Łokietek becomes King of Poland. The construction of the Gothic Wawel Cathedral begins.
1333 – King Władysław Łokietek dies. King Kazimierz the Great ascends the throne.
1335 – King Kazimierz the Great establishes a new city within the area of Bawół village and gives his name to the city.
1364 –
Krakow Academy is established.
1366 – King Casimir the Great founds the city of Kleparz. Błonia (meadows) become the property of the city of Krakow.
1383 – The construction of city hall tower completed.
1380 – 1400 – The construction of Gothic Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) in the Main Market Square
1384 – Queen Jadwiga ascends the Polish throne.
1386 – The Grand Duke of Lithuania Władysław Jagiełło marries Jadwiga and becomes King of Poland.
1400 – King Ladislaus Jagiello restores the Krakow Academy granting it a “grand privilege”.
1411 – 51 Teutonic Order pennants won at the battle of Grunwald (1410) hung in the Wawel Castle
1434 – King Ladislaus Jagiello (Polish: Władysław Jagiełło) dies. His son Ladislaus III ascends the throne
1474 – First printed publication in Krakow – calendar for 1474.
1477 – 1489 – Wit Stwosz creates his grandest masterpiece – the Altar of St. Mary’s Church
1525 – Prussian Homage – Duke Albrecht Hohenzollern pays feudal homage at the Main Market Square of Krakow to King Sigismund the Old.
1533 – The construction of Sigismund Chapel completed.
1553 – Remuh cemetery in Kazimierz founded
1572 – Moses Isserles, a great Jewish philosopher dies in Kazimierz,.
1597 – Foundation stone of Jesuit SS. Peter and Paul’s Church consecrated.
1609 – King Sigismund III leaves Krakow for good
1652 – The Big Plague in Krakow, results in thousands of victims.
1655 – The Swedish army of King Charles Gustav enters the city – destroying buildings and robbing pieces of art. .
1657 – King Jan Kazimierz enters Krakow.
1677 – A privilege of Jan III Sobieski, granting city council the right to fill in its composition and elect presidents.
1702 – Swedish soldiers stationed at the Wawel Castle cause fire of the King’s Castle
1703 – Consecration of newly built academic St. Anne’s church.
1734 – Coronation of August III being at the same time the last royal crowning ceremony in Krakow
1768 – Russian troops attack Krakow, though the city defended by Bar Confederates repels the attack
1772 – The first partition of Poland. Austrians occupy the suburbs on the right bank of the Vistula and later, the city of Kazimierz.
1782 – Emperor Joseph II grants city rights and special privileges to the settlement of Podgórze. It was supposed to be a city competing with Krakow.
1787 – Stanisław August Poniatowski pays a visit to Krakow.
1794 – Tadeusz Kościuszko takes an oath on the Krakow’s Main Market Square and starts national uprising
1796 – Austrian troops enter the city. Krakow incorporated into the Habsburg Monarchy.
1809 – Krakow occupied by the Polish troops of the Duchy of Warsaw commanded by Duke Jozef Poniatowski.
1815 – Congress in Vienna decides to establish the Free City of Krakow.
1820 – The construction of Kościuszko mound starts.
1846 – 11-day Krakow Uprising, after the fall of which Emperor Ferdinand I signed the act of incorporating the city into the Austrian Monarchy
1847 – Krakow connected with Wroclaw and Berlin by a railway line.
1850 – Big Fire of Krakow, destroys about 160 houses, 4 churches and 2 monasteries.
1873 – Academy of Skills begins its operation
1879 – National Museum established in Krakow.
1880 – The remains of Jan Długosz rested in the Skałka Church. The tradition of tombs of persons of merit begins.
1890 – In the crypt of the Wawel Cathedral rests the body of Adam Mickiewicz (famous Polish poet) brought from Paris.
1893 – The City Theatre building opens, now it is Juliusz Słowacki Theatre.
1901 – Municipal Water Supply Plant opens. First electric trams begin running around the city. Premiere of “Wesele” play by Stanisław Wyspiański.
1906 – Sports clubs Cracovia and Wisła are established.
1910 – As part of implementing the idea of “Great Krakow” the city was enlarged by 10 new districts located in the area of neighbouring rural communities. Celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Grunwald victory.
1914 – The First Cadre Company (Polish: Pierwsza Kompania Kadrowa) created by Józef Piłsudski departs for combat from Oleandry.
1915 – Podgórze officially joins Krakow.
1918 – The end of the war, the Polish Liquidating Committee (Polish: Polska Komisja Likwidacyjna) seizes power from Austrians.
1919 – AGH University of Science and Technology opens.
1927 – The remains of Juliusz Słowacki brought from Paris rest in the Wawel Cathedral
1933 – Big parade in Krakow Błonie (meadows) on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna. Marshal Józef Piłsudski takes part in the celebrations. Great cavalry parade takes place.
1937 – The construction of Piłsudski mound completed
1939 – Nazi troops get hold of Krakow. The city becomes the capital of the General Government. German occupation begins.
1941 – Jewish ghetto established in Podgórze.
1942 – Foundation of slave labour camp Płaszów.
1943 – Termination of Podgórze ghetto.
1945 – Red Army enters Krakow
1949 – Decision to build a large metallurgic plant on site of Mogiła village. The construction of the city of Nowa Huta begins.
1951 – Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha dies.
1956 – Cabaret “Piwnica pod Baranami” (The Basement Under the Rams) was established.
1968 – Clashes of students and academic teachers with Milicja Obywatelska (Citizens’ Militia). The incident was a provocation of the communist government.
1977 – After killing student Stanisław Pyjas by Security Police (SB) a mournful procession crosses the city streets. Student Solidarity Committee established.
1978 – Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow Karol Wojtyła becomes pope. Krakow included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage.
1989 – The end of communism in Poland.
1993 – The ashes of gen. Władysław Sikorski rest in the Wawel Castle.
2000 – Krakow becomes a European City of Culture.
2004 – Czesław Miłosz, an outstanding poet, a Nobel Prize winner dies. His remains rest in the crypt for persons of merit of the Skałka church.
2005 – Pope John Paul II dies. Krakow plunges into mourning. White Marsh composed of hundreds of thousands crosses the city streets.
2006 – Stanisław Lem dies, a world-known writer, philosopher and futurologist.
2007 – Celebrations of the 750th anniversary of Krakow foundation on the Magdeburg’s rights.